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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

100% attendance

310 replies

AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 06:43

My daughter has just been sick and is currently devastated and not talking to me because I said she will have to stay home from school and lose her 100% attendance.

Fuck that prize!

OP posts:
Trifleorbust · 21/04/2017 06:51

So many threads about this. It is standard school policy, implemented by nearly every school in the country. You need to work on her resilience so that she understands that this is neither your fault, nor the end of the world as she knows it. It's just a certificate.

hippoinamudhole · 21/04/2017 06:53

Does she not get a certificate for being over school attendance target?

Ankleswingers · 21/04/2017 06:53

This is exactly why the attendance certificate thing is a load of utter bollocks.

It is essentially a good health certificate.

Very very unfair and are done for stats/ data/ OFSTED purposes.

It also encourages parents to send in their unwell kids. Happens all the time in my school. Parents often don't follow the 48 hour rule either when a child has been sick. Makes me furious.

Good thing it's Friday op otherwise your DD would need to stay away from School tomorrow as well.

Hope she feels better.

Sirzy · 21/04/2017 06:55

It's bonkers!

Ds against the odds got "100% attendance" last term. It just so happened that all his appointments fell so he didn't miss any registrations. Then he was ill on the last day of term... so got his 100% certificate and Easter egg on the first day of this term instead Hmm

Original poster
AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 06:55

She is going through diagnosis likely to be aspergers so resilience not the best.

They get a certificate and a treat (last one was a film)

OP posts:
Original poster
AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 06:58

She has struggled in every day for 2 and a half years! I draw the line at vomiting! I know some parents don't and I suspect that is the issue.

I am also pregnant and quite frankly we could all do without this.

OP posts:
Saldebain · 21/04/2017 07:00

It's a load of wank

You can tell her I said that

Original poster
AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 07:02

She told me of for swearing because I said blinking! The other day. I think want may be pushing it Grin but I agree

OP posts:
cordeliavorkosigan · 21/04/2017 07:32

Call the school, tell them she is so upset about the prize that she's coming in, and let her go! I am not really serious but I'd consider it if and only if she is not super super unwell. Maybe the school will grow some sense if this keeps happening. It is such bollocks these good health prizes, and how must it affect dc who are really ill often?

AuntieStella · 21/04/2017 07:56

"It is standard school policy, implemented by nearly every school in the country."

No, plenty of schools do not do this.

And it's a nasty policy.

I do not think there should be a reward just for being in normal health and not falling ill.

scaevola · 21/04/2017 07:58

"I draw the line at vomiting!"

So will the school. There is a standard policy for that, which is to stay off until 48 hours after last bout.

AnUtterIdiot · 21/04/2017 08:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Willyoujustbequiet · 21/04/2017 08:02

Its the biggest load of bollocks.

A certificate for essentially being lucky but potentially risking the health of others when kids go to school ill.

Its a good opportunity to teach her that schools arent always right and never to have blind belief in authority Grin

Gileswithachainsaw · 21/04/2017 08:05

Oh bless her please keep telling her what a load of bull shit it is.

Well done for being healthy and/or having parents who give a shit.

Fuck off.

Middleoftheroad · 21/04/2017 08:08

Has to be 100 per cent at ours too. One DT makes it every yr, the other might miss a day a yr, which was harsh when they were smaller.

When I went to work at a secondary I was amused that a staff member wanted us to put a story out about the boy who had never missed a day of school (I replied that he had beem v lucky - because that's all it is, or parents who sent him in regardless).
Then she asked if she could also feature as she had never missed a day's work there! Shock

Meanwhile my DSM - another grown woman in her 50s - gets a certificate and sticker if they complete a half term - to discourage staff absence. Jeez!

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 21/04/2017 08:13

I agree, can't stand these things. At parents evening my DD's teacher remarked on her excellent attendance (to be fair I think they are obliged to discuss it). I pointed out that it was just luck and I disagreed with attendance awards and it was not discussed further. Thankfully her school don't seem to make a huge deal of it. Ridiculous and upsets those genuinely ill children.

smileyhappypeople · 21/04/2017 08:20

Our school does this.... full on celebration with bouncy castle and an icecream van! The 'naughty' poorly children have to sit in the classrooms and watch the 'good' ones play!
The teachers who have to supervise the children indoors all get an icecream brought to them so that they can rub it in a bit more!
It's shocking!
All the parents went mad the first time they did this and they have now lowered it to 97% or something but it's still not done fairly imo
I know children who have medical conditions in the school (which they should not be punished for of course) but it means they are excluded from the rules and get the treat anyway even if they have been off with a sick bug or whatever and nothing to do with their existing condition.

TelephonicsSuper · 21/04/2017 08:29

It's a lot of tosh! Our school does a certificate for the class with the best attendance which goes to the same one pretty much each time at the end of term. So I guess that class just doesn't have a kid or tow who catch bugs that much! It's beyond pointless measuring 100% attendance in a half decent school cos if the kids are off there will be a very good reason, usually illness.

Pigface1 · 21/04/2017 08:32

Don't have school age kids but this sounds mental!! I'm all for encouraging good attendance but surely this method encourages parents to send really poorly kids into school??

lelygirl · 21/04/2017 08:34

but I'd consider it if and only if she is not super super unwell.

She's vomiting...please don't consider it.

GeorgiesBoat · 21/04/2017 08:37

In DCs school you collect merits to achieve badges. 7 badges and you become a school representative. This is sold as a very big deal to the children; special assemblies with special certificates. As you can imagine, all the kids want to be a school rep. And of course one of the badges is 100% attendance for the year!
So unfortunately, not just a certificate in some schools. And not always something that merely requires a little resilience.

Original poster
AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 08:39

I've left a message with the school saying she won't be in because she is sick. I also pointed out she is upset because she will losend her attendance record. I made my point to though I am not sure it will ever sink in.

I have told her that being off is more important than the attendance prize as she is protecting her friends from the bug.

As for the 48 hr school policy thing, that is completely correct but parent ignore it and just don't say their kids has been sick

OP posts:
shellhider · 21/04/2017 08:40

The attendance is pathetic; my DCs both have health problems and are lucky to get to 95% let alone 100%. Thankfully the new school that they are going to doesn't do attendance awards, I'd rather see all schools abandon them.

Original poster
AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 21/04/2017 08:41

It doesn't help when the school don't facilitate, and actively discourage, handwashing before meals and snacks! And they wonder why the place is germ ridden!

OP posts:
shellhider · 21/04/2017 08:41

^ the attendance award