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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To hate 100% attendance awards at schools

121 replies

catloony · 10/11/2013 00:48

A family member today has posted on facebook how their child had received a reward again for 100% attendance, and how proud they are and many children are kept off school "wily nily" and that doesn't make the child have a work ethic, lots of comments then agreeing and congratulating the 100% attendance.

I am basically venting on here rather than commenting back that sometimes there is a poorly child that has a diagnosed medical condition and spent time in hospital, but apparently when it comes to the reward trip to Alton Towers they are punished, which I have to explain whilst my child is crying why they are not allowed to go.

I'm sure that there are many other children that were while not seriously ill but had a virus/ D&V for example were too ill to attend school, it must seem the school says tough shit you were vomiting and ill, you can't come to Alton Towers

OP posts:

Crowler · 10/11/2013 10:59

Giles, do you mean not only perfect attendance but no tardies? Jesus christ! how does that happen?

poufflepants - I'm sure that comes with its own worry but I'm impressed with your daughter! My eldest in particular is so over the top with his illnesses (real and imagined alike), it does my head in.

LEMisafucker · 10/11/2013 11:00

BAdvoc - my DD had 100% attendance last year, I am the sort of parent that would keep my child home for a runny nose, she just didn't get sick last year is all.

Badvoc · 10/11/2013 11:02

That's fine Lemis.
Some kids don't.
But some, like my 2 dc who have asthma do get ill ESP in winter.
It's hardly their fault and they would much rather be at school than in a and e on a nebuliser!

OneUp · 10/11/2013 11:08

I loathe one hundred percent attendance awards. I never got them in secondary because I had braces and all out of school appointments were given to those who could pay for their treatment but my parents couldn't afford to have them paid for so I had no chance.

LEMisafucker · 10/11/2013 11:09

Of course, and it is wrong that is penalised, like you say, its not that fault. I agree with you.

OneUp · 10/11/2013 11:10

OttilieKnackered there is a difference between athletic ability which you can do something about and attendance. What do you suggest people do who just get ill a lot? You can't exactly improve your immune system.

Crowler · 10/11/2013 11:14

It's very true that for kids who have medical issues that require monitoring even when they're well - if you are going privately it's very easy to schedule them outside of school hours. Good luck with that on the NHS.

greenfolder · 10/11/2013 11:18

i hate it!

just introduced it in dd3s school. she got a 100% certificate at half term. I threw it away. it is rewarding children of 5 for something they have no control over. some kids are lucky and not ill. some kids are ill and made to go to school by parents. some kids are a bit snotty and kept at home. its for me to judge whether my child is well or ill. the school has good attendance across the board. address those you have issues with. and stop making poorly children and their parents worse by doing a fecking weekly award for class with best attendance.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 10/11/2013 11:21

When dd started school nursery there was a form saying "Does Elvis have a disability" which defined a disability. I think some illnesses were included. So I think a mum needs to complain stating the DDA that reasonable adjustments need to be made for their child.

I think something like this would be fine if 100% attendance for a week got your name put in a draw (as did being kind, star of the week etc etc) and then at the end of term there is a draw and one prize. But aims should be achievable.

damejudydench · 10/11/2013 11:23

Yes, far better to send them into school coughing and spluttering...

Eliza22 · 10/11/2013 11:28

I hate this.

My son has been really ill requiring a lot of medical appointments, over the past 3 years. He STILL gets upset because he's letting himself down and won't get points for 100% attendance.

IT IS BEYOND HIS CONTROL

Raddy · 10/11/2013 11:28

YANBU, I think these awards are not fair.

Btw - I have a son in y11 who has never had a day off. Just luck that he hasn't been unwell.

OwlinaTree · 10/11/2013 11:30

At our school there are certificates at the end of the school year for the 20 or so that have managed 100% attendance. Every week the class with the highest attendance gets a certificate and an extra play. Childrenwith chronic conditions are left off the class listso it's judged on all the rest who can attend normally but they still get the play time if the class win.

