Fucking BIKES for 100% attendance?? Has the world gone mad??

[FizzyCherry]

I know this is the whole 100% attendance thing again, but I have literally seen it all now.
Not one but TWO people on my FB time line have posted pics of their kids with brand new bikes awarded for 100% attendance. AIBU to think that's taking the piss now?

The weird thing is, it's not the same school, not even the same county - they don't know each other, one parent is an old school friend in the South West, the other a former colleague in the north.

In each case, every child with 100% attendance was given a raffle ticket, the prize was a new bike. Only one prize, apparently, so none of this whole class goes to the zoo thing.
Both are primary school age, one Yr 2, the other Y4.
So these are two that I know of, how many other children are being given something that some of their peers is can only dream of, just for turning up?

My school dropped attendance certificates this year as they were felt to be divisive. How divisive is spending £100 on just one kid?

Am I missing something here, or what?

Give me one example of parents actually making different choices because of these rewards and I might believe in them. I think they are coincidental and make no difference apart from spread diseases. It's the same parents all year round who are running past me when I've already dropped my kids off. These rewards make no difference to their behaviour thus are totally unnecessary use of resources and energy.

Some of the prizes being mentioned for 100% attendance are ridiculous, but overall I have no problem with it being mentioned and a certificate given.

To my mind, it's not that dissimilar to sports day certificates for winning a race. For a primary school child, it's mostly luck and genetics that mean they win a race, with a tiny influence over whether they've been doing sports practice. They can't change being short or assigned to run against the fastest children.

100% attendance is, again, mostly luck and genetics, with a tiny influence of the child practicing good hygiene, which can occasionally help avoid contracting colds/tummy bugs. They can't change having ongoing medical problems or there being a death in the family.

But yeah, I wouldn't expect a child to win a bike at sports day, so I certainly wouldn't expect them to get one for 100% attendance!

Awards at primary school never seem fair. There is always a teachers kid or a TA's kid who for whatever reason, is put forward for everything. My kids are never off sick, but also have never received an attendance award, due to dentist appointments etc that have to take place during the day, in term time. In fact if we count the number of awards one of my kids has had since infants...just two. Both golden awards and it was simply his turn. I'm sure teachers don't realise they are constantly awarding the same kids and often a lot of kids miss out. It's much better in High School as there are much more kids and the teachers kids don't get picked all the time. For my kid....school plays, always in the "crowd", so no lines ever in six years, whereas the same kids always get parts.. TA's kid....main part in three Xmas plays, even a singing solo, and big parts in the other years...year Six leavers play, main part and playing the piano solo. Her face all over twitter every week etc etc...

Ofsted dont care about sports day. Ofsted care about attendance. Thats why there is a prize difference

For a primary school child, it's mostly luck and genetics that mean they win a race, with a tiny influence over whether they've been doing sports practice.
It's really not the same thing.
Genetics is a tiny part of doing well at a particular sport discipline, even at primary school age. The training and hard work etc is key.

Attendance is quite different, more passive shall we say. No hard work will help here, no natural talent, environmental factors, money for tutors/coaching, just fortunate you didn't manage to contract an illness (even the milder sort the school will not allow attendance for) or have an accident etc etc

No, luck is ONE element to it. It also means pushing yourself to go even when you have a sore throat, or blocked nose, or a headache

No, its pure luck that your sore throat is mild enough to allow you to still go to school.

It's not being smug, it's teaching kids the value of resilience

Kids like mine have already learned more resilience than yours will probably know in a lifetime. Do they really deserve to see their healthy friends rewarded with treats and prizes for their pure luck in not being ill, as well?

To my mind, it's not that dissimilar to sports day certificates for winning a race

Do sports day races last an entire year?

Do attendance certificate handing out ceremonies last all year?

Do you want us to explain the comparison to you, araiwa

My son got a certificate & a gold 100% pin
I'm not a fan of this reward for attendance as it's a combination of luck, good health and parents and has bugger all to do with most primary school kids.
I was surprised though that only 32 kids out of 500 managed it.
They have a similar reward for being on time every day and only 53 kids managed that. It's is a school that has a lot of disinterested parents though, it's not hard to get a chance to speak to teachers or book a slot for parents evening because not many parents go. I'm not sure the certificates and badges are incentivising the parents though.

No. I get it.

I just dont agree with many here.

100% attendance is luck, nothing more

I disagree.

My kids never get 100% attendance because we take them out for a week and a couple of odd days every year for holidays and day trips. No luck about that, purely our decision.

A chance of a new bike wouldn't be enough incentive for me to stop tbh...but for some it would be.

Do attendance certificate handing out ceremonies last all year?

No dear, but the attendance period rewarded IS all year. The race rewarded at sports day is not. Do try to keep up

Im keeping up quite easily thanks.

Some kids will have been training all year for sports. Practicing, weekend events, outside teams, after school etc. For all that they get a certificate too

100% attendance is luck, nothing more
I disagree. My kids never get 100% attendance because we take them out for a week and a couple of odd days every year for holidays and day trips. No luck about that, purely our decision.

Is a parent deciding to take a child out of school for a term time holiday or day trip anything to do with luck? No. And did I say anything of the kind? No. We're talking about illness, and accident etc where a child cannot attend school, which you'll see if you read the whole post.

This is why I adore my ds school. They use common sense! They don't do attendance awards and I have been spoken to by my reception sons teacher before as well to say he is under the weather and might benefit from a duvet day (was end of term and he was wrecked!)

I am absolutely all for a strong work ethic, for knowing that school is none negotiable and for giving your all - BUT - these are kids for gods sake. Little johnny feeling crap and needing a day cuddling mum on the sofa aged 7 will have no bearing on him succeeding in later life.

Platypus what is your workplace policy on employing disabled people?

it's a disgusting offensive and discriminatory system

I don't get this kind of attitude. Some children will be off due to reasons beyond their control but why should children who do attend every day not be recognised?

No sportsday because some children can't run? No swim meets because some are afraid of water?

Attending every day, certainly at primary school, is not an achievement.

Then why is it so hard for so many to do?

That sounds like an achievement to me

Some kids will have been training all year for sports. Practicing, weekend events, outside teams, after school etc. For all that they get a certificate too

Oh dear this is painful. Yes, they have, so they get rewarded for effort and hard work, not for pure random luck of being healthy. So are you know agreeing with the opposite side?

I don't get this kind of attitude. Some children will be off due to reasons beyond their control but why should children who do attend every day not be recognised?

Then try reading the bloody thread! Recognised for WHAT? Not being ill? Not having SN? Why should they get a party for that while the sick kids get to watch?

I'm aghast that this needs explaining to people. Giving parties for the healthy that the disabled are excluded from is wrong. Does that need spelling out for you?
Or are you all just thinking of the kids who are healthy and the other kids with a few sniffles? Are the outliers just ignored entirely?

I disagree with it being pure luck

Luck is part of it but pride, responsibility, determination, fighting spirit all equally contribute to getting 100% attendance for the year. For kids and parents

And you just know that some of those who have a 100% attendance showed up ill occasionally .... and made several other pupils sick. Some of the kids with 100% attendance is just because mum and dad can't take the day off to look after them or worse: can't be bothered.

araiwa - are you saying that my son, because he has neurological disabilities which mean he has medical appointments in termtime doesn't have: "pride, responsibility, determination, and fighting spirit"?

I guess those are qualities that people with disabilities lack