AIBU that school should scrap “Pen Licences”

[mumof2exhausted]

I just don’t get how it’s still a thing, it’s just another way to single out children who struggle with fine motor skills. As long as their writing is neat and legible does it really matter that it’s not cursive?

I really disagree with it, but blame the government, not schools.

My son is a leftie and just diagnosed with ADHD so struggles with handwriting. I was told in Autumn term that although he was exceeding/greater depth for all parts of English, as his handwriting isn't, he would be marked as emerging! Not sure if the official diagnosis changes this?

Personally I ignore government expectations and pen licence bollocks. I tell my son to try as best as he can and that's all I expect from him.

I've never heard of this. My 4 children passed through primary without this being a thing.

"My son is a leftie and just diagnosed with ADHD so struggles with handwriting. I was told in Autumn term that although he was exceeding/greater depth for all parts of English, as his handwriting isn't, he would be marked as emerging! Not sure if the official diagnosis changes this"

You need to challenge this. Handwriting alone definitely doesn't prevent a pupil from being considered greater depth.

My little boy never got one and he was gutted. He struggles with fine motor skills and had to use a pencil grip. I went into school once on a parents afternoon and he was using a stub of a pencil with the grip on it...there were no full length pencils to be found in the classroom. I guess pen licences are just another way to make SEN kids feel not good enough

"I guess pen licences are just another way to make SEN kids feel not good enough."

I think kids with hypermobility actually do find writing in pen much easier as they need less pressure. Use of a pen is often recommended by their OT.

It is tricky though if children's writing is neater and more legible, or they write faster, in pencil. Very hard to justify giving them a pen if they're going to slow down or produce writing that's not legible.

" went into school once on a parents afternoon and he was using a stub of a pencil with the grip on it...there were no full length pencils to be found in the classroom."

That's crazy. What reason did they give for not having any pencils in school??

The only time a child in my class might be writing with a short pencil is if they want to (some do) or if they have to wait a bit until I can get out of the classroom and to the stationery cupboard.

YANBU. It’s like attendance certificates: ritual humiliation of the children who need help.

Teachers underestimate how humiliated and hurt the children feel, and don’t realise that parents have to address this by explaining that the teacher is an unfair idiot following instructions from an incompetent government - not conducive to learning.

@Thewindwhispers

YANBU. It’s like attendance certificates: ritual humiliation of the children who need help.

Teachers underestimate how humiliated and hurt the children feel, and don’t realise that parents have to address this by explaining that the teacher is an unfair idiot following instructions from an incompetent government - not conducive to learning.

This rings very true unfortunately

Not that I would call the teacher an idiot - but I did have to walk a very fine line between calling the whole thing ridiculous (and yes the name Michael Gove came up!) and trying to help them jump through the hoops so they’re not so miserable. Thanks for the advice offered - and glad it’s been resolved for you OP.

Some kids are just not capable of developing good handwriting and it has nothing to do with academic ability. My DS age 22 still cannot do joined up writing. school got him permission to use a laptop for GCSE and A level exams and he is now at university studying for a healthcare MSc.
It really isn't a barrier to educational achievement.