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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:
ilovebrie8 · 07/09/2021 18:09

Shocking ! That’s outrageous ..,can I ask what school this is?

Tubs11 · 07/09/2021 18:10

They really haven't thought this one through Hmm

Polkadots2021 · 07/09/2021 18:12

OP tell us who the MP is for your local area and we'll all complain to them...

Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:12

I would seriously suggest that you contact the governors and ask for an immediate rethink because this is such an obvious breach of the Equality Act 2010. If they don't, contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission, they might well be interested in funding a legal challenge.

salviapages · 07/09/2021 18:12

This is gross, as someone who has just completed my training the people on my course didn't have good things to say about academies (which I see from the letter this is) and this type of thing is one of the reasons. Any decent educator (or reasonable adult) knows that there are many things outside a child's control which can lead to days off, including abuse and extreme poverty. This is really horrible and I hope they get rid soon. I feel bad for the teachers working there who must know that this is terrible but unfortunately academies don't tend to take opinions or ideas from their teaching staff

Bimblybomeyelash · 07/09/2021 18:13

It’s ridiculous. Good attendance is important, but all this does is improve the schools overall attendance percentage, without actually doing anything to support the pupils who actually need help with their attendance. What about pupils who improve from 50% to 80%? What prize will they receive?

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 18:13

@cricketmum84….I asked MNHQ to delete my post identifying school if I was correct, but seen you quoted now.lsorry!

reallyworriedjobhunter · 07/09/2021 18:14

That's horrible. All the kids with chronic illnesses and have appointments, SEN and have appointments, or who catch a bug and have to have time off are basically second class citizens then.

Are the teachers participating in this bullshit?

impossible · 07/09/2021 18:14

That is appalling! I would make a huge fuss and try to engage with other parents who feel the same - there will plenty of them.

The club is discriminatory, not just for dcs like your dd who have health issues but also for those who have to deal with family bereavement (1 child in 29 will lose a parent or sibling, ie one per class), chaotic homes, mental health problems, poverty etc...

Perhaps the school could have a genuine resilience award for those who battle through challenging circumstances but still get themselves to school as often as possible. Unfortunately though, those children wont get awards as they tend to be less visible - your school's letter is a reminder of why.

Crazycakelady17 · 07/09/2021 18:15

Absolute bullshit! My DS1 has Type 1 diabetes he’s at uni now but he never achieved those awards
His clinic was always in the morning other side of city so pretty much missed a whole school day every 3 months add onto that the times he was too high or too low to go it did used to affect his self esteem as he was already struggling with being different

Original poster
cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 18:15

[quote Monkeytapper]@cricketmum84….I asked MNHQ to delete my post identifying school if I was correct, but seen you quoted now.lsorry![/quote]
lol no don't worry. Feel free to PM me if you want but yes you were correct!

OP posts:
Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:15

@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 can sort of understand this, but it isn't really a genuine reward when it's basically an award for having OK health, which every child will know is not really a personal achievement. And what about the underprivileged children who also have a medical condition meaning they can't attend, or who miss a day because they were in A&E after their parent physically attacked them? It must feel like just another kick in the teeth.
MajorCarolDanvers · 07/09/2021 18:16

Presumably they still want children to stay off if they have Covid.

You'd think they'd have learned by now.

And totally not inclusive.

Spanglemum · 07/09/2021 18:16

I think that's discrimination.

Cornettoninja · 07/09/2021 18:16

Ah, I see the last eighteen months have provided valuable lessons for us all. Excellent.

nofanks · 07/09/2021 18:18

Not just doing discriminatory and downright stupid but dangerously irresponsible in the covid era

Monkeytapper · 07/09/2021 18:20

@cricketmum84…I’m surprised it’s not kicked off on the Facebook group yet, I’ve one going into year 7 and one into year 9

TopBlogger · 07/09/2021 18:26

Where's the DM when you need them to nick a story?!

Abraxan · 07/09/2021 18:26

Hate attendance awards as it is, but I also feel it's utterly irresponsible of a school to be promoting 100% attendance during a pandemic.

They encourage parents to send children into school when they are ill, and right now could be seen to be encouraging parents to send children in when they have close household contacts. We all know that under the new rules close household contacts don't need to isolate - but to be actively encouraged to come in potentially spreading covid and dissuaded from isolating even if it's mum or dad, or a sibling they share a room with - it's a no from me. It will also encourage parents to ignore potential covid symptoms incase the child has to stay home.

Good health is pretty much down to luck a lot of the time.
These reward systems never actual promote attendance in the group that need it - the persistence one day off every so often, always on a Friday type absent pupils.

DancesWithTortoises · 07/09/2021 18:26

While Ofsted values attendance as high value this will be what schools do. Talk to your MP to get the criteria changed.

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/09/2021 18:27

Gosh that’s awful and I would want to know how this figures in the inclusion message schools are supposed to promote, reasonable adjustments and so forth. I laughed at your letter because it was so full of raw emotion. I wouldn’t have the guts to send it despite having a dd with a medical condition. Good on you!

Nocutenamesleft · 07/09/2021 18:28

One of the very MANY reasons I home educate.

RavingAnnie · 07/09/2021 18:30

I fucking hate these "schemes". Blatant discrimination of children with ill health and disabilities. So demoralising for them.

Sirzy · 07/09/2021 18:30

As well as being awful for those young people with Health Conditions it is also a nightmare for those from “chaotic” homes.

Homes where they are responsible for getting younger siblings up and to school.

Homes with negligent parents.

Homes with poorly parents.

Those who have families who can’t afford to wash uniform so they don’t go in. Or those who haven’t got the kit needed that day so don’t go in to avoid embarrassment.

Young girls who can’t afford sanitary products so stay at home each month

Etc etc.

These things are just a sticking plaster. They don’t tackle the actual issues which can cause poor attendance, or offer support for those who have no options but to miss school.

Happylittlethoughts · 07/09/2021 18:33

That's outrageous and I'd be challenging that all over the fecking place ! I'd not stop until the scrapped that Club.
I've long detested this shit, luckily tends to be more prevalent in England than Scotland where I teach.