Can someone please explain to me.....

[Earlybird]

.....exactly what a "form prize" is? How is it awarded, and what is it for?

I didn't go to school in this country, so don't know what it means. Thanks.

I suspect it means whatever that individual school wants it to mean. Didn't have form prizes when I was at school and none of my children has ever mentioned them at their school either.

It usually means the teacher in charge of the class where they have their registration etc chooses their favourite pupil for whatever reason - kind of "Best in Class"

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We used to have these and think it was mainly based on end of year exam performance. It could be interpreted differently by each school though.

Likely to be a prize awarded within the form, as opposed to a School Prize where the whole school competes, or a Year Group Prize where... you get the idea.

Don't know whether it's for effort, improvement, consistent achievement or some kind of special project though - these are the most likely criteria. You could ask the form tutor if you really want to know.

At my school (very old-fashioned, lots of prizes), there were special prizes from endowments etc so the Sir Someone Something Maths Cup and the Whatsit Memorial History Prize, but if you were a high achiever in all areas rather than particularly maths or history you were more likely to get a School Prize or a Form Prize.

We used to have form prizes for coming top or second overall in the form/class in end-of-year exams, and them heaps more prizes for getting the best results in individual subjects, e.g. Maths Year 7, English Year 9 etc etc. Then there was a big prize-giving day when some former pupil would come along, make a speech, and give out the prizes (usually books: you knew in advance you had won, and could order a book to be presented on the day). Some poor fool doing Classics would have to make a speech in LATIN!!! fgs. What a fun day it used to be!

we used to have form prizes for exam performance ie your results averaged out and then the top three in each form get prize

also progress prize

shelia zucker memorial prize

art prize etc etc

all presented at speech day in floral hall

Shall we say well done to Earlynestling?

It's an ad hoc prize, I think. It'll be for something, but will be different for each child who gets one (because I imagine there'll be a few given out) - might be for being helpful, for making amazing progress in maths, for making friends with a lonely child - that sort of thing. I shouldn't think it's anything as crude as "top of the class".

My children's school does something lovely, which is a "class" prize - where each week the children in a class nominate (nominations being subtly but definitely guided by the teacher) one of their number to get a certificate. Ds has had quite a few, for things like "being really good at fishing for frogspawn"

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Thanks for the explanations.

I agree that the concept of awards can be tricky if not handled with sensitivity. At dd's school there are awards given each week at assembly, and I as I understand it, every child is publicly recognised at some point during the year with a special "badge" that they wear for a week. There are then individual "stars" that are awarded in class itself sometimes by the teachers and sometimes by classmate suggestion/vote.

On the last day of school, awards are given to a child in each year for Art, Ballet, General Knowledge, Information Technology, Literacy, Maths, Reading and Sports. There is also recognition for Improvement and Helpfulness.

And yes Bink, dd was indeed awarded the Form Prize for her class. I was, of course, pleased and proud but glad I could sneakily post here to find out what it means! Thanks to all for enlightening me!