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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

100% Attendance Award

252 replies

user1489094655 · 19/07/2017 21:22

Hi
Today, the school my dd goes to rewarded the children with 100% attendance with a trip to the cinema. In a school of about 90, there was 7 from various years.

My dd didn't get 100% because we took a two week holiday in June. My husband has holidays allocated by his work which this year was the first fortnight of June. Total lucky dip and not negotiable. She had NO other time off.

It also doesn't seem fair on children who are poorly, why penalise a child because they had, for example, chicken pox.

What about religious festivals, bereavement, family weddings etc.

All of these situations are out of a child's control.

If it's an incentive to come to school, for some families they don't care about the cinema trip or school so the incentive doesn't work yet for some children like my dd, it is a disappointment.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
OwlinaTree · 19/07/2017 23:10

You can find a reason to reward and praise every child, but you can't make it so every child can win something, it's not a level playing field in any area.

Gileswithachainsaw · 19/07/2017 23:16

Difference is with things like kindness etc the is something open to everyone at any time.

Unlike attendance where they have a day off and already know they are fucked for the rest of the year. There's no hope and nothing to aim for

MimsyFluff · 19/07/2017 23:30

DD2 has 100% this year I haven't sent her in ill but have been called 5 times to pick her up just after lunch Hmm she's getting a takeaway pizza at school to eat in front all of the other children Angry sadly DD2 hates pizza Grin I'm against 100% attendance

namechangeforthistoday · 19/07/2017 23:57

Oh don't get me started on this!!! I HATE attendance certificates!!! So if a child has to attend hospital - not only r they having to miss school for some shitty investigations and bloods etc .... but they also then don't get a certificate (trip to cinema etc...) so that's fair is it??? (Crazy). also - if a child has vomiting bug - r they meant to go to school and give it to everyone else! Just so they don't miss their cinema trip / certificate )??)). Crazy crazy crazy world we live in. BAN this stupid focus on 100% attendence. It's ridiculous!!!!!!!!!

Balaboosteh · 20/07/2017 00:14

Oh please someone always complains about this every year. It's just a nice way to reward a certain kind of diligence and yes good luck. If your child doesn't win it - so what? Why do you care and why are you even encouraging your child to be "disappointed". There are some children who never win any of the other kinds of awards and this is just a good chance for them. Have some compassion and chill out.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 20/07/2017 00:16

Comfort her by saying to her that she might have missed a cinema trip but heeyyyyy she was also taken out of 50 hours of lessons for a holiday!!!!!

WattdeEll · 20/07/2017 01:14

DS1 has just had an award for 3 years running 100% attendance. This has been down to sheer luck and Sambucol Kids supplement. He has not ever been poorly during term time so I have never sent him in unwell, but I do have other parents to thank for keeping their poorly children off school to avoid the spread of viral or bacterial infections.
Prior to this run of health he never had 100% attendance and we don't set any store by it. If he is ill he stays off, otherwise goes in. I do like school acknowledging it how they did, because it was done privately, no big song and dance. However he was not that bothered as he recognises it as luck.
If your child has been kept at home to recover when they have been poorly - thank you.

OlennasWimple · 20/07/2017 01:24

DS's school does punctuality awards - much better, I think

Jenny70 · 20/07/2017 01:39

I don't actually understand the logic, the children have no control over whether they are at school (illness, holidays or whatever). So rewarding them is like some random thing that they've qualified for through no effort of their own.

Parents who have some control over this, through choosing holiday times and/or sending them in sick, don't care about pizza, movie etc when making that choice... they are making the choice for the best outcome for their family, not some attendance prize.

But those who miss out are made to feel excluded and second rate, through no fault of their own. All seems very mean spirited - and I feel that it comes about because schools are examined/judged on attendance, rather than through any great desire that children are there regardless of their health.

My daughter's school has a lottery twice a year for 100% attendance, those qualifying get put in draw to win an itunes voucher. She won, but we returned it for the above reasons, as well as she doesn't have any i-device to spend it on.

Pengggwn · 20/07/2017 04:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SilverBirchTree · 20/07/2017 05:35

YABU for taking your child out of school during term time. This creates so much extra work for the teachers and sends a message to your children that education is not a priority.

araiwa · 20/07/2017 05:40

I find it ironic that people are saying its not an achievement and shouldnt be rewarded then promptly listing the reasons why their kids didnt get 100%.

