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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that the school is going too far with this.

79 replies

howmuchdidyousay · 20/02/2010 16:53

At the end of last half term we got a letter home from school (primary).They are starting a new scheme where if a child goes for a half term without being absent then they can wear their own clothes on the last day of the half term.But if they have been off at all they have to wear uniform.
I would imagine that most children manage to go 5 or 6 weeks without illness ,so it will be the minority who are left in uniform.
Is it right to 'punish' children for being ill and by making them stand out by wering different clothes to the majority ?
(The school has no serious problems with absence-well below national average)

OP posts:
echt · 20/02/2010 17:41

At one school I worked at in the UK, staff with 100% attendance WERE given letters of congratulations. Many were nauseated by the gesture; they, too, understood that absence is not a matter of choice, and that they had been fortunate with their health, nothing more.

Original poster
howmuchdidyousay · 20/02/2010 18:02

'I think this is wrong- send them in non uniform on the last day regardless- what can the school do about it?? '
I thought about this, but wondered if sending them in UNIFORM even when they've had full attendance would make the point better

But I think Luciemule's suggestion of asking about 'inclusion' will be the best way.

OP posts:
twotimes · 20/02/2010 18:12

bloody ridiculous imo I'd be keeping my child off that day to protest whether he had 100% attendance or not. What happened to a standard certificate or prize??? Back in my day

Numberfour · 20/02/2010 18:14

bloody ridiculous idea and i would kick up a fuss about it.

there are a million reasons why a child may not be at school on any one day and to single them out is mean and nasty, imo.

Original poster
howmuchdidyousay · 20/02/2010 18:17

Has anyone got any ideas how I can bring up the idea that it goes against the inclusion policy (probably) and Every child matters in a non-confrontational way ?

OP posts:
BoffinMum · 20/02/2010 18:22

Nope

Any criticism in a primary school, however fair or well-phrased, is seen as a shot over the bows IME.

So just go for it, but politely.

monkeyfacegrace · 20/02/2010 18:24

Id print this whole thing out, and post it anonomously (sp?). But Im a wimp and non confrontational!

Original poster
howmuchdidyousay · 20/02/2010 18:28

Id print this whole thing out, and post it anonomously (sp?). But Im a wimp and non confrontational!

and cc Daily Mail

(not really !)

OP posts:
luciemule · 20/02/2010 19:04

Have a look at the DCSF website and the every child matter site. It tells you all about how the Government adopted the scheme and how inclusion is one of the most important things in modern teaching etc. In teaching interviews, talking about inclusion gets you brownie points.
Basically you could politely, yet assertively say, that you:
"feel that all children should be included in non-uniform days" and "knowing how inclusive all primary schools have to be, think that excluding those children who have unfortunately been ill during the term, is singling out a minority".

Coldhands · 20/02/2010 19:08

This seems really daft! It is 'showing up' all the children who have been off as it will be obvious to the others who are not in uniform. At least a certificate can be discrete(ish) although I think they have assemblies etc for these.

BoffinMum · 20/02/2010 19:20

Hey
Here's an idea
Give certificates for children who have made good academic progress
For surely that is the point of a school?

Coldhands · 20/02/2010 19:26

What a novel idea BoffinMum

2shoes · 20/02/2010 19:29

yanbu
these crappy ideas discriminate against dc's with heath problems.
if my dc was at that school I would send them in non uniform on that day.

BoffinMum · 20/02/2010 19:40

Arguably disablist then? (Hate that word, but a sensible modern category of offence).

Rebecca41 · 20/02/2010 19:46

If my son was facing being one of the minority wearing uniform on the last day, I'd just keep him at home on the last day instead, mess up their figures even more!

tethersend · 20/02/2010 19:52

This whole initiative is just bullshit IMO- it's the issue du jour, and will be forgotten in 5 years' time.

yummyyummyyummy · 21/02/2010 10:22

Probably illegal too.It is emotional abuse to single out children and force them to dress differently from the majority.Especially when it is for reasons beyond their control.Probably falls foul of human rights too

ChippingIn · 21/02/2010 10:46

BoffinMum - where on earth did you get the idea that the school is there to educate children??? Bring back 70's schooling, 70's parenting....

Anyway, I would be sending a letter (as others have said!) asking where 'inclusion' fits in here... followed by a good bit of 'kicking off' if they don't smartly re-think this piece of stupidity....

LO's here would be wearing their own clothes regardless and normally I am quite controlling fussy about what they wear - on this day I would be encouraging a fairy costume, wellingtons and a silly hat.... and allowing them to take a couple of spare sets of clothes for anyone who 'forgot' it was non uniform day

fernie3 · 21/02/2010 11:24

I agree with those who said to send them in non uniform anyway. I would complain, send her in her own clothes anyway and if the school didn't agree I would take her home again. My daughter is in reception and has had quite a few times off due to illness and hospital appointments since September I would be furious if the school chose to "congratulate" her on how well she has coped by making her feel a failure like this.

I have no problem with certificates or awards for attendance but this is just too cruel for children of this age.

claig · 21/02/2010 14:20

this heartless beggars belief and reminds me of the recent case where a brother and sister were singled out and not allowed to go to the school disco because they had taken time off when their father died of cancer.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235790/Grieving-boy-barred-schools-Christmas-disco-taking-time-fat her-died-cancer.html

Pozzled · 21/02/2010 14:39

YANBU. This attendance thing is going too far. I teach Year 4 and last half term we had a big sickness bug going around. Pretty much all of the kids that had it came back to school the next day, many of them were then sick again and had to be sent home again. I don't know if it was the parents or kids that insisted on them coming back, but I'm sure that our attendance figures were much worse than they needed to be.

orangehead · 21/02/2010 14:53

I think next time lo has d and v bug, ring up the school and say I know its normal policy to keep them off for 48 hrs but whats our incentive to do that as lo really doesnt want to miss non school uniform day. .
Our school has has end of year certificate for 100% attendance which is bad enough. My ds has hospital appointments every 3 months so that certainl rules him out. But that sounds even worse

SweetNiblets · 21/02/2010 14:59

DCs primary school attendance is rewarded by class. There is a chart in the foyer with the attendance percentage per class. The class with the highest overall attendance gets a swimming fun hour at the end of term.

It works well as individuals are not singled out.

juuule · 21/02/2010 15:06

Sweetniblets, isn't there a risk that the children who are absent will be picked on by the other children in the class for bringing the class average down?

SweetNiblets · 21/02/2010 15:15

This is a new system that was brought in at the start of the school year due to the school absence level being below the required level.

DD came home with a letter in December (end of first term) listing the overall class percentatges and which class had won the treat. DD is year 3 and her and her friends didn't seem to be bothered, possibly because it is new.

It is possible that there could be a bit of resentment in the older children but I like the idea that indivdual children are not singled out.

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