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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is fucked up (school 100% attendance)

523 replies

cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 16:35

Recieved this letter from school before the start of term tomorrow.

I have a lovely, well behaved and studious year 8 girl who would love to attend 100%. However she had a bowel condition that causes extreme pain 2-3 days per month, enough so that she is unable to attend school.

Unfortunately she doesn't have the "resilience" needed to get these rewards.

Utter twats.

OP posts:
Original poster
cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 17:56

@Canigooutyet

Not surprised at the schoo! In Leeds on the list posted. Always had some batshit ideas.
Not saying too much but I'm not surprised that school in leeds has the same ideas....
OP posts:
Mybalconyiscracking · 07/09/2021 17:56

Can you imagine swanning to the front of the lunch queue in your shiny badge.. and then later running into a number of the “less resilient” kids outside school.
Sounds like a recipe for getting your head kicked in.

bossybloss · 07/09/2021 17:56

@ChikiTIKI

Imagine working there and having to take a badge off the boy whose sister died. The girl who had to go to court so custory could be transferred to her older sisters because her mum's mental health problems mean she can't be cared for by her any more, or the child who is a young carer and just can't manage school and home life to 100% satisfaction of this nasty leadership team.

Everything about this is just so awful. And what a ridiculous scheme to bring in during covid times.

This ^
Ninasister · 07/09/2021 17:56

Something struck me with your initial post. Your daughter could have endometriosis in her bowel if it's every month for a few days.
Really hope she doesn't and I do hope she's ok.
I have endometriosis and Crohn's and both can be debilitating and very painful.
No one can go to school with bowel problems or severe period issues.
Heartbreaking to think kids who struggle will be forced.

Polkadots2021 · 07/09/2021 17:56

The '100% Attendance Club' desperately needs its own Little Britain sketch. Matt Lucas if you're reading, here's some new material Grin

Honestly OP that's the worst teaching ever. And as a sports / fitness coach I absolutely shudder at their horrendously clumsy, lazy, confused and ridiculous kidnapping of the concept of resilience. They clearly have literally no idea what it means. I'm so sick of people appropriating it incorrectly.

I'm actually appalled at that crappy letter, so glad you shared it OP so that it gets the mockery it deserves. Also, your daughter sounds lovely.

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 17:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2Hot2Handle · 07/09/2021 17:57

Completely discriminatory and irresponsible to encourage children to attend school, to receive awards. They’re encouraging sick children to come in when they aren’t feeling well and for anyone with anything contagious to potentially spread it to other children, members of staff and their families. I would follow up with another email, making your points clearly and calmly. Are you in touch with any other parents to gauge their reaction?

MrsClatterbuck · 07/09/2021 17:58

Someone in my year in the seventies got an attendance award for 5 years of full attendance. It was a gold watch given by the education and library board. Also I discovered that my work had this nonsense when someone got an award for full attendance but can't remember what they got. Came up in a chance conversation. It was done away with eventually.

MeredithMae · 07/09/2021 17:58

Sorry that was rambley... but basically it was for kids with 0% unauthorised absences. As opposed to 100% attendance. LOADS FAIRER!

User85858686 · 07/09/2021 17:59

My son's primary school had a morning on the first day with the parents joining them for lunch in the hall, which was lovely for them and us. Then home. 2nd day was full time straight away,

a1poshpaws · 07/09/2021 17:59

Complain to EVERYONE that you can: the school board; the Head Teacher; your MP. This is utterly outrageous discrimination against every child who suffers an illness or other disability that prevents them keeping 100% attendance. I'm fu*king incandescent with rage just reading about it - it's guaranteed to make non-100% attendees feel left out and resentful and it'll undoubtedly engender a total lack of respect for any authority figures as they become adults. (Speaking from experience here .. both school and police contacts as a primary pupil solidified a bone deep and everlasting contempt for "authority" in me.)

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 18:00

Ours says these reasons are excluded

We do, however, recognise that in some cases, absence from school is unavoidable. Examples include students being absent from school:
to mark a religious observance.
to attend a specialist medical appointment related to a lifelong medical condition.
to grieve for, and attend a funeral of, an immediate family member.

