To wish that schools wouldn't reward children for things they have no control over

[dealer]

Attendance, they give out certificates for 100% attendance each half term. Ds would occasionally have a day off for illness, dd1 hasn't had a day off since reception, she's in year 4. Ds wasn't assed, dd1 has mild sn and despite the fact that I tell her that she's really lucky to be so healthy, loves getting up in assembly for the certificates and feels it's an achievement.

They've now changed it, since it wasn't 'fair' and you will now only get a certificate for most improved attendance. Dd1 wants to know how to get one of these. Not sure how you improve on 5 years 100%.

And I hate it when they award class attendance, so the poor kid who has genuine health problems or parents who aren't very good at getting them there, get highlighted as bringing the class percentage down.

Walk to school week soon. We used to walk to school all the time when I was a sahm because we live 10 mins from the school. Now though, I work as a delivery driver so it's somewhat essential to take my vehicle with me. I need to drop dd2 at nursery 4 miles away 10 minutes later now as well, since the school nursery had no room for her.

Dd2 will be in school in September, so I could in theory walk them then and then go back for the van. But that would utterly pointless since I would then drive the van straight past the school again, same polution etc, and waste 20 mins work time.

Doesn't stop dd1 waving 'walk to school' leaflets at me, and telling me she needs to earn stickers though. Pointing out great facts such as car occupants are exposed to 3 times as much pollution on the school run as walkers. Don't really understand that since they're only in the car for 2 mins.

They usually walk home, but apparently that doesn't count.

Anyway it's all arbitrary stuff that kids are supposed to be motivated to do that they can't do anything about.

Dancer, that's what I said

It is used (erroneously) as a measure of pupil effort by schools who reward attendance.

Out of my 5 children only one has ever 'won' an 100% award. It is the only award she has ever received at school.
She is just as proud of the plaque (sp.) she received as my other children are of their awards.
She is in year 6 and has only had 2 years of 100% attendence in all that time.
The other 4 have all at one point or another won other awards that have been either for academic or sport achievements.
3 of my children have underlying health problems and know that up until now they would never get an 100% attendance award. They really aren't too bothered as they know that there are more awards to possibly get than just attendance ones.

No, you can't win everything, that's fine with me.

I would just rather unfortunate children weren't singled out, especially in things like class awards.

I also get a letter every time, asking me to go and watch dd1 pick up her reward. I would have to take time off work to do so. I'd rather she didn't get the bloody things, and then she might work harder on her merit certificates ( but would still have to understand I can't come to 2.30pm assemblies).

The way attendance is measured is a ridiculous thing to base awards on and to contribute to ofsted ratings. The 100% should be excluding illness. They never had it at DD1's school but as she has missed days due to her epilepsy there's no way she'd have 100%.
DD2 is giving me grief about walk to school - last 3 years have been fine, but DD3 is now at preschool for 3 half days. If I walked her to school, even if I put DD3 into a buggy to speed things up, she'd miss 40 mins of preschool. And we'd have to give swimming and dancing a miss after school. But you don't get credit for only doing half the week.

I like silly things like 'learn to zip/button my coat' certificates in nursery, less so the walking and attending ones. My daughter's old school used to give out random 'well done' certificates for good work, attitude and general fabulousness.

or worse punish or penalise a child for being ill

DD gets a 'red letter' for attendance each term......gee that makes her feel good

Don't forget the children who are neglected.

If attendence is to be a measure maybe it should be based on unauthorised absences. But even then, that is down to the parents. Maybe mum and/or dad should come in and have the certificate awarded to thm - let's face it, that's the reality. Same as for early bird/punctuailty awards at primary.

I much prefer awards for doing somethig good at school. We have a celebration assembly each week and award one (sometimes two) children eahc week with a certificate. It can be for anything - ability, sport, art, effort, being a good friend, meeting a specific target, etc. But it is always something they have done for themselves at school. Means far more.

Apparently the new OFSTED framework sats an attendance figure of 95%, below which a school will get a notice to improve. That is higher than our target level

You'll see more of this, not less IMO.

Another teacher who hates attendance awards here. I've lost count of the number of children who have come into school and told me that they're not feeling well and were vomiting during the night. But they're not kept at home because the school have done such a good job of convincing both parents and children that they need to attend every day.

Then the children with long term health issues who often make an enormous effort to attend as much as possible get no recognition.

AnnieBesant; 95% for every child, or on average??

For the school. But that does mean a lot of children have to get 100%!

