To think this is inappropriate?

[MsGameandWatch]

Yesterday at school attendance letters were handed to the children whose attendance has been deemed too low. They're on bright red paper, not in envelopes and the letter states we are receiving a red letter due to low attendance. The letters are handed out in front of all the other children who asked about what they were.

For information this is a brand new HT and a bit of a new broom. This has never appended before. Dd has low attendance at this point in the year for various reasons, which I am happy to explain if anyone cares to know but am not sure it's necessary. It's the purposeful public shaming bright red stationary I have an issue with.

Our letters are on coloured paper but always in an envelope in the book bags

And everyone gets a letter with their attendance that day, not just those with low attendance

I sympathise but think you are a tiny bit BU. What would be the alternative? A letter in a discreet, sealed envelope? A telephone call? That could equally upset sensitive children and cause great anxiety by thinking they are in trouble for other things. Should the school ignore it? The letter would cause a stir no matter what the colour of it or how it was handed out.

For some children this red letter to take home might just work as a deterrent to not take days off lightly.

Everyone knows why the school is targeting attendance.

Yes. A letter in an envelope, as happens in every other school I know of, I don't think it's a lot to ask. Children don't generally take days off in primary off their own back do they? I think it's wrong to make sure all their classmates know there's a problem, it wouldn't be acceptable in any other area of school admin.

But their classmates know if they're off a lot so will know if there's a 'problem' with or without a letter.

I don't know any kids that think like that to be honest. I only ever get a "I dunno" when I ask what the other kids are up to 😊

I don't think school absence is a cause for shame at all. Either you have been unlucky enough to be ill (not shameful) or you have something more interesting to do than go to school (term time travel also not shameful in my opinion).

It is publicly shaming the children, I agree.

You wouldn't go to work with your boss handing out red letters here there and everywhere. Any attendance issues are dealt with discretely. Why shouldn't the same apply to children. Plus, as you said, it's up to the parents to assess if their child is well enough to go to school.

Clara of course, children miss school for all numbers of reason. But isn't the red letter designed to draw attention to the fact that particular child has low attendance. Some kids will be fine with it, others will be mortified.

Yes, absolutely inappropriate and unnecessary.

Mrscarrot, how would a phone call between the head and parent "upset sensitive children"? They are unlikely even to know it's happened.

But yes, this is poor practice, and not particularly sensible anyway. If the school wants to make sure the letters reach parents, it should post them.

It is inappropriate. when my ds had forgotten his lunch money, his male teacher announced it to everyone he has a "red letter of shame", son felt embarrassed and never forgot money again.

I think it's an appalling way to handle the issue. I feel particularly strongly because my DC have had serious health problems and I am far too familiar with schools treating absence due to illness as some sort of moral failing. The schools care only for their attendance figures, ignoring the cause of the absence, and stigmatizing children with scarlet letters is an extreme version.

There's a famous novel, The Scarlet Letter, set in a community where the heroine is caught having extramarital sex and has to wear a big red A (standing for adulteress). The school's strategy has form.

Google the book, OP, and send a snotty email to the new HT, pointing out that this is perhaps not a good example to be following.

Chunn65 if he never forgot again, then teachers tactic worked.

Absenteeism does far more damage than a red letter. If child was off for significant time due to a serious health problem then others would know anyway and it would be no big deal. There are no acceptable 'various reasons' apart from illness of child or death of close family member (for a day or two). Parents who keep kids off on a whim are doing them no favours.

The Scarlet Letter

Oh don't tempt me prawn 😁 I might try and shoehorn a discreet reference in though.

Dd also has a life long medical condition but I didn't want to mention it as I don't think any child should be handed a "Scarlet Letter" to bring home.

Ours are posted .....assuming they don't think the children will give them to parents!
They're not red though and no, YANBU. It's shaming them, just as in my previous post about an attendance poster on the classroom wall was shaming them in front of their peers.

It's incredible insensitive op I agree. It's highlighting kids who have been unlucky enough to be ill.

If school thinks parents are deliberately keeping healthy kids at home then that's another matter for the authorities.

Anything personal (so not for all the children of the class) is dealt with by giving a child a letter in a sealed envelope. That happens with all kind of things, be it the costume list for the nativity play or the information about extra spelling support.

Envelopes are handed out at various days of the week/months, children know it it for the parent, they do not know the content of it.

Handing out a letter to just a few in a hugely outstanding colour where all children are knows to ask what it is about is not really appropriate for primary.

MsGame what did your DC say about the letter when they brought it home? Were they distraught or nonplussed?

Envelopes cost more money though. We have green, orange and red. We have a lot of kids whose parents don't bother to get up and take them. A new kid hardly ever comes I don't think he has had a full week since September yet mum was complaining he isn't making friends eh maybe because he isn't here much! He isn't ill as he is out on the park after school.

The kids are quite matter of fact about them" oh it was because I was off ill." End of story.
Crikey posted Verbena our school couldn't afford that!

She was stressed - has autism. She managed to hold it together well though and said "I am ok because it wasn't just me that got one". I don't want to think how it would have gone down if she was the only one in the class that got one :-/

I'm guessing that to revert to these drastic measures the school must be having a real problem with attendance.

Should just be in a sealed envelope. Absolutely no need for a ridiculous red letter. I find the attendance thing is getting completely ridiculous. There are a tiny minority of people who don't send kids into school because they can't be bothered and plenty more who just happen to pick up bugs more easily than others or who have standing appointments during school time. I'd find the constant barrage of over the top warnings patronising and irritating.

Presumably It being piece of white paper wouldn't be too difficult to achieve, then no envelopes required and no shaming.