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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Skiing certificate handed out in assembly?

165 replies

Feminine · 07/04/2014 12:50

Little bit inspired by a thread right now...

Each week the children at our school our given certificates for things done well in school and out.

A couple of weeks back, a couple of children were re-given their skiing ones.

They had obviously already been given them during the holiday.

Anyway...a few parents (myself too Wink a bit) thought it wasn't fair to give them out again. Most families didn't go skiing, nor will they ever!

Personally, I can't think of any thing more horrible to do during half term ...but some parents were upset.

Instead of giving the siblings their certificate together, the children were called up twice ( to get them individually)

this bit has made a few parents extra fed up, as there is precious enough time to hand out all the school achievements!

So...I don't know. I didn't think it was that cool to do it there. The whole school don't need to know about it -do they?

I haven't lost any sleep, nor will I mention to the school ...I'm wondering though and would be grateful for opinions!

OP posts:
Rupertandfifi · 07/04/2014 14:26

I thought your post was going to be about children missing school and then going in with the certificates.
Sadly, it's not, so I have nothing to add. I will slope off now...

Cobain · 07/04/2014 14:31

It does depend if it is a sporting achievement or a holiday freebie. My DC have got certificates for attending kids club and they got a certificate for swimming with a dolphin. Neither was to do with achievement but customer relations. If I sent them in it would be more about bragging than recognition of my children's achievement.

sazzlesb · 07/04/2014 14:31

I think its a little unfair to single out a particular sport/hobby even if it is not available to everyone. Lots of schools encourage children to bring in their trophies/certificates etc and feel proud at sharing their achievement with the school - I don't really see what's wrong with that. Not sure primary age kids would classify skiing in a different category to another sporting achievement. And I think it's quite right that the siblings got presented individually if they both earned it - they are two separate people.

Bonsoir · 07/04/2014 14:35

Gosh - I'm not sure why school has to celebrate routine achievements that are quite outside its boundaries.

I could understand if a child had done something truly exceptional, but ski certificates are not.

Goblinchild · 07/04/2014 14:37

Don't worry Bonsoir, all that nonsense will be on its way out soon anyway.
10 minutes for a hymn and a prayer, and then back to class, that's the future. Far too many wasted minutes acknowledging the ordinary in the hope that it might encourage personal growth.

Original poster
Feminine · 07/04/2014 14:40

As I have said many times here. boring myself now

I asked the question to check how other parents feel about this.

It came out of several Mums being fed up about the presentation. I had my reservations as I detailed ages ago. I was quite happy to be corrected. Most of us are not perfect, and I don't gossip as a rule. MN is better for that Wink

When a few of the parents asked me, I said it wasn't fair. Don't think I really thought it through TBH.

Anyway, I think it is helpful to get a wider range of opinions. Our school is tiny ...some parents are not popular (for whatever reason) I wanted outside opinions. So, Thanks for that.

To clarify (for the last time) hopefully. Not all that I have explained here , came.from.my.mouth. :)

OP posts:
BorsetshireBlue · 07/04/2014 14:40

They do it at our school - DS1 and DS2 both had their certificates given out in assembly from a holiday. They are both in a ski race club and have also had certificates and trophies given out in assembly - these are given along side a whole load of other certificates for children.

DS2 is nearly 7, can barely read and struggles like mad in most subjects, so why the hell shouldn't be proud of his sporting achievements.

JohnFarleysRuskin · 07/04/2014 14:42

They'll still be shouting at you on page 8, Feminine!

There's no getting away from it now!

VivaLeBeaver · 07/04/2014 14:44

I think that celebrating what kids do outside of school and being interested in their extra curricular activities is good pastoral type care.

Bonsoir · 07/04/2014 14:44

DC all wear their ski medals to school on their coats for a week after the February holidays at DD's school. They all compare medals, boast to each other and it all then gets quickly forgotten for another year. Which is how, personally, I think it should be!

Original poster
Feminine · 07/04/2014 14:46

john I thought I'd only get a few responses! Wink

Who would have thought it?
Grin

OP posts:
Ragwort · 07/04/2014 14:58

The funniest thing I ever had to sit through was at the end of year assembly where every child was given an award/cup/certificate - they were clearly struggling with some children - the naughtiest boy in the school (putting it politely) was given a certificate for 'his sense of humour' Hmm.

I think sometimes schools can go over board with recognition for achievement but sadly, some children may never get a 'genuine' award so I suppose it is nice to give them something Confused - sorry if that is badly phrased.

sunshinysummer · 07/04/2014 15:01

Goblinchild-I want to laugh but sadly that is the way it's going.