Apparently it is a good achievement so why not recognise and reward it

cluelessnewmum · 20/07/2017 05:46

I find it slightly Hmm that schools are always so strapped for cash and yet they find the cash to spend on this sort of thing.

As someone who has an ongoing health condition (the non obvious kind where people view it as "pulling a sickie" and don't take seriously), I really resent this sort of thing. It instils in children the idea that just turning up is the main thing and you're somehow lesser if you can't 100 percent of the time.

Achievement (academic or otherwise) is maybe 50 percent talent, 50 percent effort. I have always made up for lost time being ill by working twice as hard when I'm not. Just turning up is not what's in implant in life so it's a stupid lesson to teach kids.

Pengggwn · 20/07/2017 06:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

araiwa · 20/07/2017 06:04

Not being rewarded is not the same as being punished either

MaisyPops · 20/07/2017 06:47

araiwa
I think it's an achievement, but there's also an element of luck.
I rarely take time off work but in the last couple of years I've had a couple of bad infections and was off on Dr orders, a colleague was off with food poisoning. I do find it harsh that kids would miss a trip because of those reasons or a funeral etc.

That said, there is a problem of some parents keeping their children off for the sniffles or 'because they were tired' (what a chronic 'odd 3 days off' child told me when their mum had said that they were throwing up badly for all 3 days).

Rainbowcolours1 · 20/07/2017 06:53

Achieving 100% is worth rewarding because it is an achievement! At my school we reward attendance on a half termly basis. Children get certificates for 100% and also for 97% and over. Every half term those who get 100% get a reward such as a voucher for a personal non uniform day, after school film club etc. Doing it half termly means that the vast majority of children get 100% at some point in the year and get a treat. Whatever schools do they will get flack some one!

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/07/2017 06:53

There are some children who never win any of the other kinds of awards and this is just a good chance for them. Have some compassion and chill out

Why is it the only chance for an award though. Seriously your child turns up does their work behaves well helps others and does a fab job looking after the ckass hamster and all they cab say about her is "Well she's here" something they don't even have to think about the chikd or know who he or she is they just look at the register.? You'd be happy with that? Might as well reward her for having brown hair Hmm

YABU for taking your child out of school during term time. This creates so much extra work for the teachers and sends a message to your children that education is not a priority

Or maybe they should just never ever ever have a holiday or see family abroad. Not everyone can afford holiday prices. Maybe grandma who's paying has three times the amount of money she's offering?!

Would you like to tell the armed forces that hope you have to leave X week as Jenny has a week left at school and If she doesn't spend it tidying the classroom and watching dispicible me she won't ever value her education Hmm

Cailleach666 · 20/07/2017 06:57

Pengggwn a good school will reward many aspects that pupils have control over.

Our primary give out many rewards on a weekly basis, not for coming top of the class, but for improvements in subject areas, for making effort, for having a good attitude, for showing creativity in writing, for showing initiative, for helping others, for coming up with good ideas, for finding bravery to contribute to class discussions and more.

Children love these awards partly because they are under the child's control.

It's a shit school if they are simply rewarding the most able pupils or those lucky to have good health.

Pengggwn · 20/07/2017 07:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sirzy · 20/07/2017 07:10

The issue is for most not with giving children a certificate for good attendance as is done to celebrate most things in schools.

The issue is when schools exclude children from trips or activities because of their attendance. That is not only unfair but also illegal under the DDA.

Sirzy · 20/07/2017 07:11

But pen in both of those situations any half decent school would be working with the child to help them develop the skills and then rewarding them when they meet their own personal targets. Not setting an unattainable goal for them!

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/07/2017 07:12

But that's something they can learn is school on whatever days they're there and isn't conditional on something that happenes all day every day. If that child shows real effort even if not 100 percent perfect they can still get an award for trying no?

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/07/2017 07:13

sirzy

You managed to put it better than I did.

MaisyPops · 20/07/2017 07:13

Rainbowcolours1
That sounds like a lovely alternative. I've wondered if there is a better way than 100% for the year.