School refusing to let 5 year old make Mother's Day card

[islandmummy]

Just that really. Mother's Day cards are apparently a privilege which the children (yr1) were allowed to make if they had time after doing everything else they were set. DD is struggling a bit at school (being investigated for possible SEN) and ran out of time trying to finish the expected work of the day. AIBU to be upset? I couldn't care less for all the things money could buy to make Mother's Day expensive special, all I wanted was a handmade card We've been spoken to by her teacher a few times with concerns about her not doing all the work they want her to - I can't help but feel this is my punishment for her not doing what they want her to! I get that they need to focus on schoolwork but at 5?? Couldn't they have worked this into their learning somehow so everyone came home with "something"?

YANBU

Ffs she's five not 15. Making a Mother's Day card is what being 5 is about. it's not like she took time away from GCSE studies to make a card.

Another teacher utterly appalled. We're sensitive about children without mum at home/living with more than one family obviously. I wouldn't do this to a child in my class and I teach Y3/4.

Another teacher here (year 1) who also thinks the OP is justified in her frustration. Art is so important for children as a way to wind down, explore their creative side, use their imagination etc and I am quite frankly astounded at all the posters who think the teacher is right in her actions of only allowing certain children to make a Mother's Day card, with the assumption being that she is too busy getting through the National Curriculum to actually do any form of art. I don't know any teacher who would do this and I would be very concerned if my DD had a teacher like this, especially in Year 1. In fact if my DD has a Year 1 teacher who insists on bums on seats, heads down, work, work, work and there is no sign of anything beyond literacy, numeracy and phonics then I would remove her from that school. These children are 5 and 6 years old- they need to experience a range of subjects and everyone should be able to do art based work regardless of how easy or difficult they find written work. She sounds like a horrible teacher.