BackforGood · 07/04/2014 15:10

GivemeaClue Blue Peter Card

Your dc writes and tells them of something they've done (can't remember what the older ones did, but the youngest just wrote and said how she'd mastered riding a bike without stabilisers whilst on holiday one year - so nothing outstanding) and they award the child a Blue Peter Badge. You can them fill in the form to apply for the card.
It gives free entry into various attractions around the country, not just for that year, but until the dc is 16 !!!
Includes expensive places like Legoland, Warwick Castle, Zoos, Safaris Parks, etc. but there's loads and loads of places.

We got our years ago and they are still valid (well not the eldest, - he's 18 now Wink) . Details for applying might be slightly different, but I don't think so as someone I suggested it to a year or 2 back got one too.

BranchingOut · 07/04/2014 17:06

I was a teacher for a number of years and certificates would be handed out from time to time in assembly. I never had any real issues with that, but I think that it has to be all/any certificates of merit accepted or none at all. You can't make a distinction between skiiing, twaekwondo and music. It was lovely sometimes to get a little window into what a child might do outside school and see them bursting with pride to show off their certificate.

Musical talent is celebrated in schools, yet that often involves years of private lessons at X each.... Should that be ignored/not celebrated because it is out of the reach of some?

thebody · 07/04/2014 17:10

Most schools cover any achievements. Ours does in friday assembly but of course only at first school.

They also have birthday celebrations Certs too.

Can't see much harm in it. For the not do academic kids these may be their chance to shine.

lechers · 07/04/2014 18:04

I think celebrating children's out of school activities is not only nice, but to do otherwise smacks if sour grapes.

My DD does one hell of a lot of gymnastics. She has just passed her national grade 8, and will no doubt take her certificate in to school next term. I dare say there'll be some comments about boasting / showing off etc. But this fails to recognise the huge sacrifices DD has to put in to her gym all year round. She has to train 20 hours a week, never gets to go to a school disco (always on a Friday when she trains), rarely has play dates after school, never has sleepovers in term time, never gets a late night (trains early sat and sun mornings), often has to miss birthday parties, the list goes on.... Yet, she's achieved something that she's worked bloody hard for months on, and all she wants is 30 seconds for her school to say well done. To begrudge her that really is sour grapes.

Any achievement outside of school, whether that's passing a music exam, making a county squad at sport, winning a medal at a dance festival will be the culmination of hours (if not weeks or months!) of hard work and that should be recognised and praised imho. For some children (those who are not academic), this may be their only chance to shine. Why would grown adults begrudge children that? Really? It's very sad if they do.

uselessidiot · 07/04/2014 18:14

Dd's school don't have anything like this but I don't think it would annoy me. Children should be encouraged and praised for trying things and achieving. It would make me feel incredibly guilty though that I can't give dds the opportunities that normal people can.

Gurnie · 07/04/2014 18:16

I don't understand people being offended by this at all. It's lovely to celebrate the children's achievements in or out of school. I've never been skiing, my Dd has never been skiing but that's not to say that she wont ever. She's also never competed in motocross or breakdancing or the village olympics but that doesn't mean I'd begrudge another child for being acknowledged for doing so.

The part about it being unfair that each sibling went up individually and that also being ott really took the biscuit for me! So petty!

Ericaequites · 07/04/2014 18:51

School assembly is for school achievements, not anything else.

BranchingOut · 07/04/2014 18:51

Oh and anyone who thinks that learning to ski is easy, has probably either never tried or was born at the top of a ski-lift.

I have been going for years, have just done ESF adults group 1 for the second year running and think that having a certificate handed out at work on my return would really spur me on...Grin

TheSkiingGardener · 07/04/2014 18:57

I'm a ski instructor. We used to run holiday clubs on the dry slope just like any other holiday childcare club. So it can be accessible.

You either have certificates earned outside school or you don't. You can't decide which activities are too posh.

consideringadoption84 · 07/04/2014 19:01

I love that my school does this.

I don't have any of my own children but I feel ridiculously proud (to the point of damp eyes - yes, I am pathetic!) of the achievements some of my class have had announced in assembly.

Half my class have SEN of some kind or another but, this year alone, we have had certificates for ballroom dancing, drama festival, cross country, gymnastics, archery, swimming, judo, cycling, horseriding, art, cello, piano, reading challenge and loads of sports tournaments.

They get given out in assembly then go on our achievements wall in the form room. The children are pleased for themselves and each other. I think it's sweet (and my lot are 10/11, not little kids).

But I see you have already said YABU so it's ok!

Delphiniumsblue · 07/04/2014 19:01

I thought all schools did it, it seems nice to me that children can take in their certificates and have their achievements celebrated.

larahusky · 07/04/2014 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.