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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

342 replies

DancesWithWoolsEnPointe · 20/07/2012 17:17

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?

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 21/07/2012 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Vagaceratops · 21/07/2012 10:28

Well at least you answered my question.
Plain horrid it is then.

As the mother of a disabled child, can you not see that not all children with disabilities will be able to take part in sporting events, and that some consideration should be made for them?

bobbledunk · 21/07/2012 10:31

Why shouldn't they be rewarded? For some kids it might be the only award they get. If you ban that because it discriminates then you have to ban awards for academics and sports because they discriminate against the less able who will never be able to achieve the top score/first place because they don't have the ability to do so.

Rewards are a good incentive for behaviour that the schools want to encourage, if you have a wide enough range of them, then every student will have the ability to achieve one if they want and will have something to work toward. Not winning won't kill them either. That's life.

fireice · 21/07/2012 10:39

It isnt just because it discriminates but because it actively encourages infectious children to attend school.

orangeandlemons · 21/07/2012 10:40

Well more fool your brother, did he get any extra time in his exams? His choice obviously, but what a bigoted attitude.

EVERYONE is entitled to do the best they can, and that means some need more support than others, which means catering to EVERY situation to make it accessable for EVERYONE

tethersend · 21/07/2012 10:43

"Rewards are a good incentive for behaviour that the schools want to encourage"

Exactly. Which makes it all the more absurd to reward the child for behaviour they are powerless to change.

tethersend · 21/07/2012 10:47

Access arrangements (extra time in exams etc.) exist to remove disadvantages, not create advantages.

If they are unfair, then so are wheelchairs.

bobbledunk · 21/07/2012 11:06

Why not ban all awards then? Children are also powerless to change any disabilities/illnesses they have so do you want to ban awards for all areas where a child may not be capable of competing? You'd have to ban everything.

tethersend · 21/07/2012 11:16

That doesn't follow, bobbledunk. Children are in control of their behaviour and their effort. It is perfectly possible to reward every child for something they have done without resorting to rewarding their parents.

GhostShip · 21/07/2012 11:26

Orangesandlemons bigoted? Give over he's a bloody teenager, who doesn't want people making excuses for him and doesn't think it's fair that he'd be given extra time in a SPELLING TEST. he's not good at spelling and he accepts that.

No he didn't get extra time in exams. And still came out with a's so well done him.

I broke my toe when I was younger and now can't run as well as others, should I be given a head start in races?

Yes we should support others but in areas of achievements and competitions we shouldn't alter the conditions to help those less able. This is why we have things like the Paralympics, so those talented individuals have their own. We wouldn't have a disabled person in the normal Olympics and give them lead time would we? No because that would be ridiculous and unfair. And im sure the disabled person wouldnt want that either. So why should we do it in our clasdrooms

GhostShip · 21/07/2012 11:27

Sorry I meant 'normal' in quotations, because what is 'normal' exactly? Not me... :p

seeker · 21/07/2012 11:31

If it helps parents to stop "pulling sickies" for their kids then it's a good thing. And you only have to read mumsnet for half an hour to realise how often parent do that.

GhostShip · 21/07/2012 11:33

Agreed seeker, there seems to be a lot of them lately I've noticed.

Not that I object!

Sirzy · 21/07/2012 11:39

But are the parents who let their children stay off at the drop of a hat really going to say "oh but you won't get a certificate if we let you stay off?"

seeker · 21/07/2012 11:41

No, but their children might see their friends getting vouchers and want the same. Attendance is important- it's a real issue for some schools. Anything with helps is worth trying.

bobbledunk · 21/07/2012 11:46

I don't think it is rewarding their parents though, a lot of kids will pretend to be 'sick' to get off school (I know I did) and I think focus on attendance can discourage that , it also allows the children to pressure parents who keep them off school for no good reason.

rainonmyparade · 21/07/2012 11:52

YADNBU I have worked as a TA in the past. A pet hate of school staff was when obviously unwell children attended school spreading germs/viruses. Parents often said ' DC has been up all night but still wanted to come'. Why then reward this?

At my DC school it is just a certificate. My DD got one a few years ago. I was a bit Confused as why penalise another child who has been ill.

inabeautifulplace · 21/07/2012 11:53

"Rewards are a good incentive for behaviour that the schools want to encourage, if you have a wide enough range of them, then every student will have the ability to achieve one if they want and will have something to work toward. Not winning won't kill them either. That's life."

Seems fair to me. I also don't agree that being healthy is entirely out of family control in most situations. Exercise and diet are significant contributory factors as well as genes for most people. And of course it is affected by holidays in term time, quite rightly.

rainonmyparade · 21/07/2012 11:54

Sorry if something similar to the above has been said many times. I haven't had time to read the whole thread.

Stonefield · 21/07/2012 12:10

Rewards don't penalise people that don't receive them, they celebrate the achievements of those that do. Everyone has a chance at winning something, I doubt that anybody realistically has chance of winning everything and that's fair isn't it?
It helps improve school attendance and that's a good thing.

tethersend · 21/07/2012 12:34

So why don't schools reward children for parental earnings? This has a much bigger impact on educational outcomes, and children could put pressure on their parents to earn more. as I said before, you could present every child whose household income exceeded say, £40,000 pa with an achievement award.

Please can someone in favour of attendance awards explain why schools don't do this?

MulberryMoon · 21/07/2012 12:37

You are right Tethersend. There is no justification for attendance awards that could not equally be applied to awards given to children for parents earning above a certain amount.

ClaireBunting · 21/07/2012 12:42

Haven't read the whole thread so these points may have already been made.

  1. who is funding the £5 gift voucher? It seems like a lot of money when multiplied by all the children who meet the criteria. Does it come from PTA funds?

  2. perhaps it is the parents who are being indirectly credited. Parents are generally very proud when their children win awards. Children pester their parents into letting them go to school.

  3. is it any different from the Golden Boot Challenge?

YouOldSlag · 21/07/2012 12:59

Seems fair to me. I also don't agree that being healthy is entirely out of family control in most situations. Exercise and diet are significant contributory factors as well as genes for most people

Whilst I agree that healthy eating and exercise are important, it is NOT a family's fault if a child is ill. You can't tell a child they didn't the award because "the genes on your Mum's side carry a history of asthma". Equally, your child may have the healthiest regime possible but still need SALT or SN appts, or have Type 1 Diabetes.

Stonefield · 21/07/2012 14:36

Awards for Children for their parents earning more?! WTF? That's so insane I'm lost for words