To be raging about this school scheme?

[Promdiddlyontomtom]

Hi, name changed as potentially very outing.

Have found out recently that my daughter's school has introduced a 'Points for Prom' incentive newest low.

The school get good results.

The demographic has some challenges and therefore they have a VERY strict regime and the kids are controlled with strict policies and sanctions (and a little praise- the balance is well out). The kids get detention if they don't get 100% in HW for example.

This is, IMO, the lowest they have gone.

Their newest bright idea- the young people have to earn 'behaviour points' to be in with a chance to get a ticket for their Y11 prom.

Apparently there's not enough spaces for all pupils (they only have spaces for 2/3 of the pupils... so find a bigger venue then!)

This is not an incentive and should not be used as a reward for 'good behaviour'.

Surely this is just a control tactic. A punishment for not toeing the line.

AIBU to think that all teens should get the opportunity to go to the end of school celebration? It draws the line after 12 years of compulsory education, a stressful period of formal exams, and friendships going in different directions (there's no sixth form). It marks the end of an era. Why should they be told they cannot go? Why shouldn't they be able to mark the end of years of education - for some this may have been a struggle all the way through- with their friends. There'll be no closure.

For the record, I've no concerns that my daughter will be excluded. I just think it's an awful idea.

What do you think?

All schools expect Y11 to behave well (actively trying to improve and prepare for exams, not just being quiet) before they offer them the reward of prom. Formalising the system is fine, as kids can see where they are up to and what they need to do next. Merits and demerits are used throughout school and it's just an extension of this. You say the 'demographic' is challenging. The whole cohort will underperform if something isn't done to encourage the right attitudes from all at the crucial time.

Shitty.

My child would be one that would miss out in some of these examples. SEN and needing to live far from the school.

Crappy elitism and little else.

The example of the bereaved hospitalized chold being excluded is indefensible

Don’t be obtuse- the whole approach to discipline is surely something you considered? The OP states they have a completely ridiculous approach to all aspects of it- not just prom.

I think that there should be enough room for all pupils BUT I really can’t understand why a parent wouldn’t want their child to go to a school with calm behaviour. Teachers don’t get paid to go to or organise prom and have to put up with frequent rudeness from pupils and parents.

I think the children should boycott the school one and a load of parents get together and arrange another venue and organise it.

Absolutely nothing wrong with it, my own school does ‘passport to prom’. If you truant, vape, don’t do your work, behave disrespectfully etc .. then you don’t get to go - tough shit
It’s a privilege not an entitlement

So what if more than 2/3 'earn' enough points?

What then? Names in a hat?

Why would the school book a place big enough for ALL the children when they know some (probably based on previous events) won't go and the school will have to pay the difference out of its own dwindling budget. Seems sensible to me.

In my area this school is the only school that you can attend. All the surrounding schools are oversubscribed (as is this one, to be fair) and the furthest offered place is often 3 miles away from our area.

Jesus!

I hope they were named and shamed in the press!

That one needed a boycott too!

As a parent I'd be reaching out to a few other parents and arranging an alternative, with capacity for all on a non-clashing date.

How do you know there’s only spaces for 2/3 ? Has the school confirmed that as you say ‘apparently’ ?

They shouldn't have to compete for limited places, that's terrible. I agree taking it away is an appropriate sanction for poor behaviour, but surely there should be enough places for everyone, and the default is that they're going.

I presume the teachers organise the prom? And give up their evening unpaid to supervise it? If so they have a right to extend it only to the kids they wish to, who they believe will behave well and not create any problems for them on the night

@Ilovelurchers yes that's really sensible, and completely reflects real life. I'm sure if your workplace organised a staff Christmas party and managers gave up time to organise this then it's perfectly reasonable to extend the invitation only "to those they wish to" based on nothing more than "who they believe" would behave well

Why do people think it's ok for kids to be treated like second class citizens?

Absolutely raise this with the school, but please don't be 'raging' when you write the email. You will write something you regret, upset staff and not end up getting what you want. Take emotion out of it, write down why you think this is a bad idea and construct an email around that. Then get someone else to read it before sending.

I do think the default position should be everyone could go, but if you show X examples of bad behaviour you will lose your place.

Is there enough room for them all though?

That's the worse part

Because staff guests are adults whereas school kids are not, the venue will expect decent behaviour and the school will be responsible for that

It’s ridiculous. Many students (especially the ones with more challenging behaviour) need immediate rewards. This is way too far in the future to be meaningful, and with the knowledge that 1/3 of them are going to fail to get in, I expect loads will give up making an effort very quickly.

Also, it’s a useless incentive for the kids who don’t even want to go.

Her parent died though she isnt going to organise shit 🙄

As my other post says - op hasn’t said how she knows that, only that ‘apparently’ 2/3 can go

Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to choose a school.
We were in the catchment for one school, all others oversubscribed.
And as it happens, schools do change. I was happy with ours in Y7, I'd be less happy sending a child there now - although I would still have no choice unless we could afford to move.

It's shit , my children's high school does this as does the other local high school , basically if your attendance isn't good enough and you don't attend near all the booster classes you don't go prom. You also don't get to go if you have poor behavior, it's unfortunate that alot of high school have took on this approach now

I hate this stuff.

I hate these regime-ruled zero tolerance establishments that start from the assumption that the young people are feral and semi criminal.

I live in an area of S London often viewed as dangerous and undesirable on MN, with a community and demography that includes the challenged and challenging. But it has great schools that value children , appear to like young people, have excellent programmes that engage different kids. , AND get great academic results without this punitive outlook.

Why should you be able to go to prom if your behaviour is poor ?

@Pewpewbarneymcgrew did you even read the OP?