Page 2 | It's that time again, congratulations on your immune system

takeitonthegin · 2022-12-16T19:03:18+00:00

It boils my blood every end of school term. 100% attendance awards. Congratulations on not being poorly, congratulations on being sent to school with a stinking cold! AIBU to be so grumpy about this? Anyone else feeling annoyed?

carefulcalculator · 16/12/2022 19:35

I've had another bash at kicking off about this and got some changes to the approach at our school.

I know schools are very worried about attendance but can you imagine adults being treated like that at work? They need to be a little more nuanced.

We have always declined any attendance awards we happened to win.

Tuilpmouse · 16/12/2022 19:36

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:32

I really hate that the schools get grief for this. On one hand, poor attendance means missed lessons, which leads to increase catch-up time, which leads to more missed lessons (as the kids that were there in the first place have moved on).

On the other hand: poor attendance is overwhelmingly a result of poor social care. And social care is criminally underfunded, so education is expected to pick up the shortfall. Its a horrible circle that ultimately boils down to ‘this government has never given a shit about children’.

So you're essentially arguing that children should be sent in when ill?

As for a child who has poor attendance due to neglect and inadequate social worker support, how the hell is that relevant here?

Original poster

takeitonthegin · 16/12/2022 19:37

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:32

I really hate that the schools get grief for this. On one hand, poor attendance means missed lessons, which leads to increase catch-up time, which leads to more missed lessons (as the kids that were there in the first place have moved on).

On the other hand: poor attendance is overwhelmingly a result of poor social care. And social care is criminally underfunded, so education is expected to pick up the shortfall. Its a horrible circle that ultimately boils down to ‘this government has never given a shit about children’.

What about a child with 98% attendance. One day off for a stomach bug? That's surely not poor attendance but they still wonder why they aren't being celebrated.

OP posts:

Abraxan · 16/12/2022 19:37

Cuppasoupmonster · 16/12/2022 19:09

It isn’t even congratulations on being well though it’s ‘congratulations on your parents sending you into school to spread your germs around; have an award’

Sadly this is often the case.

Which then makes it worse for those who don't have great immune systems as they are sat in a stuffy room with a poorly child.

Tuilpmouse · 16/12/2022 19:37

PositiveLife · 16/12/2022 19:35

I hate it, but what I hate most is the 'benefits'. At the schools my kids go to, the ones with 100% get to queue jump for lunch. To me, that just gives them the better lunch and the kids that have been off sick get the dregs that are left and no time to eat, which presumably doesn't help them be healthier. Then there's special events and trips. I just don't see how it's a child's fault if they're ill, or if their parents don't give a shit, etc.
On top of that, they've said that prom is dependent on your attendance level. The way stuff is going round over the last couple of weeks, there will be nobody eligible.

That's taking things to the next level and would piss me off massively... to the point of considering changing schools.

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:37

Tuilpmouse · 16/12/2022 19:36

So you're essentially arguing that children should be sent in when ill?

As for a child who has poor attendance due to neglect and inadequate social worker support, how the hell is that relevant here?

Show quote history

No. As I said, nobody cares if your kid missed a day or so for a heavy cold.

The attendance issues come from inadequate social care. And a letter wont fix that. It’s the usual ‘plaster for a broken leg’ approach that comes with nearly two decades of squeezing social care dry.

Syrax · 16/12/2022 19:37

Depends what the 'award' is.

A4 printed certificate? No problem

Field trip somewhere exciting? Yeah, not so great and I don't agree with it.

DD has SEN. It's the only award she ever gets.

Wheredoallthepensgo · 16/12/2022 19:37

all attendance awards do is highlight to children with medical conditions that they are different

Exactly.

It seems an utterly insane system. I'm in north Scotland and don't know of any primaries around here that do this. It seems divisive and "othering" of children who are not fully well for whatever reason.

We also don't have fines for absences in term time. Which is another way of punishing the less well off who can't afford to go on holiday during the school holidays when prices shoot up.

PositiveLife · 16/12/2022 19:37

Oh and also, the 'prizes' always suit the confident, outgoing kids that like being the centre of attention. My daughter hates having 100% attendance because she's terrified of winning an ipad or TV and having to go up in front of everyone.

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:38

takeitonthegin · 16/12/2022 19:37

What about a child with 98% attendance. One day off for a stomach bug? That's surely not poor attendance but they still wonder why they aren't being celebrated.

Show quote history

See my last reply. If you want to change this, write to your MP. And be fucking livid that children with social care needs are being ignored to this extent.

IndieK1d · 16/12/2022 19:42

So glad this wasn't a thing when I was at school. It was bad enough my head of year and another teacher giving me a lecture for being off. We'll just ignore the fact that I had surgery and a hole in my back for 3 weeks.

Abraxan · 16/12/2022 19:42

I don't understand why parents get so worked up about it -

Do you have a child with a long term health condition or serious medical issue?

Do you have a child undergoing treatment for a serious illness such as cancer?

Do you have a child with a disability requiring several medical appointments each year?

Do you have a child who is a young carer?

