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?

Yeah when people boast about their children's good attendance like they're morally superior in some way.

Nope just very lucky.

This is the newsletter from our school this year: "100% Attendance across the entire year. The pupils listed below are the healthiest children in SmallTown. They have attended school every day of this school year. Their names will go into a prize draw and one winner will be drawn during our final assembly of the year. The winner will be given an I-Pod shuffle!!!!"

They've always done the shit prize thing but this is the first year they've listed the names of the children who've never been ill or don't have SN

DS has had appointments with paediatricians this year so didn't make the grade. Not healthy, clearly

100% attendance personally really grates on me and I'll be telling DD to take no notice if she never gets it

When I was young my parents would keep me off school for their own personal reasons and I was treated as a 'sciver' when all the prizes were given out at the end of the year. It was horrible.

I would have felt way worse if it was a bike rather than a book token as it was.

I hate attendance awards with a passion. I sent an email to our new head explaining why I think they are completely wrong, however they still gave out awards for 100 per cent attendance at the end of term prize-giving.

People taking their kids out of school for holidays or theme parks, or just letting them skive is a completely different issue to kids being off school sick and attendance awards do not address this.

All of our head teachers made comments that made my teeth itch when giving out the awards along the lines of "I expect there were days when these children felt a bit unwell but they still put in the effort and came to school."

Great, so then these children are the reason why the rest of the class was then off sick having got the germs from the kid who should have stayed at home. GRRRR. I've noticed that a lot of the 100 per cent attendance kids are the ones whose parents both work full time. So basically, any time the kid should really have stayed home sick it would have been a massive childcare headache for the parent so they make them go in unless they are actually at death's door. That is not a 'strong work ethic', that is just teaching your child their welfare is less important than your work.

Also these awards are totally discriminatory towards kids who have any long term condition which means they are ill a lot or have hospital appointments etc.

And some kids are just naturally healthier than others. They didn't work at anything to be that way, they are just lucky. Why should they get a prize for being lucky enough not to have caught chicken pox or norovirus this year? Should be the poor kid who got every bug going that gets a prize to make up for having such a shit year.

By the way I never take my kids out of school for holidays or anything other than genuine sickness.

Has the world gone mad??

Yes

I REALLY hate 100% attendance certificates/rewards, especially in primary school, where it's nearly always down to the parents whether or not the child is in school anyway!

One of the good things initially about moving to Australia was that the schools there didn't have the stupid bollox thing about 100% attendance - but guess what, it's made an appearance in the last couple of years!

It's completely discriminatory against children with illnesses and/or extra needs (so needing time out for appointments, none of which can be made outside school hours). At least, so far, it hasn't gone beyond a certificate at DS1's school - but when they start having rewards like parties/outings/fecking bikes, ffs for turning up every day, then I'll be really cross.

DS1 is rarely ill, but if he is then he stays off school, regardless of stupid bloody 100% attendance certs. We have children who turn up in the morning and before the bloody whistle has even gone they're in the office complaining of feeling sick/headache/sore something or other, and the office ladies are sick to death of asking "when did it start" and being told "last night" or "before breakfast" or similar, yet the parents still somehow think it's ok for them to be in school (this includes wide-range vomiting on the playground). Anyway, parents get called to come and fetch their poorly offspring at our school, so it doesn't work out for them after all. I'm not talking about the kids who are faking it, btw, I'm talking about the ones who are actually unwell!

Argh!

Surely the concept of a work ethic is that you go in when you sensibly can and don't take leave when you're not really ill - if you are ill though, you're hardly shirking to stay off...?

Some years mine have had no days off and other years off they've had a small number off for flu/sick bugs/temperatures. Not sure which of those the teacher would have wanted shared at school...

My DS would have had no chance this year as he was sick (no prior warning, I hadn't bundled him in) and sent home just after lunch on the first day of term!

The pupils listed below are the healthiest children in SmallTown

That is utterly depressing.

I've been known to take a box of celebrations in to share out if that particular class gets 100% attendance, but that's about it!

These awards are against the Equality Act 2010 unless the schools are keeping separate registers for the children who are absent as a direct result for any chronic illness, SN or disability. This is the reasonable adjustment they have to make so that these kids, who cannot help being absent more often, start on the same level playing field as everyone else.

