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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About school attendance?

106 replies

AutieNOT0tie · 21/07/2023 20:08

My dd school reward high attendance (98%)
This year they hired a Ice-cream van and all the children who got 98 or higher got to leave the classroom 30 min before end of lesson and have a Ice cream in full view of the other kids who had to continue with their work. (But could see the playground) this is primary age. Is it just me or is this mean?
Baring in mind some kids are disabled and have time off for hospital appointments/treatments. My child had a sickness bug and covid - we followed school policy.

OP posts:
Motheranddaughtertotwo · 21/07/2023 21:11

I’m a teacher and I hate this, it’s so unfair. I’ve actually told “my children “ that they don’t get rewards for attendance in my class because their reward is good health.
Sadly, I still have to fill out the attendance box on school reports and comment on anyone’s less than 96%. Senior leaders also did whole school rewards for high attendance. Most teaching staff hate them but it goes way above us.

pastapestoparmesan · 21/07/2023 21:13

We only did certificates, but stopped awarding attendance after covid thank goodness. I would have just taken my whole class to the icecream van!

intergalacticplanetary · 21/07/2023 21:18

Totally agree with you. It's bloody awful. I've fallen out with the Head at my kid's school
about it before. It's discriminatory against children with ill health and primary aged children's attendance is purely down to the parents anyway.

Seashor · 21/07/2023 21:23

I don’t believe you. 98/100 for effort but this is wind up bollocks.

Wintercomesoon · 21/07/2023 21:25

This is bat shit crazy behaviour for a school.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 21/07/2023 21:28

DS was marked as cause for concern because he had chicken pox, COVID and sickness and diarrhea. I don't care at all

SpecialOnes · 21/07/2023 21:29

pastapestoparmesan · 21/07/2023 21:13

We only did certificates, but stopped awarding attendance after covid thank goodness. I would have just taken my whole class to the icecream van!

Our school did a special covid adapted award, which meant if you were off for covid reasons, you could still achieve 100% attendance, but couldn't for other illnesse/reasons! 🤔🙄🤦‍♀️ Absolutely ridiculous.

TheBestUsernamesAreGone · 21/07/2023 21:33

Yanbu. How do you get perfect attendance?
(1) Be lucky
(2) Be sent in anyway when you're sick and make everybody else ill.

alwaysommymind · 21/07/2023 21:34

YANBU, our school done this last year but after numerous parents complained they stopped it this year. Unbelievable when there have been so many days off due to striking.

elliejjtiny · 21/07/2023 21:35

My older dc at secondary school get a badge with a star on it for 100% attendance and a badge with a tick for 97-99%. My younger dc at primary school don't get anything. My 10 year old got below 90% attendance this year because he had an operation and several hospital appointments. The teacher wrote a little note on his report telling us not to worry about it which I thought was nice.

Anaemiafog · 21/07/2023 21:38

DD has CHD, meaning she has to stay home if she gets ill. I'd be angry if this happened.

Eccle80 · 21/07/2023 21:42

I don’t like attendance awards. One of my children’s schools does pizza as a reward for those with 100% attendance or 100 merits over the year, and this year also had a special outing for those with 100% over their time at the school. It just seems unfair when some kids have health conditions, and the school don’t want you to send them in if they have D&V, plus the kids with 100% have probably come in when not that well and spread germs to others

DreamingofGinoclock · 21/07/2023 21:50

That's just mean ...there is following Ofsted guidelines re sending letters (not that I agreed with those) ...at daughter's primary there are no attendance awards (well at least not in reception...not sure about other years) ...and all the kids (and staff ) in the school got an ice cream (courtesy of the PTA)

Whowhatwherewhenwhy1 · 21/07/2023 21:55

It makes my blood boil. I have a child with a serious medical condition who has been in and out of hospital, has had to give up all the things he loves to do, missed out on trips and birthdays and would absolutely rather be in school than being poked, pricked, prodded, scanned and constantly in pain and feeling ill all through no fault of his own but is still being penalised for poor attendance. Ofsted and schools need to wise the f up.

IcedBananas · 21/07/2023 21:55

That’s awful. I think my kid would cry if they watched everyone else get an ice cream. It’s teaching kids to be mean to each other and many other poor lessons about how we treat vulnerable or sick people

MrsFarmerTom · 21/07/2023 22:06

@AussiUnHomme you seem nice

Balloonsandroses · 21/07/2023 22:08

My kid had cancer and although we are lucky and she’s doing really well now she still needs a lot of follow up and will always have poor attendance. I would have been beyond furious at this.

Offyoupoplove · 21/07/2023 22:08

Absolutely irresponsible given what we should know about infectious diseases now, and just plain unkind.

I’d genuinely move schools I feel so strongly about attendance BS.

AussiUnHomme · 21/07/2023 22:24

MrsFarmerTom · 21/07/2023 22:06

@AussiUnHomme you seem nice

I am nice. Just stop getting het up about things. Celebrate the people who do well, and encourage those that don't.

BigBeeee · 21/07/2023 22:30

Yabu, let the children who went to school every day enjoy their ice cream.

Offyoupoplove · 21/07/2023 22:33

AussiUnHomme · 21/07/2023 22:24

I am nice. Just stop getting het up about things. Celebrate the people who do well, and encourage those that don't.

Show quote history

Encourage them to what? Encourage them to stop having cancer, or not need an operation or to come in and spread their virus with the whole school?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 21/07/2023 22:49

BigBeeee · 21/07/2023 22:30

Yabu, let the children who went to school every day enjoy their ice cream.

And punish those who were ill, @BigBeeee? You’re OK with kids losing a treat because they have a long term illness or disability, or were unlucky enough to get sick?

BigBeeee · 21/07/2023 22:59

They aren't losing a treat. They just aren't getting a reward. I'm all for children being rewarded for all sorts of things as some DC won't do well with schoolwork or with sports. I think every child should have a chance to feel they have achieved something. And every child should realise they can't always win or be the best at something.

My children do not have 100% attendance and one has a chronic health condition. She is good at other things. I have no desire to stop other children, some of whom maybe otherwise wouldn't get much recognition, having a bit of a fuss made over them.

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 21/07/2023 23:05

AutieNOT0tie · 21/07/2023 20:08

My dd school reward high attendance (98%)
This year they hired a Ice-cream van and all the children who got 98 or higher got to leave the classroom 30 min before end of lesson and have a Ice cream in full view of the other kids who had to continue with their work. (But could see the playground) this is primary age. Is it just me or is this mean?
Baring in mind some kids are disabled and have time off for hospital appointments/treatments. My child had a sickness bug and covid - we followed school policy.

Work on the last day? Sure they did.

Tessisme · 21/07/2023 23:28

I think you're on the wind up @AussiUnHomme. Maybe change your username to AussiUnDick.