Do you have a child who is often not able to get into school because their parent has a serious health issue which prevents them getting their child in?

Do you have a child who is often not sent into school because the parent can't be bothered getting them there?

These children often already have to miss out on so much and many are already sad they miss so much school. It simply isn't fair to penalise them further by having awards for something they can never achieve.

Besides at primary school attendance has little to do with the child. Their parents are still almost always the one responsible for their attendance. So the certificate or award should go to the parents rather than the child if we actually think about what we are rewarding,

We scrapped them years ago as they are totally pointless and achieve nothing.

Unsureofitall · 16/12/2022 19:43

Completely agree!

Abraxan · 16/12/2022 19:44

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:32

I really hate that the schools get grief for this. On one hand, poor attendance means missed lessons, which leads to increase catch-up time, which leads to more missed lessons (as the kids that were there in the first place have moved on).

On the other hand: poor attendance is overwhelmingly a result of poor social care. And social care is criminally underfunded, so education is expected to pick up the shortfall. Its a horrible circle that ultimately boils down to ‘this government has never given a shit about children’.

But schools don't have to do this. They choose to do it.

AuntyBrenda · 16/12/2022 19:47

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:38

See my last reply. If you want to change this, write to your MP. And be fucking livid that children with social care needs are being ignored to this extent.

Show quote history

Read the original post. This isn't about inadequate social care needs and poor attendance. This is about schools rewarding a child for getting 100% and a child who get 99% not being rewarded. In our school anything below 90% means that they miss out on a party at the end of the school year. Younger children don't understand why they are being excluded. This is a school choice to implement such a batshit policy.

Abraxan · 16/12/2022 19:47

DD has SEN. It's the only award she ever gets.

That's really poor of your child's school if they can only reward her through an attendance certificate. Why on earth don't they have other achievable awards she can work towards?

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:47

Abraxan · 16/12/2022 19:44

But schools don't have to do this. They choose to do it.

Show quote history

No they don’t. They’re told to do it.

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:49

AuntyBrenda · 16/12/2022 19:47

Read the original post. This isn't about inadequate social care needs and poor attendance. This is about schools rewarding a child for getting 100% and a child who get 99% not being rewarded. In our school anything below 90% means that they miss out on a party at the end of the school year. Younger children don't understand why they are being excluded. This is a school choice to implement such a batshit policy.

Show quote history

No, it isn’t. ‘Attendance’ has become a problem for education, and the schools sending emails out is a free way for the government to say ‘see? We’re trying to fix this!’ without every having to look at the root problem. Which is: lack of social care. The kids missing loads of school are missing it for a reason.

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:50

Just to add, Britain has one of the worst school attendance rates in the world. I think we’re third overall for poor school attendance, although I’m happy to be corrected.

DonnatellaLyman · 16/12/2022 19:50

Because I’ve had a 6 year old on my ward tell me about how his sister got a prize in assembly ‘for not getting cancer’.

That’s why.

DonnatellaLyman · 16/12/2022 19:52

DonnatellaLyman · 16/12/2022 19:50

Because I’ve had a 6 year old on my ward tell me about how his sister got a prize in assembly ‘for not getting cancer’.

That’s why.

This was in reply to the poster asking ‘why parents get so worked up’

Sirzy · 16/12/2022 19:56

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:47

No they don’t. They’re told to do it.

Show quote history

Are they? Are they really told to reward children who are never ill? or are they told to help families improve attendances. The two are very different.

if schools really wanted to make a difference they would work with the families who have issues around attendance and find out what the underlying issues are. For some like my DS that will mean there is nothing school can do. For others there maybe additional support that can be provided, or referals made, to ensure families are better supported and as such children can access education more.

certificates and rewards are nothing more than a tick box exercise

zebrapig · 16/12/2022 19:56

This really bugs me. Our school are really hung up on attendance, it's mentioned in the newsletter every week and today DD has come home with a certificate for 100% attendance. DS didn't get one because he had a sickness bug which meant he was off for one day in line with school policy.

We're fortunate that our kids are generally healthy but it's just not right for all of the reasons mentioned by PP.

Pumperthepumper · 16/12/2022 19:57

Sirzy · 16/12/2022 19:56

Are they? Are they really told to reward children who are never ill? or are they told to help families improve attendances. The two are very different.

if schools really wanted to make a difference they would work with the families who have issues around attendance and find out what the underlying issues are. For some like my DS that will mean there is nothing school can do. For others there maybe additional support that can be provided, or referals made, to ensure families are better supported and as such children can access education more.

certificates and rewards are nothing more than a tick box exercise

Show quote history

With what resource? Who in the school is working with those families?

TheUnicornsGoHawaiian · 16/12/2022 19:57

Hate attendance awards with a passion. Poor attendance and not having 100% attendance are two seperate issues.

Can we also mention rewards for eating all of your lunch. My DC used to attend a school where they have a clean plate award. If you shovel all of your lunch in then you can win a golden ticket to sit at the golden table!! They had many stupid policies, fortunately when we moved house we left that school. Crazy!