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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To keep them off school?

78 replies

AttendanceHmm · 14/04/2019 11:59

My dc's school has been doing an attendance drive. They're obviously under a lot of pressure over poor attendance and I appreciate incentives are needed.

Before the holidays, we were informed that Mrs X's class had had over 96% attendance for the previous 4 weeks and therefore would get a reward, a day out after the holidays. As there were a number of spaces available, any dc who had 100% since Sept would go in a draw to fill the rest. So there are dc who only have, say, 94% who will definitely go, yet a lot with 100% who won't.

Wibu to keep my DC off that day and take them out, myself? They have excellent attendance and punctuality and I think it's unfair they'll be doing school work while their classmates are having a day out.

OP posts:
Original poster
AttendanceHmm · 14/04/2019 12:49

Anyone please?

OP posts:
BlitheringIdiots · 14/04/2019 12:56

I don't get this sorry. So any child with attendance under 100% get to go but those with 100% have to go in a draw?

ShaggyRug · 14/04/2019 12:57

Imo you are being U. Everyone can’t win all the time and kids need to learn that sometimes life isn’t fair.

Raise it with school staff in a polite civil way. Campaign for change. But keeping your DC off school purely in protest is not ok.

Angelicinnocent · 14/04/2019 13:03

I think you have a typo in there op but if I have understood what you meant, anybody with over 90% gets in the draw but you think those with 100% should get a place and then remaining places get drawn.

If so I get where you are coming from but think it's good that the school is acknowledging that sometimes people get ill and have to be off.

Original poster
AttendanceHmm · 14/04/2019 13:05

Blithering one class is definitely going because they had over 96% for 4 consecutive weeks. The rest of the school went in a draw if they had 100%.

Shaggy I don't believe it's the same as not 'winning', my DC go have not won or not been picked for countless things over the years. Thos is the school saying if your attendance is good you'll be rewarded but then they're not.

OP posts:
Spoddy · 14/04/2019 13:06

You could do as long as you are happy for your DC to have unauthorized absence marks. Seems quite petty to keep your kids of school for the reasons you have given IMO

Original poster
AttendanceHmm · 14/04/2019 13:06

Angel there's no typo, what I've written is what is happening.

OP posts:
Littleduckeggblue · 14/04/2019 13:07

YABU

UserName31456789 · 14/04/2019 13:08

Not sure I'd keep them off but I think it's a stupid system the school have implemented.

Parker231 · 14/04/2019 13:09

I think anything reward related over attendance should be banned. A child has no control over achieving a high attendance record. It’s a parental decision as to whether a child is well enough to attend school. What about children with medical conditions which require regular medical appointments?

WorraLiberty · 14/04/2019 13:10

I can't get over the idea of rewarding good attendance by allowing kids to miss school for a day Confused

That goes for the school and you OP.

If kids are well enough to attend school, then they should do it. 'Rewarding' them for such a normal thing is just odd. Rewarding them by letting them miss school is even more odd.

UserName31456789 · 14/04/2019 13:10

For what it's worth I think rewarding good attendance is stupid I don't see why only DC with 100% attendance should get a chance to go though.

Original poster
AttendanceHmm · 14/04/2019 13:11

Parker I absolutely agree with you but as it is, this is their current policy.

OP posts:
raviolidreaming · 14/04/2019 13:17

YABU, but I understand your disappointment. This is a good lesson in teamwork / group dynamics. In the winning class, those with 100% have compensated for those without and, as a team, they have won. Those with poorer attendance will learn that they have benefited from the achievements of others, and hopefully be grateful for this; those with the perfect attendance need to graciously accept / be proud that they have entitled others to a treat they might not be seen to deserve. So often life isn't about individual victory or individual work, but how you and others' actions and behaviours have consequences for others.

raviolidreaming · 14/04/2019 13:19

Otherwise, I do agree with Parker231 and Worra though.

Ginger1982 · 14/04/2019 13:20

Are the pupils in Mrs X's class ones who generally have quite poor attendance and have pulled themselves up over the year? I guess it's the school trying to incentivise. My mum was a secondary teacher and used to tell me how the badly behaved kids would get a trip out somewhere if they behaved themselves for a period of time but the kids who were always well behaved got nothing.

floribunda18 · 14/04/2019 13:20

If parents got together and decided to all take their kids out of school on that day and risk unauthorised absence, that would certainly mess up the school's figures.

Though I'd let them know, politely at first anyway, the shortcomings of the current system.

FuckASilverLining · 14/04/2019 13:21

How silly to keep them off whe you know the school are doing it to improve attendance Confused

Take them somewhere nice in the weekend...

Parker231 · 14/04/2019 13:24

@AttendanceHmm - have you contacted the school governors for their views. I’m a school governor and wouldn’t be impressed with this form of incentiving children.

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 14/04/2019 13:25

All you're teaching your children with that is that mummy will fill in whne they don't get it.

Send them in they'll get over it.

user1474894224 · 14/04/2019 13:27

I'm also a governor and wouldn't be happy with this.... although governors are limited in what they can actually do....

Beargrin · 14/04/2019 13:31

I hate stuff like this. There were always attendance rewards at our school, I was incredibly ill in hospital a lot of the time so I never won.
It's grim to punish children for being ill / disabled.

DerbyRacer · 14/04/2019 13:32

If you really want to then do it. Probably what I do is not the best thing - I teach my ds to not bother about being rewarded for attendance, star of the week and all these things. For us, they really don't matter and we prefer it like that.

ChicCroissant · 14/04/2019 13:35

I don't like any school attendance awards but I do think YABU OP.

If I've got it right, your children are not in Mrs X's class - all of X class are going because it is a class award regardless of their attendance percentage, but because there are extra spaces on the coach there are a limited number of places available and everyone with 100 per cent attendance will go into a draw for those places. Your children are not in the draw either.

It would be wrong to take them out of school for a day though. What is that teaching them? If you don't like the policy then speak to the school about it but don't take it out on your children and make it harder for them.

ShawshanksRedemption · 14/04/2019 13:37

We do whole class attendance rewards too - but ours is 30mins extra break time, or extra "choosing time" where they can bring a toy in from home. Doing a whole class strategy stops penalising some kids who genuinely have illnesses and encourages others to come in if they have just a sniffle or sore throat. We would not, in a class, only pick out individuals for reward in that way, because you want a class to work together and support each other.

I would not let your kids have a day off for a treat because you disagree with the school policy - what message are you then sending your kids? Use the proper channels and make a complaint instead.