to tell my DC good health is a gift, not an achievement?

[foolonthehill]

...and to get rid of the school attendance certificates they are given?

I am blessed with good health. So are my DC. They often get 100% attendance (and the certificate to prove it) ....DD3 is ill, proper vomiting ill...her first thought is "oh no I won't get 100%.

I am so fed up of school treating attendance like a competition. DS has been very ill in the past (you know...red letter ill, in hospital ill). First thing from school was a call to say he needed to look at his attendance...even though they knew he had been in hospital.

I am sure those with flakey attendance for spurious reasons aren't motivated by an almost unachievable 100% attendance certificate.

Fear of losing a perfect attendance record is exactly the sort of thought process that we should be encouraging in our children

You're an idiot. And please tell me you aren't a teacher? I wouldn't want you with 10 feet of my kids.

Its sad that OP's DD suffered so much. But screaming discrimination every time your child didn't get an award or main role in a Xmas pageant smirks of Daily Fail sadfaces.

Nataleejah, if this was how these awards were presented by the schools- as genuine celebrations without shame on those who fail to achieve, then it would indeed smirk of sadfaces. But as schools quite openly admit, these are awards that are intended to make everybody live up to ideals which in some cases are completely unrealistic. This is made very clear to the children through the speeches accompanying them, the targets set by Ofsted and the generic letters sent home to the parents (even of terminally ill children) if they fail to reach the target.

No sports awards or school play auditions are aimed at getting every child to run the hurdle race at a certain speed or thrill an audience as Lady Macbeth. Nor do the parents have to expect visits from EWO or SS if their child fails to score a goal or makes an unconvincing third shepherd.

This can never be the same as auditions or sports competitions. Not in the current climate where this is the one area where nobody is allowed to fall short.

Its really shit that the school treated your DD this way with public humiliation and threats. But doesn't mean the kid with a 100% record deserves no recognition. And i'm saying this as a shameless parent who would take a kid from school for a "family treat".
I'm also very meh about school certificates, stars, or 'well done' stickers. Because often they mean neither an achievement nor an effort.
Also, this is a very worthwhile reading
www.alfiekohn.org/article/punished-rewards-article/

I've always thought that they were ridiculous. We shouldn't be effectively punishing those who are ill and we also shouldn't be encouraging children who are ill to go to school and spread their germs. My children usually got attendance awards but by the time were about eight they used to put them the bin as soon as they got home.

Of course it's disability discrimination if a hospital appointment, due to a disability, means that 100% attendance is not possible regardless of the fact that it is an authorized absence.

The equality act 2010 is quite clear on the grounds of discrimination.

A person is discriminated against if they are treated less favourably due to their disability.

So a party, trip to the theme park, an ice cream party, a 100% attendance certificate or any other prizes discriminate against those who cannot achieve 100% due to their disability. 100% attendance awards are not like a hurdles race because someone incapable of competing in that race are not entered for it, 100% attendance = 100% of the pupils being entered regardless of the fact that some pupils will not get 100% due to their disability.

I agree that the schools are probably falling foul of the Equality act. I suppose that they are getting away with it because nobody has challenged them yet.