I agree OP. DD is in reception and comes home most days with a smiley sticker for eating all her lunch. I would be surprised if DD didn't finish her lunch, she loves her food, to the point of me often needing to tell her that she doesn't need to eat more. She doesn't need stickers to encourage her eating and it seems unfair on the other children!

Ismene, that's bizarre- there must be some children at your DD's school coming home with a sticker for eating all their lunch and a letter saying their BMI indicates that they're overweight

I totally totally agree. I started a thread once after my DS basically moaned at HT he didn't have a fair chance at 100% attendance. (allergies/ hospital apts etc)

I was proud of him but wondered if IWBU (to be proud) as it came across as being a little rude to the HT. I was overwhelmed by the number of MN (inc teachers) who agreed with me.

I also hate the negative systems (moons/clouds/ sad faces) for things that are minor and sometimes children can't control. EG My DS is a constant fiddler and chewer. He cannot help it, his LSA and teacher always comment how well behaved he is and laugh at his constant state of anticipation of events and the fiddling. YET, he moves down a lot for fiddling/ talking to himself - you'd have thought after 2 1/2 years they'd have noticed he still does it so it obviously isn't a great system. (and he really can't control it btw - the more you try and stop him the more nervous he gets and the more he does it).

But they're not kept at home because the school have done such a good job of convincing both parents and children that they need to attend every day

But that's ridiculous Pozzled. Why on earth are these parents letting their children attend school if they have d and v?? Yes, disappointing for the children maybe not to get their attendance certificate, but surely the parents are in charge?

The whole attendance thing is NOT saying you must attend school every single day even if on your death bed...... It's saying the ones who attend every day will be rewarded. And as someone pointed out above, you might get a child who never wins any other award at school other than good attendance, why SHOULDN'T they be rewarded..?

As I said above, it's about those who get these certificates not about the ones who (for whatever reason) don't.

YANBU

Not saying they shouldn't be rewarded for their positive efforts (or their parents) but illness should be ignored. DD2 would never get a very because she has authorised absence - she's done done modelling work which meant she missed 2 or 3 days in a school year. But that's my choice. If she was sick, that's noone's fault. But I suppose that's where the whole system would be flawed, people would throw sickies.

Another one who hate attendance awards. My daughter is asthmatic; they think there's something wrong with her adenoids (got the ENT appointment coming up to investigate) and she was premature which makes her suseptible. This school year she has had two bouts of tonsilitis, three ear infections (which have perforated both ear drums), gastroenteritis and the odd bad asthma day, there might have been some more illnesses in there not to mention her hospital appointments.

I remember in secondary school I didn't think it was very fair either. I had a lot of time off for various reasons - although we didn't know back then I'm autoimmune and a lot of it was down to that - not because I was wagging.

Awards should be about how hard you work, something you can work towards and achieve. You can't - shouldn't - be awarded for your fortunate good health.

awards/merits should be awarded when a child has exceeded expectations/worked incredibly hard to achieve something.
In the workplace we don't get awards for simply turning up do we ?
Also - I remember this little s**t in my mums class years ago (who was revolting and is now in jail, also broke into our house and stole stuff !) behaved himself nicely one morning and the principal let him go on a special excursion cos he'd 'been good' ! mum was livid, why should he get special treatment for behaving like a normal child ? none of the other (behaving) kids got to !
Sorry off topic here - OP YANBU

YANBU yet another thing about schools which I don't like - along with lunchbox policing, girls not allowed to wear shorts/trousers and threatening to expell dc for dying their hair. It is all ridiculous IMO. For a liberal country, I'm finding British schools have too much of a police-state feel.

It all comes down to Ofsted though. Low attendance pulls a report down, and they want to know exactly what you are doing to improve attendance. In my school we therefore go on and on about the attendance. We don't name names though, and the certificates are given out fairly low key in the classrooms. Very low key in mine since I usually forget until hometime =)
There are so many children in some areas, that are home for any reason, including, he looked a bit pale, he didn't get enough sleep, she didn't fancy school today. We do also have a person in school devoted to attendance working with those families, but it's an uphill struggle.

It's a good way of applying pressure to homes to get kids to school on time and as often as possible. And it's true that schools reward lots of things all the time.

It would frustrate me if i was a child but I remember notbeing rewarded much with certificates despite always being a goody two shoes. Early life lessons.

Dancergirl you say "it's about those who get these certificates not about the ones who (for whatever reason) don't" but what about when the children who don't, but who then get a letter telling them how disappointed the school is that they have 88% attendance or that they will never pass exams as they don't attend school enough.

OP, I love your first post! Its spot on and draws attention to the ridiculousness without sounding whingey, a victim, or us-against-them.

YANBU!