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AIBU?

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Original poster

Right to attend prom based on attendance at after school GCSE revision sessions- to think this sucks?

116 replies

MonitorL1zard · 02/02/2023 23:24

It’s amazing that the school provides after school GCSE revision classes but is it fair to attach the right to go to prom to attendance at these?

OP posts:
Rowgtfc72 · 03/02/2023 13:12

Dds school are having an attendance based prom, which is not great for kids that struggle medically with attendance.
They are able to earn points for every dinnertime and after school revision session they attend. This earns them money off their entry tickets.
Dd got a cheap dress online so I'm happy to pay for hair, nails and tan. She needs a haircut anyway.
Her friends are all going to a big prom dress chain and paying 3 times the price of her dress.
Dh is taking her in his 20 yr old car.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 03/02/2023 13:58

Rowgtfc72 · 03/02/2023 13:12

Dds school are having an attendance based prom, which is not great for kids that struggle medically with attendance.
They are able to earn points for every dinnertime and after school revision session they attend. This earns them money off their entry tickets.
Dd got a cheap dress online so I'm happy to pay for hair, nails and tan. She needs a haircut anyway.
Her friends are all going to a big prom dress chain and paying 3 times the price of her dress.
Dh is taking her in his 20 yr old car.

It’s amazing that schools just cannot see how discriminatory that kind of thing is.

So if you’ve a long term medical condition then you don’t get to go, or if you do it’s more expensive.

It tells a lot about the SLT in q school when they sanction things like that.

RampantIvy · 03/02/2023 14:12

It’s amazing that schools just cannot see how discriminatory that kind of thing is.

I agree. it is very unfair.

Sartre · 03/02/2023 14:18

Great incentive. They want to ensure all pupils are studying and they can’t do this by leaving them to it at home because not all parents give a fuck.

thing47 · 03/02/2023 14:27

RampantIvy · 03/02/2023 14:12

It’s amazing that schools just cannot see how discriminatory that kind of thing is.

I agree. it is very unfair.

I agree too. And it's almost certainly illegal under the terms of the Equality Act 2010, unless exceptions are made for DCs with disabilities or long-term medical conditions.

This sort of thing really should be challenged, schools should know better.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 03/02/2023 14:30

Sartre · 03/02/2023 14:18

Great incentive. They want to ensure all pupils are studying and they can’t do this by leaving them to it at home because not all parents give a fuck.

They can still offer those students after school sessions without discriminating against other students with different difficult circumstances

Needmorelego · 03/02/2023 14:58

@Sartre that's true. Some parents "don't give a fuck".
Also some teens don't give a f about going to prom either. So as an incentive to go to revision sessions the 'reward' of prom will mean nothing.

TheCatterall · 03/02/2023 15:25

I know many young people that happily revise at home and can’t attend after school
events as they have part time jobs, responsibilities, care roles, collect youngest siblings on way home etc.

This system punishes those that have pre-existing responsibilities and is unfair.

Sazzling · 03/02/2023 15:28

It "sucks"? Is it an American school?

Stackss · 03/02/2023 16:19

A better way to do it might be to set a certain amount of homework/revision time that needs to be completed each evening and allowing DC to earn prom that way. Obviously there would need to be spot checks where DC would be required to demonstrate what has been produced in the set time.

This is how the DC’s school have done it since year 7. There is a set amount of work that has to be completed for each year group and if DC don’t have homework to fill it, they need to do self-study that can be checked by form tutors.

ZiriForEver · 03/02/2023 17:32

I don't understand how anyone could consider it acceptable. School is important, but it just doesn't have any right to decide where students are in their free time. It isn't even about practicalities like transportation, care or part-time jobs. It is about respecting boundaries, in this case boundaries of the school day.

(Yes, some amount of homework is acceptable, but in that case the students at least have a choice when exactly they do it and what music plays in the background).

It is nice the school offers extra revision support, but it is wrong to tie it with the ball.

Sindonym · 03/02/2023 18:50

OngoingCrisis · 03/02/2023 08:37

This is more of a condition than an incentive. When I was at school, if we stayed for extra revision the teachers would order us pizza. Everyone showed up

This is a much better idea. And feeds the kids who need feeding. Supports highly stressed households as well by knowing the teens have had something to eat.

Sindonym · 03/02/2023 18:56

JudgeJ · 03/02/2023 10:46

I would expect a parent to be grateful that their school offers after school revision sessions rather than be moaning about them! Most of the schools with which I have been connected have offered after school revision sessions and/or, back in the day, coursework catch-up seesions, I also organised revision sessions during the Easter break.

Show quote history

I’m happy for the school to offer revision sessions but wouldn’t want them to be compulsory if not in school hours.

TheMarlows · 03/02/2023 20:03

My daughter has not attended any revision sessions because she finds school stressful and studies best quietly at home. The school tried saying the kids had to attend them but she did well in her mocks and we pointed out that she just didn't need these sessions. She isn't keen on going to prom anyway but it seems wrong to penalise kids who work better at home or just don't need the booster sessions.

Siameasy · 03/02/2023 20:19

TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum · 02/02/2023 23:31

It is bizarre and unnecessary for gcse age children in the UK to go to "prom". Really silly.

How depressing! They’re teenagers not children and why shouldn’t they have a disco?!

Valeriekat · 04/02/2023 08:22

No one including teachers should be coerced into doing anything out of school hours!

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