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Original poster

Never being late for school - are we unusual?

46 replies

Posey · 06/12/2007 17:10

Dd is in y6. She's been in the school since nursery so is in her 8th year of school. She has never ever been late and tells me she will probably get an award when she leaves primary because of it.
Is it really that uncommon?

OP posts:
charliecat · 06/12/2007 17:11

yes

camillathechicken · 06/12/2007 17:12

that is fab ! DS is in year 3 and has never been late.

NAB3littlemonkeys · 06/12/2007 17:12

We have never been late either in 2 and a bit years. I wouldn't dare with our Head.

I see people sauntering up well after the bell has gone and they just aren't bothered. Always the same ones too.

sparklygothkat · 06/12/2007 17:12

My kids have only been late once and that was because I had to get eye drops for Dd2 on the way to school, and we were about 3 minutes late. Its not that uncommon in this household but I see the same people every day coming in late.

Iota · 06/12/2007 17:18

ds1 is in year 4

we were late once last year when my car broke down and we had to walk

FioFio · 06/12/2007 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MerryAnnSinglemas · 06/12/2007 17:19

we're never late and never absent [smug arse emoticon]

Original poster
Posey · 06/12/2007 17:21

Actually, I don't blame people being late sometimes, all sorts of reasons, but its those same people sauntering along the road at gone 9 when I'm on my way to work.

OP posts:
mintydixcharrington · 06/12/2007 17:22

good for you. have an "I'm a smug bastard" medal.

charliecat · 06/12/2007 17:22

I am late by 2 or 3 mins at least once a week, if not 2 or 3 times. Sometimes we leave the house at 8.20 sometimes at 8.45...always hit traffic and never can tell what time we will roll into the school gates.
Today a milk floats wheel had buckled and it grinded our town to a halt....gridlock. We left in good time but were late.

camillathechicken · 06/12/2007 17:24

why can parents not be proud of it? it is a real achievement ? i know that lateness can be for all sorts of reasons.

BUT at our school, there is the same hardcore of latecomers every day. it is disruptive to the class and unfair to the child to be late a lot.

every so often for genuine reasons is not an issue.

i am amazed we've never been late, especially when DD was a new born and kept throwing up an entire feed at 8.25 !

Original poster
Posey · 06/12/2007 17:26

Whats the for? Wasn't being smug, just asking was it that uncommon.

OP posts:
mintydixcharrington · 06/12/2007 17:29

who cares? who counts? and if that is an achievement you need to perhaps broaden your horizons a bit

Mercy · 06/12/2007 17:31

I don't think an award should be given tbh.

The award should be given to the parents/children who most improve their punctuality if anything.

I don't really agree with this public rewarding/target-setting on the whole. My dd sometimes gets stickers for 'sitting up beautifully'. Weird.

charliecat · 06/12/2007 17:36

Oh Mercy really? You dont think an award should be given to the child in the class who has never been late but to the others who have been and are improving? Thats CRAP.
Well Done for not being late btw I aspire to be you as I brush dds hair in the school office

Original poster
Posey · 06/12/2007 17:36

WTF?
That is exactly my point. I don't think its an achievement, thats why I'm surprised about the award.
If you read my op you would see nothing about me being smug or thinking its an achievement. I have plenty broad enough horizons thanks.

OP posts:
charliecat · 06/12/2007 17:40

Posey if you dont thinks its an achievement would have been ok with other late folks geting a well done award for not being that late?

Blu · 06/12/2007 17:41

I feel for the child in DS's class who is always late and so will never get an award (although it doesn't happen in DS's school, anyway). It isn't her fault, her mother just can't cope, one way or another, and struggles in so many ways.

So, her chance of such an award is blighted from long before the child has anyhting to do with it.

Do YOU feel the need of an award for gettting your child to school on time, Posey? That's a genuine question. After 3 years, DS has not been late - but in answer to your q i thnk that is ordinary - and not worthy of an award.

Blu · 06/12/2007 17:42

sorry - being v unclear - what i mean is, i agree with you, Posey!

NAB3littlemonkeys · 06/12/2007 17:43

Also, you are meant to be on time for school so while it is great that you have never been late, you are only doing what you are meant to do.

MerryAnnSinglemas · 06/12/2007 17:44

some people who live a stones throw from our school are always late,coming in after the bell. I think it's important to be on time - it's rude to be habitually late, obviously things can come up unexpectedly. If you make the effort to be on time it shows that school is important - you don't just roll in whenever.

andiemisletoe · 06/12/2007 17:45

at our school if you are late you are marked as absent as the register is deemed to have been closed

Original poster
Posey · 06/12/2007 17:51

Sorry guys, I'm getting slightly unsure about the strength of feeling coming across.
Getting to school for 8.50 is just a thing we do.
I'm not really sure why so many people are getting on my back

OP posts:
ebaldy · 06/12/2007 17:51

At my sons last school they used to put up a traffic light in various colours on the notice board outside depending on how many pupils had been late that week, so green if 99% had been on time, Amber if 95% had been on time and Red if lower than this. It really made the children want to get to school on time to get the traffic light to change to green. It also made the parents get their acts together as the kids really pestered the mums & dads to get them their on time. I know sometimes its out of our hands but some mums never make it on time and don't think anything of it.

andiemisletoe · 06/12/2007 17:54

posey i agree with you that getting to school on time should be the normal thing to do but it isn't for lots of parents for lots of reasons hence schools feel the need to reward punctuality