to think they shouldn't give out 100% attendance certificates in school

[schmoopoo]

THis in a private primary school FFS you can't help being ill

I had a letter at work the other day sayinging what a good girl I was for never having a day off. I was one of Two hundred and eighty-something or 33% of the workforce and we are good because we're helping the council to meet its targets and deliver objectives...

...WHAT a load of bullshit!

in our local council employees get a bonus payment at the end of every month f they have had no days off.
in certain roles where attendance was really bad.

I think it must be heartbreaking for those poor children whose difficult home circumstances cause them to miss school. I know of a few mums who are sometimes just unable to get it together as a result of depression, drug use, not being able to buy shoes, many reasons. My mum was one, and I never got a certificate for 100 attendence, and I would have loved one!
Also, if a child is ill, they are ill, it's not fair to make them feel bad about it.

I might suggest that then

I've only ever had 2 days off - both when I had general anaesthetic for minor ops so I thought someone would notice the difference

people are moany when they're sick.

cory - you obviously feel very strongly about this - and for good reason if your child feels resented by the others. He could easily discount her attendance for the class %.

My dd has a chronic illness and currently has 80% attendance so I do sympathise - but I'm also responsible for attendance at the school I work in so see it from the other side too. The EWO and I have a relationship on both sides of the fence. Schools are under massive pressure to raise attendance and to show that they chase poor attenders and reward good ones. If you value your school's good/outstanding Ofsted report then it's something you have to put up with I'm afraid.

When at school my we received a letter regarding DDs attendance. They had just had to have alot of time off through the school and i think DD had had a week off due to tonsilitis. The letter was threatening the involvement of social services as her attendance for that term had dropped to below 86% - i was fuming, rang the school, but had to get in line because all the class had received these letters due to the snow closures etc .

Same DD when at college, basically never went in, had tutor on the phone to me all the time, threatening disciplinary action if she didnt attend more. When she left, she got a certificate for excellent attendance

ahhh, adults getting paid for full attendance. That's more like it.

i'm getting a voucher for fifty quid next week as i wasn't i'll for a year

At my old work they started a policy where you wouldn't get your next increment if you'd had more than 6 days off sick. 6 days! You could potentially have that off with one bad bout of 'flu. There was "manager's discretion", but still the whole principle made me sick. I'm sick and tired of infectious people being martyrs and "struggling" into work - unless it is really vital they're just idiots IMO. This should not be encouraged in school children.

My son's school has attendence certificates every half term and they get a certificate if they have not had more than one day off. If a child has a medical appointment then it is discounted provided that the school has seen the appointment letter.

Getting a certificate is achievable for most children. I think its gives a fair balance between encouraging children to go to school and without encouraging really sick children to go to school.

Certificates are very achievable. I'll knock a few up on my computer. They will give me a wonderful sense of achievement. They will teach me about "life".

Its not the certificate, its going up in front of everyone in assembly and getting public praise. I bet you can't knock that up on a computer.

martianbishop - that child was my DS#1 a few years back. And he was so chuffed with it. And the point is, it isn't meant to make sick children feel deprived, it's meant to highlight to those parents who don't make regular attendance a priority, that it should be.

I can't knock it up on a computer but I could give worthless praise if I wanted to.

I once taught a child who came from a deeply dysfunctional family and was a horribly mixed up kid, poor little thing. She got herself to school every bloody day, and it was a fuckin miracle that she did. Ok, she made my life hell while she was there, but that wasn't the point. Poor bloody kid went up on presentation evening and had the whole hall applaud her. It was magic to see her experience some success.

She was so mixed up that if you praised her work she would rip it up and throw it in the bin. But she couldn't 'rip up' the attendance record that she held.

For that child it was fucking magic.

I find this really devisive. My kids are rarely ill, but DS1 is deaf he has regular hospital appointments so has never had 100% attendence, his sister isn't deaf so has got certificates, result DS doesn't want to go to hospital appointments.

My son is hard of hearing (he has hearing aids, but his hearing loss is mild) and has plenty of hospital appointments. My son enjoys going to audiology as he likes going to St Albans. Our audiologist is really nice too.

My son gets a certificate every half term, but he doesn't seem to care whether he gets one or not.

Admitally it does help that my son's medical appointments are not counted as absence for certificate purposes.

I think showing up everyday speaks volumes about a person. I would think that it should be an award! That is an accomplishment!

100% attendance is a good thing and I don't see why it shouldn't be rewarded.

Of course it is not fair that many children are genuinely ill but neither is it fair that many are a bit dim and have not a hope of competing academically or (like me) poorly coordinated and dreadful at sports Life is not fair and that does not mean that dedication and even talent should not be rewarded.

I have a friend who is a primary teacher and insists that competitive behaviour is learned behaviour and spends her days trying to nip it in the bud. I reckon she is making life difficult for herself and should just try using competitive instincts to help her pupils to learn.

the only days my dd has been off school has been for cheaper holidays so i think that the good parents who go only in the school holidays should see the rewards somehow!

i think it's nice for a child to get one of these, (mine got one once )but perhaps it should be given quietly so as not to upset any child who WOULD have been there every day, circumstances permitting?

I agree with nessamommy that showing up everyday speaks volumes about a person!

Where I live not only do they get a certificate but also a gift from the local council. Big assembly, parents invited they make a real fuss. I think its fab and have no problem at all.

My daughter decided last year to fake a headache when she was quite clearly not ill - when I explained she had now missed out on her present she was gutted and has never repeated it again.

They also have a school mascot & if the class have a 100% attendance they get the mascot.

MARTIANBISHOP - you've made me cry. Yes I'm hormonal tonight but what a fantastic post x

I hate this but I know why they do it.

DD's class actually got presents for the first term. They had to have 98% attendence and I was pretty pissed off because one little girl got one and had only had one day off - but she wasn't actually sick, it was so her Mum could go to a friends wedding. Whereas DD didn't get one because she'd had 3 days off with a vomiting virus. Then there's the boy who is late to school 4 days out of 5 who still got one and DD is never late....rant, rant.