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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School attendance certificates

77 replies

Purplebunny95 · 24/10/2019 15:55

DD is 5 and started school in September, so far relatively happy.
Today theyve handed out attendance awards for this half term in assembly, and despite never missing a day of school DD didnt get one. I questioned her teacher at pick up and she said it's because she missed 1 afternoon. Scratching my head I remembered they had sent her home at lunchtime one day as she "looked a bit peaky", when I picked her up she was fine, chatting away to the receptionist and running around but they insisted I take her home "just in case".

AIBU to be a bit peeved? She doesnt understand why some of her friends have certificates and a sweet when she doesnt. I do know it's not the end of the world but it has annoyed me!

OP posts:
JassyRadlett · 24/10/2019 15:57

They are shit and pointless. It is ridiculous to reward children for something that is totally out of their control and in part down to luck.

Runningsmooth · 24/10/2019 15:58

Yes, it is definitely not the end of the world. Don't teach her to be precious about other people getting things.

Passmethepepsi · 24/10/2019 15:59

Hate attendance awards. At that age attendance isn’t down to the children it’s down to illnesses, appointments, parents etc. And I say that as someone whose dd gets attendance rewards regularly as she is just lucky not to get ill.

MrsWillGardner · 24/10/2019 16:00

I’d be a bit peeved too it only because attendance is very important to me.

If it happens again, refuse to collect until after P.M registration then she’ll get her full mark for the day.

SchrodingersMeowth · 24/10/2019 16:00

It pisses me off too.

My DS1 has Autism and attends mainstream but has play therapy one afternoon a week and 2 days a week at a special unit and because of this he misses out on all of the fun things they get in school for attendance and it upsets him because he doesn’t quite understand when he’s not just off for the sake of it.

sniptime · 24/10/2019 16:01

My DS missed out on a 100% attendance certificate (and book voucher) for the whole year because of one missed registration going to the dentist, literally only missed assembly. I was so annoyed at myself lol, it'll all be automatically generated by registration data I assume? I don't think it's worth making a fuss over, it isn't 100% attendance at the end of the day. I know lots of people have strong opinions on not pushing for 100% attendance, it's just not something I could get worked up over either way tbh.

seaweedandmarchingbands · 24/10/2019 16:02

This is going to happen ALL the way through. Make your peace with it or prepare to meditate lots.

bridgetreilly · 24/10/2019 16:02

Well, explain it to her. She didn't get the certificate because she missed an afternoon of school when she wasn't well enough.

And agree with pps, the sooner she learns not to care about 100% attendance certificates, the better.

LeftoverPizza · 24/10/2019 16:02

I think it’s really silly. I have multiple health issues so my attendance was never good, it always made me feel rubbish when I didn’t get a certificate

Original poster
Purplebunny95 · 24/10/2019 16:03

I dont give a toss whether she got one or not, I agree they are pointless.
It's more the reason they have supplied. They chose to send her home and she has been penalised for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Purplebunny95 · 24/10/2019 16:06

She was well enough, she was absolutely fine and drove me insane all afternoon instead of being at school and me being at work. Nothing ever developed and she was in school the next day no issues.

OP posts:
GroggyLegs · 24/10/2019 16:08

Attendance awards are pointless. We no longer do them at my DC's school.

Of course attendance is hugely important, but it's out of a 5yo control if they're unwell, or have a crap parent.

It's rewarding some kids & upsetting others for nothing.

Spikeyball · 24/10/2019 16:09

She has been treated the same as anyone else who was ill that afternoon.

Whattodoabout · 24/10/2019 16:12

They are crappy and pointless. They aren’t rewarding children for good behaviour or hard work, merely rewarding them for being lucky enough not to get sick. It’s pathetic.

My DC have never had one because they are human beings with developing immune systems. They have had chicken pox, stomach bugs, ear infections and terrible colds with high temperatures. I couldn’t and wouldn’t force them to go in those circumstances.

Whattodoabout · 24/10/2019 16:14

It’s also almost punishing children for being sick. I’ve never understood the purpose of them.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 24/10/2019 16:21

I can understand why you’d be a bit peeves at that. Honestly though, I’d just start getting her used to the idea that they are pointless/worthless and not very important early on. It’ll save trouble later on.

Theresnobslikeshowbs · 24/10/2019 16:21

Ds14 almost missed out on an end of term ‘treat’ because of his attendance- until he argued his case that school called me, and school insisted he was taken to A&E. He won!

TeenPlusTwenties · 24/10/2019 16:23

She hasn't been penalised or punished.
She just hasn't got the (tiny) reward.

If a sports team gets praised for winning a football match, that doesn't mean the non-sporty are getting penalised.
If children with neat handwriting get their 'pen certificates' that doesn't mean the others are getting punished.

If a naturally healthy child who also doesn't fabricate illness, or muck about in the mornings making themselves late for school gets a certificate to recognise that, it doesn't mean other children are being penalised.

What would be a problem would be if the reward was totally disproportionate such as a day off to a theme park, or a £30 gift voucher each.

DD had to sit through countless assemblies with others getting sports, music, art, handwriting, cycling certificates. Why begrudge one for turning up every day (even if feeling a bit tired, sad, bad cough)?

PrincessHoneysuckle · 24/10/2019 16:23

If they sent her home then she shouldn't be penalised

ChipsAreLife · 24/10/2019 16:23

I think it's so unfair. My dd has missed school due to an ongoing illness and dr apps. She WANTS to be there but can't. She gets very sad about missing it and I feel like it's kicking kids when they're down.

We've had these yet (dad just started in Sept) but I think they're coming ...

Purpleartichoke · 24/10/2019 16:27

It’s essentially an award for being healthy, neuro-typical, and not physically disabled. No child with a chronic illness And/or who has to attend frequent specialist appointments will ever have perfect attendance. They could sort the kids on the first day of school and come pretty close to guessing who will “earn” an attendance reward.

MonChatEstMagnifique · 24/10/2019 16:28

It's the one award that holds no value at all. The school thought your child was ill so they cared enough to send her home, that's much more important. They happened to get it wrong this time but they did what they thought was right.

CactusAndCacti · 24/10/2019 16:30

because of one missed registration going to the dentist, literally only missed assembly.

Ahh you see this is the mistake. To a fully common sensed up parent it seems a very good idea to make an early appointment, meaning they maybe just miss registration/assembly. TPTB however feel that it is better to take them to school, get the mark, collect them at 5 past 9 and miss a good part of the first lesson/ an hour.

The ridiculousness of the whole thing was shown in a talk I had by a HT "The 48hr rule is really important, you must keep them of if they have d&v" and next we shall discuss the 100% attendance awards. 🤦

Clangus00 · 24/10/2019 16:31

They are stupid (and encourage people to send their kids to school when unwell)...but she did miss the session so missed out on the certificate.
A good lesson about not everyone getting the same things and that life isn’t always fair.

MonChatEstMagnifique · 24/10/2019 16:32

What would be a problem would be if the reward was totally disproportionate such as a day off to a theme park, or a £30 gift voucher each.

Our school gives a prize every term to one of the children who have 100% attendance. It's worth about £50. I find it a very strange thing to reward.