My kids' old head teacher wanted to stop DS2 going to the Prom due to his attendance. He has severe asthma, and had suffered an accident at school that year. She wouldn't budge so I went to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. She still thought she was bigger than them and basically said "it's my party and I'll invite who I want." The EHRC helped me write a letter which said as she had already said she was excluding DS2 due to his health problems and that was against the law, so it was up to her either she backed down or I would take legal action. She backed down pretty damn quick.

Every time I read these threads they fill me with rage. I hate the way these bloody ridiculous rewards, and they are often so huge, make all the children who don't get them, or have no chance of getting them feel.

If there's £200 going begging buy some new books for the library or some equipment for PE so all the children can benefit.

Rewards for being fortunate not to have been unwell enough to be forced to stay away from school. Whatever next.

Our school used to award certificates, but did away with them after one year, after which a merit system was introduced. Far fairer.

This really pisses me off. The boy in DD1's class who has regular treatment at Alder Hey is never in with a chance of this.

DD1 was sick on a Sunday so she was off school for two days. She wasn't ill on those two days, but they're the rules so we kept her off. And even if she had been, so what. Children get ill.

How ridiculous.

Could the bikes have been donated or something? Even so It sounds ridiculously excessive. When DD was at primary she got 100% attendance a few times but it was only ever a certificate or a picture of a saint or something (Catholic school )

I have a worse story of attendance rewards though. A few years ago there was a tragic case locally where a teenage girl died. It was widely reported in local paper. Some months later the school sent letters to the families of all children whose attendance was below a certain level to say they would not be allowed to go to the school prom. And yes, this girl's poor parents got that letter!

Also, I think it's very unfair that things like children having speech therapy, hospital appointments for ongoing health conditions etc isn't taken into account. Would they really rather I declined my child's speech therapy sessions, which will obviously help with his communication and language and social skills, in favour of 100% attendance? As I said, our school doesn't make a huge deal of it. I do understand the pressure schools are under to raise their attendance rates, and I have no time for people who keep their kids off for entirely ridiculous reasons, but effectively punishing children for things beyond their control doesn't sit right with me.

Such a huge prize but it should have been a good book or a trip to the cinema

I understand the anger and frustration on this thread; but several posters have alluded to parents who don't send their children to school when they should. OFSTED looks at attendance and judges the school on it.

So given this comment:-
If the school spent as much time and effort in increasing the attendance of those whose attendance is less than 90%, then they might well get a better return for their perseverance.

What do YOU - the frustrated - think schools should do? I work in 2 primaries. I don't think either gives out anything more than certificates. But we try to do carrot and stick. I.e. We phone or home-visit parents who don't phone in with a reason for the absence and we follow-up on absences, and might ask for proof of a dr appointment or similar if the absences are persistent (that's not just to be nasty.... if school knows of a genuine reason for persistent absences for - for example - repeat hospital visits, then we won't hassle those parents).
So that's the 'stick'.

The 'carrot' is giving out rewards because - you're all right.... in primaries it's the parents who say "you're going to school/you're not going to school" so we make a big fuss of those who do turn up so that (hopefully) little Jonny will say "no, I'm fine, please send me to school".

So, MN, if you hate what your schools do, and acknowledge attendance is important, what would you do to ensure that the maximum amount of children have an attendance of above 96%?

Couldn't care less about the stupid 100% crap.

It's not an achievement by the kid. It's up to the parents if they go in or not and it encourages kids being sent in ill just so they don't get a day off. Seen it before our school stopped the damm certificates. Little Johnny went in with norivirus cos it's fine everyone gets it its no big deal and half the bloody class were off a day later.

Hospital appointments etc all classed as absences and put kids in the position where they will never get a certificate.

Our school regularly gives out certificates for a multitude of things where the kids actually did something so no one is left out. Much better system.

Fatedestiny - have you ever sent your child in to school less than 48 hours since they last vomited?
Because it's a bit weird that none of them have ever been sick outside of school holiday for years and years.

I don't recall dealing with vomit very often. Well, past the baby/toddler stage I mean, there's been loads of vomit from pre-schoolers. But school age, maybe 4 or 5 times in over a decade of parenting 4 children.

