To think this is discrimation against those with disabilties?

[ComfortFoodCafe]

my ds school have sent this out today saying your child needs 95 % attendance by the end of term to get a movie afternoon. Im guessing those who have lower attendance have to do work.
aibu to think this is disgraceful and discrimating against children who have disabilties and need time off school for it?

edit: Should I bring this up with the school? My child is one of these kids, their attendance is at 93 % from missing 3 days last term due to their disability.

I'm a parent with a disabled child. My experience is that it is not easy to put right with a well worded letter (DH is a lawyer so I'm fairly sure the letters have been well worded). I'm glad that's been your experience but please don't patronise others by telling us to "stop frothing". We have had to go through the same process every time with 3 different schools now.

The other issue is the impact on the children who have poor attendance who repeatedly have to listen to school telling them that this is a serious cause for concern, that it means they'll do badly in exams and later in life etc etc. It's distressing for my daughter to hear that - fortunately she comes home and tells us about it so we can reassure her and is also old enough to understand that correlation is not causation. But it still has an impact. So please don't tell me this is easily fixed because that has not been the case for us

Does anyone actually feel that their child attends more because of what they receives for attending? Or that parents who don't see missing school as a big deal, getting their child to school more because of the 100% attendance rewards?

If you go through their SEND policy they will have some thing about children with diabailities been able to fully access school, quote that at them when you complain.

Thankfully my dc school just gives them a certificate and a badge for 95% and above attendance. My 12 year old is currently on 85% attendance because he had an operation and there were complications. He was still doing hospital school while in bed and attached to a drip. He still did the homework set while he was recovering at home.

Fabulous post @Violetmouse

That sounds a very sensible approach.

Schools have lost the plot about attendance and love to blame Ofsted for it. A friend of mine’s 5 year old was admitted to hospital for several weeks and the school was calling her multiple times to explain that this absence would affect his education. What did they want her to do?? Get him out of the hospital bed, take him off the oxygen and IVs and wheel him into school?? Unless Ofsted was standing over them on the phone saying “tell this worried mother her child is missing his education” then Ofsted didn’t make them pull that crap.

Are you suggesting that children with disabilities should be discriminated against?

That is what is happening if by dint of disability related absence you are unable to achieve the attendance required for the reward. That would be bonkers and inequitous.

Agree it is terrible. My child had a disability and could never meet the expectation for attendance. Those who battle on with medical issues are the most resilient kids I know. Mine got through uni with a first class science degree so it’s all a load of rubbish. Their sibling used to throw away any attendance certificates they got as they realised how unfair it was.

Absolutely awful schools are still doing this shit! There's children with disabilities, young carers, sickness, bereavement, neglect, so many reasons why a child might not have perfect attendance.

If 'every second counts' then why are they waiting that precious time on a movie afternoon. Make 👏 it👏 make 👏sense👏.

A family near us lost their mum and dad in the space of three months, who is going to tell those children they can't have movie afternoon.

A boy in ds class has a heart condition and is frequently off, another child has cystic fibrosis and in and out of hospital.

And those kids whose parents just don't bother their arse to get their kids dressed and out the house, it's not the child's fault!

He should not have been marked down as having an unauthorised absence for that. It is madness! If schools want to give out rewards for attendance, they should only be penalising unauthorised absences and non-essential authorised absences (e.g. when the Head gives permission for a term time family holiday).

Primary or secondary?

I'm sure any parent who has a kid with a clear reason will contact the school, which is what you should do. This will put them off doing this again.

No need for knickers in a twist.

When my daughter, who has DS, was in junior school, we often received letters home due to her poor attendance. Her sister always had awards for hers. When I spoke to the school, I was told the letters are sent out automatically and to just ignore.

My knickers aren’t in a twist. No need for the sassiness, its friday tomorrow cheer up.

Primary.

Get in contact with the school and ask politely if it includes absences due to disability.

I was a child with only 90% attendance due to fortnightly medical appointments. I very much ignored the drivel about attendance rates and focussed on catching up the work. It amazed me how a full school day could be caught up in 90 minutes at home from a kind friend's books. That fact alone taught me attendance is not the be all and end all. I'm trying to work out if my parents kicking up a fuss about it to make it fairer would have helped me, or if actually, them telling me to ignore it because it was bollocks was in fact the better option. I'm really not sure. Suspect the answer will depend on the child. But learning that not all rules and targets are good ones definitely had a value to it. This is not to say it shouldn't be fixed, but as folks with long term health conditions or disabilities, sometimes we end up having to pick our battles ( and fighting the NHS for the right treatment is hard enough)

I'm sure that certain individual circumstances will be noted .

I absolutely detest this type of incentive. So poorly thought out.

• children with a diagnosed disability - makes no difference to their attendance
• children with an undiagnosed disability or challenge who have higher than average time off (e.g. due to anxiety or burnout) - makes no difference or worry could make it worse
• children who are sick a lot - makes it more likely they will go when ill and infect the rest of the class and teachers, while getting very little educational benefit because they are not well
• children who’s parents take them out for hols - makes no difference as it’s the parents’ decision not the child
• children who have none of the above - makes no difference as they’ll be there anyway

We are lucky to be at a wonderful school that understands children need to be well and happy to learn and support that as needed. I know if my kids need a MH day or need a soft start they will support that - this morning my wobbly 8yo went in the office after the bell with one of the deputes to have a wee kick around before going to class. Because of this attitude he’s more likely to go tomorrow/next time he’s having a wobbly day. That’s inclusion.

I'm curious whether it does any good at all.

The more anxious children with as good as possible attendance will be unnecessarily stressed about reaching the limit.

Anyone with strong school avoidance won't be close to the limit anyway, so no point in trying.

And children from chaotic homes won't magically fix their homes to see a movie.

I hate these things because, ultimately, primary school children aren't even in control of their attendance.

As a 5-year-old child I was not taken to school regularly and was late when my parents took me - as a result I got marked down whenever I was in school, through no fault of my own.

Primary school children should not be rewarded or punished for their attendance any more than for anything else outside their control.

Absolutely agree.

I will, ive worded a email this morning asking. Im just a bit worried as the head teacher isnt the easiest to get on with, shes behaved in the past like my childs disability is a major inconvenience to the staff at school where I had to get my sons medical team to back me up on some very simple requests. (Basically dont leave him alone when hes unwell as it could kill him, and she was laughing about it saying I was being dramatic even though it could kill him.)

My Year 5 child's attendance is awful due to medical reasons (and was even more awful in Year 4, he didn't go at all until after Easter) and thankfully his school don't do anything like this and if they did, I think they would use their common sense and not discriminate against those with disabilities/medical reasons that means a lot of time off school.

I'd be very upset if they refused to make allowances and take my child out on the day to do something special.