It seems to work. All the children seem to recognise 100% over the year is remarkable, but more of a big deal is made of the weekly thing.

Schools are under pressure to show they are engaging children in improving attendance.

We have rewarded individuals for much improved attendance on occasion. That's had a good effect for those children long term.

I think this system is pretty fair.

frogspoon · 10/11/2013 11:43

YANBU, if a child is ill, they are ill.

They may have a very serious medical disability, or they may just be genuinely ill. You can't send a child with a temperature/ D&V etc to school when they are poorly. Also, even if it is just a heavy cold, keeping the child at home will avoid exposing other pupils to their germs.

A child with a chronic condition will require frequent absences. These children should be praised for their efforts in working hard to keep up with the classwork despite their absence, not penalised for a medical condition that is not their fault.

Also one issue which I don't think anyone has mentioned so far on here is absence for religious reasons. An observant e.g. Jewish child will need to take several days off school per year in order to observe their religious festivals. The same thing applies for several other religions as well. To say a child who has been absent for this reason will not have 100% attendance award is religious discrimination.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 10/11/2013 11:47

Schools are under pressure to show they are engaging children in improving attendance.

how is it possible for a 5 year old to get them self to school. They need an adult to get them to school.

whatever5 · 10/11/2013 12:54

Schools are under pressure to show they are engaging children in improving attendance.

So the whole thing is just a "tick box" exercise. They are probably only getting away with it because the majority of children couldn't care less about a certificate of attendance anyway. If the reward was worth having they would be contravening the disability discrimination act.

Blu · 10/11/2013 13:58

I know someone who during the epidemic sent her DD to school with symptoms swine flu on the last few days of summer term (you know, just as many other people were looking forward to getting on a plane for a much longed for holiday...) just to secure the 100% Attendance Gold Certificate for the year. I dread to think what she would do for a trip to Alton Towers.

OwlinaTree · 10/11/2013 14:05

fortydoors whatever5 yes both your points are valid. However that's not the attitude Ofsted take.

BUT schools should be looking at individual cases within this, and making reasonable adjustments.

WooWooOwl · 10/11/2013 14:06

I don't agree with 100% attendance awards either, but I don't blame schools for them.

Schools would never have thought of introducing them if parents didn't take their children out of school for holidays and the only time children were off school was because of illness.

The blame lies with parents trying to get cheap holidays.

Raddy · 10/11/2013 14:29

What about the kids (and my son knows a few) whose parents let them stay off school for a day when the latest version of CoD or FIFA is released.

Schools should be fining these fuckwit parents imo.

whatever5 · 10/11/2013 14:34

OwlinaTree- do Ofsted actually tell schools to reward 100% attendance with certificates, trips etc though?

facedontfit · 10/11/2013 15:03

My daughters school rewards 100% attendance with a certificate. I grit my teeth and let it go but it does make my daughter feel bad about herself. She has asthma and unfortunately misses school due to this.

If the school were punishing her for having asthma by rewarding pupils with trips to Alton Towers/Kindles who are lucky enough to enjoy good health I would be creating merry hell and probably spontaneously combusting at the same time It is discrimination pure and simple.

Gileswithachainsaw · 10/11/2013 15:38

*Schools would never have thought of introducing them if parents didn't take their children out of school for holidays and the only time children were off school was because of illness.

The blame lies with parents trying to get cheap holidays.*

Yes how dare lower income families try and get a holiday. Not as if they can learn anything while there or get in some well deserved rest from work and school

WooWooOwl · 10/11/2013 15:44

It's not always parents on lower incomes that take term time holidays, that's a massively misguided assumption to make!

Either way, if parents as a group are going to take their children out of school for reasons other than illness or extreme circumstances like bereavement, then schools are going to try and combat that any way they can.

OwlinaTree · 10/11/2013 15:45

I don't know whatever but if attendance is under 95% they would want to know what you were doing to improve attendance, both tackling individual non attenders and whole school ethos.

What ideas do you have other than reward for good attendance? I think the Alton towers trip is Ott but certificates fit in with other types of school reward as does extra play time or golden time.

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