Evidently these must have been in school holidays or Fridays, because of the rule about it. I'm not sure why that's weird? My children are just healthy kids.

Not sure why you seek to vilify me/my children because of this. School won't be recognising my sons 7 consecutive years of 100% attendance. I think it makes him kinda special and it should be noticed. But I'm his mum, he is kinda special to me. That makes me biased.

Well done to the lad (FATEdestiny) who has never had a day off school. Hopefully, this will carry over to produce a good work ethic. Some parents keep their kids off for nothing!

Also, I would point out that the kid that can run the fastest or throw a beanbag the best will get prizes at sports day (discriminating against those who don't). The kid that's a brilliant mathematician might get a prize at some point for being super at maths. The kids who can write well might be included in some book of poems.

My point being that a decent school will try and give all children an opportunity to shine, and not all kids can shine in every area.

Celebrating good attendance (which I hope you'd all agree is a generally good thing) is part of that. Of course if your kid gets sick or has an additional need they will 'fail' at this. But if your school has anything about it, they will find another area (or your kid will shiningly demonstrate it) where the child can be celebrated.

And isn't it a good life lesson that not everyone can be the best at everything all the time?

Hopefully, this will carry over to produce a good work ethic. Some parents keep their kids off for nothing!

Yes, horrible parents who keep their kids at home after surgery. Shame on us. Both DH and I take time off sick when needed. We might not have a good work ethic, but DH has his own company and I am relatively senior in mine. We are doing ok. See, the trick is to work intelligently, put the effort and take time off when needed. Much better lesson than turning up at school and sleep there all day.

Keepservingthedrinks- I agree attendance rates need to be kept up. I understand the pressures from OFSTED. So this is what I would do, send out a letter to parents at the start of the year along the lines of:

As you will be aware, children need to regularly attend school for x y z reason, however, we recognise that your child may need to miss part of the school day for a doctors appointment or have days off for genuine illness or other extenuating circumstances such as family bereavement. We are a school that aims for each child to have excellent attendance and encourage you to send your child to school regularly. Please don't keep them off for x y z reason or request to take holiday during term time.

Ok that's not very well worded as I'm tired, but basically implying that the odd drs appt or day off for d&v is fine, taking the mickey is not. On the other hand, small children can easily end up with less than 96% attendance if they get chicken pox and a couple of tummy bugs in the same year! Such a tricky one.

Healthy family?
Strong work ethic?
Emphasising the value on good attendance?

Complete bollocks!
It's down to luck pure and simple. None of the above is going to prevent kids getting in an accident which may need hospital treatment.
None of the above makes them immune to every disease.
None of the above makes their close family members immune to disease and death either.

100% attendance awards are bullshit.

Ofsted penalise schools for all absence but only allow them to combat unauthorised absence via legal means. Schools are just expected to throw stern words at authorised absences and they will magically disappear. They cannot do this so what they do do is rule as many authorised absences as unauthorised as they can. This leads to schools ruling no need for the 48 hour D&V rule 24 hours is plenty. All illness is unauthorised unless accompanied by a doctors note. If a doctors note is provided, they may just decide they know better and rule the absence as unauthorised anyway. No kids sent home, unless they need to be blue lighted to hospital. Temporary exclusions can be included also if they go above a certain limit. As can lateness.

I have no idea what should be done KeepServing. I'm too busy dealing with my own little Jonny who doesn't have the option of saying 'I'm fine, send me in'

DS's absences were related to his SN's.

He had an absolutely glowing school report this year and is at the top of his class in all of his subjects. The only issue was his attendance.

I can only imagine how he felt when the last thing on his report read 'Just imagine what he could have achieved if he did not have such poor attendance!'.

It certainly made me feel like shit given how proud we were of him for doing a lot better than last year.

So, MN, if you hate what your schools do, and acknowledge attendance is important, what would you do to ensure that the maximum amount of children have an attendance of above 96%?

I would write (again) to Ofsted telling them that their 96% or whatever goal is crap, and they should concentrate on results instead.
I am not blaming the school, I have read the various Ofsted reports of my kids schools, it's complete nonsense (and the reports are very good, my kids are lucky to go to great schools).