LuluJakey1 · 07/09/2021 18:01

Schools are being put under pressure yet again by the DFE about attendance. The DFE are in the process of appointing teams of advisors cross the country - on £500 a day with up to 100 days a year guaranteed. £50,000 for 3 months work. Their task will be to challenge schools and local authorities where attendance has fallen and make sure they improve their attendance.
Attendance remains a key OFSTED priority in inspections. Full inspections are due to begin from next week. Many of those advisors will already have jobs in local authorities who will be instructed to release them fir those days to do this work.
That's why schools do twatty things like the one your daughter attends.
3 days off every 4 weeks equates to almost 40 days per school year which puts her high on their target list - her attendance would be about 80% . They are expected to act on any child achieving less than 95%.

Westerman · 07/09/2021 18:01

Discriminatory against kids with disabilities. How the heck are they allowed go get away with it?

Fearnecuptea · 07/09/2021 18:01

@Thatsjustwhatithink

Just to give the other side, to the kids that may not have great home lives, plug their way through school, this can feel like a reward- like someone has recognised them. Especially if they're the kids no one really notices.

It's obviously sad for your daughter but there's a reason she can't make it in each day. But she shows resilience in different ways.

Not all prizes/rewards are for everyone. You'd be surprised how many nice people out there create these type of rewards for kids that aren't getting 'top of maths' or 'best at running'

I absolutely agree with this point of view; whoever it is that thought up this award, may have been considering awarding kids who otherwise wouldn't get noticed.

Is your daughter fussed about the award? I wouldn't make a big deal of it, it hardly seems that important tbh to an outsider.

cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 18:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Benjispruce5 · 07/09/2021 18:03

I always feel uncomfortable with that stance and I work in primary school. My kids always used to get that award but they were very lucky (or unlucky) in that they tended to be poorly at the weekend or holidays.

DelphiniumBlue · 07/09/2021 18:04

A badge for turning up?? It would have taken a lot more than to get me out of bed and to school if I hadn't been feeling it in the first place!
Who are these people that think anyone will actually care? I know it's a thing but I really don't understand posters getting upset that their chid doesn't qualify for a turning up award. Awards for hard work and effort, are fine I guess ( although personally I don't approve even then) but for turning up? It's just a vain hope that some kids who previously had low attendance will be motivated to get out of bed and get to school. I am pretty sure that those children will not be the ones bothering about such awards.

Original poster
cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 18:05

@Ninasister

Something struck me with your initial post. Your daughter could have endometriosis in her bowel if it's every month for a few days. Really hope she doesn't and I do hope she's ok. I have endometriosis and Crohn's and both can be debilitating and very painful. No one can go to school with bowel problems or severe period issues. Heartbreaking to think kids who struggle will be forced.
Thankyou, she's had a whole raft of blood tests plus abdominal ultrasound which has ruled that out but thankyou for flagging. She started her periods really young but the bowel problems have been since she was 3-4 years old x
OP posts:
Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:05

@Monkeytapper

Ours says these reasons are excluded

We do, however, recognise that in some cases, absence from school is unavoidable. Examples include students being absent from school:
to mark a religious observance.
to attend a specialist medical appointment related to a lifelong medical condition.
to grieve for, and attend a funeral of, an immediate family member.

The trouble with that is that it leaves things far too vague. Is it OK to attend a specialist medical appointment relating to a lifelong medical condition but not to take a day of sick due to a flare-up of that condition? What about conditions that are serious but not lifelong, you hope, e.g. a curable cancer? What about covid? How do they define an immediate family member?

All of this illustrates that it would make much more sense to abolish the whole stupid idea altogether.

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 18:07

@cricketmum84 wouldn’t your daughters condition come under life long conditions though?… it is a bit crackers.

Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:07

A badge for turning up?? It would have taken a lot more than to get me out of bed and to school if I hadn't been feeling it in the first place!

The trouble is that it's more than a badge, it's extra treats, being able to skip the queue at lunch etc. Imagine how you feel on your first day back at school after chemotherapy to find yourself at the back of the lunch queue because all the healthy kids are deemed better than you and get to go ahead of you.

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 18:08

My son has to go for orthodontic treatment every 8 weeks so he wasn’t be getting a pin badge!

Stormyequine · 07/09/2021 18:09

Hopefully the school will get lots of complaints and rethink this. Bloody ridiculous idea!

Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:09

This reminds me of the time DS got a prize for good attendance. The one and only reason he got it was because I hounded him out of bed in good time and, with a lot more shouting, got him into the car to deliver him at the school gates on time. I felt like contacting the school to ask where my prize was.