Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School certificates

17 replies

Pred1cament · 06/10/2023 16:55

I’m probably being way too invested here and need to prepared myself for years of this to come, but would appreciate some perspective. DD has just started year 1. They now go to assembly and have various prizes each week, from what I can tell, 3 per class per week. Today she came home and said her best friend got a prize for the second time (they’ve been back 5 weeks). DD has never got one. I know she’s doing well (came home with a test today where we’d been warned as a parent group a lot of children have big gaps from year r and we need to do extra practice at home etc)and she’d only got one wrong out of about 30. She’s well behaved, tries hard, gets lots of house points etc but is upset she’s yet to go up in assembly. I wouldn’t mind if they spread it out, as over 5 weeks it would mean on average half of the class haven’t got anything, but feel a bit miffed one kid has got it twice. AIBU?! It’s hard to explain to a 5 year old how well she’s doing when the big focus is on being called up in assembly.

OP posts:
Skyisbluegrassisgreen · 06/10/2023 17:22

Tell her really doesn't matter and the teacher probably doesn't even remember to allocate it till 5 minutes before assembly and just pulls a name out of a hat forgetting who has had it before. Its probably an even bigger pain in the backside to the teachers and I bet its really not some deep meaningful thing they ponder over all week....

ShutTheDoorBabe · 06/10/2023 17:26

On here you will be told that only the naughty kids get the prizes, which is really not true at all. The teacher may have a system or may have set criteria for awarding the certificate. They may have forgotten that student A already had one. They may have had a supply teacher or other person covering some of the lessons and they might have chosen the certificate. If you're not sure, go and ask, but children need to learn that they can't win everything.

Pitpatwaddlepat · 06/10/2023 17:29

When I was an inexperienced teacher I used to award it based on who stood out that week per the criteria of the award, but most teachers with more than a couple of years experience just do it with a spreadsheet to spread awards across the year so no one complains.

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 06/10/2023 17:30

You'll find the same children get certificates over and over again. The same ones that are usually picked for the main parts in plays.

ShutTheDoorBabe · 06/10/2023 17:31

Skyisbluegrassisgreen · 06/10/2023 17:22

Tell her really doesn't matter and the teacher probably doesn't even remember to allocate it till 5 minutes before assembly and just pulls a name out of a hat forgetting who has had it before. Its probably an even bigger pain in the backside to the teachers and I bet its really not some deep meaningful thing they ponder over all week....

Yea it's this as well. It's one of those things that the teacher can't ever get right regardless of what they do and who they award it to. It's meant to be positive reinforcement and celebrating success but the amount of complaining from different people make it a massive ball ache so you put it off all week, or forget about it because of the million other things they need to do, and then have an, "Oh shit, I need to do that..." moment the lunchtime before the assembly.

PeggyPiglet · 06/10/2023 17:33

Skyisbluegrassisgreen · 06/10/2023 17:22

Tell her really doesn't matter and the teacher probably doesn't even remember to allocate it till 5 minutes before assembly and just pulls a name out of a hat forgetting who has had it before. Its probably an even bigger pain in the backside to the teachers and I bet its really not some deep meaningful thing they ponder over all week....

As a teacher, yes, yes and yes to this.

Pitpatwaddlepat · 06/10/2023 17:34

Just wanted to add a comment that I hate this type of award. Just makes one child per week happy and everyone else feel awful. Plus it upsets parents. I hate employee of the month too. Just have regular assessment of some kind where you tell children/ employees what they've done well and treat those around you warmly and appreciatively. That's motivating enough.

tiggergoesbounce · 06/10/2023 17:38

It depends, some schools make sure each and every kid gets the award, so she will just get it on rotation.
Some schools also have a policy of really praising "struggling" children, so they do the basics and get high reward, repeatedly. So if your child is already a really good kid, its harder for them to raise their behaviour as much and can often go unrecognised. This also changes teacher to teacher.

I know it may be annoying and in reality doesn't stop your child wanting recognition, but try to tell your DD these awards don't mean anything really, its more important she is consistently good and kind.

Snowonthebeachx · 06/10/2023 17:41

I'm the teacher who lost the piece of paper that said who had got what mid year! God I could not keep track of 3 children a week! No wonder there are duplicates. They must get through every child every half term. Maybe her friend just did something particularly good that week?
If they don't get one by Christmas maybe say something but really it's not a big deal. You need to tell her it doesn't matter and she'll get one soon.

Yourebeingtooloud · 06/10/2023 17:43

As a teacher, I actually think it’s a good thing if some people get it more than once / it doesn’t just go in a strict order, as long as it is being monitored and everyone gets it in the end. It makes it more meaningful than just being your ‘turn’.

Callyem · 06/10/2023 17:50

It also depends on the criteria for the awards. Some are based on specific values so it isn't about getting 29/30 correct in a test. It could be about showing resilience, integrity, a community contribution etc.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 06/10/2023 17:51

In theory all the kids should get something over the course of the year, but my ds definitely missed out completely one year. Teachers aren't always very good at remembering who's had them, and what the kids have done that week that they can reward.

fedupofbeingbroke · 06/10/2023 18:01

Do you know for certain that her friend has had it more than once? My class always tell me "so and so has already been monitor/had an award/chosen the activity" when I know they haven't as I have a spreadsheet. Her time will come when she will get an award, but until then, please don't read into it too much.

Niinja · 06/10/2023 18:15

It's only just October. It's very early to be worrying about this.

A lot of teachers find a way to reward the less biddable kids early on. This is often a great strategy - catch Johnny sitting nicely early on, reward it, and the whole class will benefit. I would just say to your daughter that I'm sure your turn will come etc. Often those who are well behaved and academically able do have to wait a bit longer for their star of the week certificates. I wouldn't say anything until you're sure everyone "should have" had a turn. Early Oct is not that time.

AndrewGarfieldsLaptop · 06/10/2023 18:30

My son has SEN and never gets these awards. I make my own at home with feedback of what the teachers have given me.

newhere24 · 06/10/2023 18:49

What are they based on ? ours are based on voluntary work and take away homework. So children are bringing (pictures of) bigger projects in they did at home. Anything from collages to lego builds really. Or helping in class , cleaning up etc.
Our awards have very little to do with academics!

Original poster
Pred1cament · 06/10/2023 22:10

Thank you everyone. The same kid has definitely been up twice as they put it on the school Facebook page each week. Thanks for the tips on how to deal with it though, I’m sure her turn will come soon x

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page