to think book vouchers for 100% attendance is an issue?

[DancesWithWoolsEnPointe]

DD2 had 100% attendance at school this year. DD1 had a tummy bug and stayed at home 1 day.

DD2 got a certificate in assembly. Fine with that.
But she also got a £5 book voucher. Not fine with that.

DD1 is jealous and cross with me that I made her stay at home for 24 hours after vomiting, as per school policy. She says that next time she is sick, she is going to school anyway. So what lesson are they trying to teach here?

Actually, I think the opposite. I think the "oh poor darling, of course you can't go to school today- you sneezed twice yesterday" attitude devalues "proper" illness. Like the people who say "oh, I so know how you feel- I get headaches too" to a migraine sufferer.

But then I also think it's ok to say to faddy children that there are children in the world who don't have enough to eat and it's what's on their plates or nothing........

Yes seeker that kind of attitude does devalue 'real' illness, it drives me up the wall when people say 'oh yes I've had a chest infection, I know just how you feel' - no you bloody don't.

But I think most of us on this thread are not talking about parents who keep their children off for trivial reasons. we're talking about those who have no choice because of chronic illness or sheer bad luck at picking up D&V or whatever else.

I'd be a fan of 'doing best to get to school' awards. I am fairly sceptical though about the efficacy of these attendance awards altogether - made not a jot of difference in a local special measures school where attendance was a problem - they couldn't do anything about it because parents just weren't bothered. And then their dc get penalised for it. :(

Thanks youoldslag

I don't see how what you said is really the opposite of mhd seeker ?

No, on balance, I def don't like the certs - and more substantial rewards (even cash ) are worse

seeker, we're not really talking about parents who keep their PFB off for the snuffles. What I am critical of is the fact that children are rewarded for never having a day off sick, when this promotes a culture of coming in even when you are infectiously or seriously sick.

My DS was off twice this year with D and V (which he got from school, incidentally). It would have been grossly unfair of me to send my vomity son into school.

If he has a blocked up nose or a headache, I rub Vicks on him or give him a big drink of water and send him in anyway. These are two completely different scenarios.

Rewarding 100% attendance gives a certain approval to the well which is denied to the chronically or infectiously ill and I think this in principal, is wrong.

What madhairday said sums it up for me. ie.

"I don't actually think 100% attendance awards are anything to be proud of, no, particularly in primary age children. What's to be proud of? One of two things:

Either;

Being lucky enough to be healthy all year - great, but something to be proud of? Really?

Or,

Going into school even when feeling rotten in order to get the award - including with D&V bugs, contagious bugs etc etc. Something to be proud of? Flouting school rules and infecting other dc, including possibly immune suppressed and chronically ill dc?"

I suppose it depends whether you think giving someone an award is punishing people who don't get them. I don't think it is. And I am hugely in favour of any awards and certificates which aren't for academic or sporty stuff. I wouldn't like it if the 100% attendance thing was theonly one of these, or if q really big deal is made out of it. But if there are lots of others for other things, then I don't see the problem. Apart from anything else, a child with 100% attendance has also resisted the urge to pull a sickie!

"I suppose it depends whether you think giving someone an award is punishing people who don't get them."

I don't think it does, actually. Many of us object to the awards for the simple fact that they reward children for parental behaviour, which is ludicrous.

It can't be more than q couple of children a year, anyway.

And it's not just parental behaviour. It's children not pulling sickies, children agreeing to go to school and give it go if they're not feeling brilliant in the morning- and having a robust attitude to their own health.

I think it is just a nice extra - not many make it through without a day off. As a parent you help DCs deal with disappointments and they can take them in their stride when the inevitably get them as adults.

And it's not just parental behaviour. It's children not pulling sickies, children agreeing to go to school and give it go if they're not feeling brilliant in the morning- and having a robust attitude to their own health.

But the children who comply with what you say STILL get D and V or asthma attacks or broken bones, despite their best efforts.

My son broke his leg last year- he still has a robust attitude to his health,s till goes in if he's off colour, and still doesn't pull sickies.

It's as if you're saying the non 100% kids do all the above!

As long as a school has awards for other things, does it really matter that much? I don't mean to sound glib, but there will always be certificates that certain kids can't get. At the end of this year, we gave out certificates for sports day, activities week things, taking part in a journalism project, taking part in a county concert, accelerated reader programme, a cooking competition and an art project, amongst others. The attendance awards (and as I said earlier, ours have an element of chance and are not for 100% over the term/year but names are entered every time a child is at school for a full week) were a small part of it. I can't imagine my school is an exception.

Well I think your school is a bit of an exception ET because many schools give out 100% attendance certs at end of year - for whole year attendance.

Yes, I accept that. My point is that the 100% attendance award is not the only award given out. Plenty of children are never going to get first place in 100metres at sports day, and equally some are unlikely to ever get an award for singing in a county concert. As long as there are plenty of awards for a variety of thing, meaning that there are chances for all achievements to be recognised then it shouldn't be such an issue. I doubt there are schools which only do attendance awards.

I went to a Christmas show in a local school where after the show the only highlights were the 100% attendance certs and the raffle
I was slightly shocked at their lack of imagination and aspiration.

YANBU, they're an awful idea.

I agree with having 100% attendance certificates and I have a disabled child who won't ever get one. Although I admit my views may change when he is older if he becomes upset by not getting one. I think it should be just a certificate though, not anything else.

At DS1 and DS2's school there are certificates for so many different things everyone has a chance at getting one. And the child who won the sports award this year has CP so it's not just being good at something, it's about effort and improvement too.