School prize giving

[Pinklady245612]

Totally prepared to hear I'm being unreasonable, would just like some other opinions especially from any teachers.

I've just been to my daughter's prize giving and leavers assembly, and left feeling really disappointed. They sang a few songs and then they gave out six awards (which took about 10-15 minutes as the paragraph read out for each one was massive) and that was it. The songs were led by the same small group of kids who had all of the main parts for the year 6 play just a couple of weeks ago, and about 4 of the 6 awards given out were to kids who are always picked for everything. It just felt like yet another school event where I go and cheer on other people's kids (always the same other people's kids) while mine is stuck in the back and forgotten about.
Usually I'm all for credit where credit is due and don't mind. For example sports day I think there should be winners and losers (from a parent whose kids wouldn't win anything) but on this occasion I felt the school really missed a chance to celebrate every kid for what made them special. They're ALL leaving, it's a special time for all of them, why celebrate just a few?
I'm sure my opinion is swayed because I was expecting more. Personally I don't remember anything about leaving primary except for the prize giving. We all got an award - just jokey ones - but they were all personalised to us. I still have my 'absolute silence' award in my loft now. I'm sure someone got best artist. Best mathematician. Most likely to need an ice pack. Best excuse for forgetting PE kit. Still have the 'golden awards' if you like, I'm just sad that the teachers didn't show her that she is special in any way. AIBU?

Several threads on this. My daughter has hers tonight - secondary plus sixth form - from 6-9pm. Goodness know how they'll fill that time and the kids are going to be tired and hungry having been at school since 8.20. She's never had an award, so 12th year of watching other kids go up. Same kid's every n the prizes as if they are the best at math one year will be best at math the following. And seems those academic kids also seem to be sporty and musically gifted so hey those too.
There were some non achievement related prizes at our last school to reward and encourage those who have excelled in other ways, but the vast majority of kids never get anything.
I don't agree that they should give a prize to everyone though. That devalues it. But our old school overcame this by having a Y6 leavers do and the headmaster praised them all individually for something he noticed about them. Some way they had developed since they started. It made them each feel noticed. But that was his personality- he made sure he knew every single child in his school on a personal level. The next head (who came in when my daughter was in Y6), got rid of it and wouldn't have known my daughter from a stranger off the street. The kids felt cheated.

I am a teacher and l hate all that stuff. This from someone whose dd won so many prizes at Secondary it was nearly embarrassing. Not only academic but all sorts of categories. But my two ds never won anything. Now 10 years later those prizewinners are not necessarily in the best jobs. My two ds have far better high earning jobs . DD was just someone who suited school and fell into the pattern they were awarding. Two ds were more adventurous and creative and this has stood to them going forward but was never recognised or appreciated at school.
It's a pain and l am totally against it. Never understand how teachers can stand there year after year and reward the same children. It goes against everything we are supposed to be about.

@Pinklady245612
I sent my head this on our last prize giving day.

I'm a year 6 teacher. We've done awards before but for every child. I think 6 is a bit off. It's a shame if there wasn't anything to celebrate the others. Did they not get to share a memory or sing?

The only thing I'd say on the other side is teachers are properly shattered by now in yr6 and these kinds of assemblies are always a lot of effort. Sounds like they went for minimal work.

For a leavers assembly that is awful to be honest, it should be about all the kids not the same few.

Our school is usually all for the academic prizes, I think it’s dumb as the kids that win are normally the kids that were born with the smartest brain for school, and not necessarily the kids who actually try the hardest to get the results. Having to work hard for results builds resilience in my opinion.

Are your children very agrieved by not getting those awards? Do they even care to participate in plays, poem reading, etc.?

My kids don’t care, they think the awards are “for the nerds” but the awards in our school are mostly academic. My kids are just middle of the road regular kids, they don’t want to be in plays or read poems, it’s just not their thing and that’s ok with me, happy for them to be the people they are.