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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

i think ds's school are wrong

24 replies

2shoes · 07/02/2007 15:20

they brought in this new thing. each half term if they have enough points. they get a reward. 2 hrs off school.
Now while i think it is good that they are trying to encourage better behavior. surely not right to not give the reward to kids that have been of sick.
ds was of for 4 days last week with a bug. so he looses points and has to stay as a punishment. and get this go to the tutor room and discuss how he can meet the target next time.
if he doesn't stay he gets a detention.
would have no problems with this if he had done something wrong but ffs he was ill.

OP posts:

marymillington · 07/02/2007 15:24

No, I agree not fair to lose points for being off sick

But am more horrified at the idea of time off school as a reward!

Surely they could think of something more appropriate. Although of course the staff also get more time off and its free.

Iklboo · 07/02/2007 15:24

Out of order. Maybe they're also trying to encourage good attendance, but he can't help being ill!

MissGolightly · 07/02/2007 15:24

I think the whole scheme sounds a bit silly. Giving kids the idea that taking time off school is a reward is a dodgy idea in the first place. Schools should not be treating classroom time as a punishment, surely? It would be better to give them book tokens or something positive, and as you say, take attendance out of the issue.

Original poster

2shoes · 07/02/2007 15:34

always thought the time off issue was weird. he is in yr 10 so an important time, just annoyed that he is being punished for being ill.
worst still a boy was badly beaten up at school. had time off and............

has to stay

OP posts:

mytwopenceworth · 07/02/2007 15:35

i think time off school as a reward is a TERRIBLE idea!

far better to have certificates, stickers, book tokens, hell even a fiver and a fistful of balloons! but not time off school!

mytwopenceworth · 07/02/2007 15:37

oh, so can you keep him off school? if he's been really good and tidied his room and washed the car he gets a lie in on Monday?

marymillington · 07/02/2007 15:39

Just read the bit about going to the tutor room to discuss how to meet the target!

Ridiculous.

Sort of thing that would have me writing to the head or the governors.

Miaou · 07/02/2007 15:54

What a stupid, ill-thought out idea. My dd1, who loves school, would be completely nonplussed by the concept that time off school would be a reward; if she was going and others were staying she would feel she was being punished!

It's wrong because:

it sends out the wrong idea that being in school is a "punishment" and being out of school is a "reward"
it punishes pupils for things outwith their control (being ill or being beaten up - ffs!!!)

- and something else which I have now forgotten

Honestly, it would be better if they gave out fruit shoots and sweets as rewards instead of this

Original poster

2shoes · 07/02/2007 21:15

good thing is ds(14) is not sulking about it. I rang the school and they said his form tutor would call me,,,,,,,,,,still waiting

OP posts:

hatwoman · 07/02/2007 21:22

totally agree with the others. equating time off school with a reward is bloody ludicrous. if they have got a problem with attendence then I don't have a problem with rewarding a good attendance record - but only unauthorised non-attendance should count against you - not time off for being ill fgs. totally stupid all round.

dmo · 07/02/2007 21:37

what about parents that work its hard enough to find childcare in hols never mind letting them off early by 2 hrs

what about have a games session for 2 hrs

cant believe this is a treat i would go to the school govs

Original poster

2shoes · 07/02/2007 21:38

dmo as it is secondry I don't think childcare is an issue, and if they did games ds would see that as a punishment

OP posts:

dmo · 07/02/2007 21:43

prob not as bad in the high school

strangefruit · 07/02/2007 22:06

are you going to complain?

Original poster

2shoes · 07/02/2007 22:16

i am going to speak to tutor. as ds has 2 appointments next half term in school term. they are both with consultants so can't pick times.

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 08/02/2007 10:01

Wrong sort of reward. Why reward a child for not taking time off school with time off school? Weird.

Original poster

2shoes · 08/02/2007 14:11

Ds's tutor phoned and said that he doesn;t think it is fair either. He said ds has no problems with behaiviour or any other of the things that would have lost him points. He has alredy voiced his concerns about it being unfair that kids are being"punished" for being ill. So I am releved that ds was telling me the full story.
Tutor has asked me to write in complaining as the more complaints the better.
so Ideas on what I can put plese.
I will only be complaining about the sickness thing not the reward system.

OP posts:

CAMy · 08/02/2007 14:18

What a bizarre concept in itself , plus its bound to fail if points are taken off for non-attendance without regard for the reason.

Sometimes I despair at the level of stupidity in running schools.

tigermoth · 08/02/2007 19:11

Agree. Who on earth thought of that idea 2shoes? Good that your son's form tutor is on your side.

FASH84 · 11/06/2018 20:01

We used to get a reward for 100% attendance , sometimes vouchers, or an activity

Ipdipme · 11/06/2018 20:03

Zombie thread!!! 11 years old!

callymarch · 11/06/2018 20:10

I wonder what happened to the OP's son, all grown up now at 26.

BottleOfJameson · 11/06/2018 20:12

YANBU what a ridiculous idea. What kind of culture are we promoting where taking time off sick is something to be punished. Attendance awards in general are ridiculous; my DS happens to have perfect attendance I think good health is reward enough.

Caribou58 · 11/06/2018 20:17

Ex headteacher here. It's a terrible idea. NEVER suggest to kids that time off school is a reward.

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