To be really annoyed that DS didn't get the prize he earned?

[sameagain]

In Sept DS1's class were given reading diaries and several milestones were set for the number of times an adult signed to say they read at home.

e.g red certificate for 20 reads, various things to go on the wall at school, gold certificate for 200 and a prize from the headteacher for 250 reads.

We read at home everyday and I have been signing (and trying to think of original comments for) that damn book all year.

Last time the book was checked, at the beginning of June, he had 219 and got the gold cert. Since then he has gone through the 250 target, but the book has never been looked at again and they've now finished for the summer.

I am really annoyed that DS has been let down in this way. No idea what the prize would have been, something very small I expect, but that's not the point, is it?

I feel for your DS and you because this type of thing really annoys me, you put in the effort and your DS tries hard and then zilch. It's not about the prize it's telling a child that something nice will happen and then letting them down. Rant over - phew!
What about you getting DS a little prize and explaining what it's for?

Did he miss a deadline you didn't know about?
If not that's really unfair....you can't change stuff like that with children

Do you know, they did something similar with me when I was at school when I was 7. And it still makes me cross thinking about it, 27 years later...

We have had something similar like this happen at our DD's school. It's not about the prize per se, it's the expectation that the child has, and also the keeping of "promises" made by the school. really feel for you and your dc.

I do feel for you, especially as an (ex) English teacher getting kids to read is half the battle!

Could it be that the teacher simply ran out of time with all the extra stuff that end-of-term brings? I know it's the same every year, but it somehow catches you by surprise how much teaching time you lose with sports day/trips/concerts etc. Or was the Head away a lot, or out of contact (because of the above plus conferences?)

Not trying to make excuses, just giving some possible reasons. Well worth you pointing it out at the start of next term (we had certificates which were earned the previous year but not given out for the reasons above + holidays - and it was a positive way to start the new year). Also worth pointing it out to the teacher in a positive way next year - more likely to remember if the parent has said something. I know you shouldn't have to but it does help.

PGM

They had one of these at ds's old school, they were a good idea if the teachers kept on top of them and there was not a limit, ds reads alot so reached the highest amount early on, meaning there was no incentive.

Poor ds, couldn't you reward him?

could you get something and post it to him 'from' the school?