Does anyone elses head teacher make an example of children that are seconds late infront of children and paerents?

[bananaknickers]

Our school has a bell that goes for the children to get into line in the mornings. Then a whistle is blown. I don't know what time the children actually are expected at school as I have an older child in the juniors- so we are always there in plenty of time, as he goes in earlier.This morning he wasn't with us.
Anyway at random times the head teacher stands at the school gate after the bell has gone and lines the children up and takes their names. The other children are waiting in the lines and haven't even started going into class as the whistle hasn't gone.
This all happens in-front of all the parents and children. This causes the children to be in tears and by the time she has finished the children are actually late for school. I just find it outragous. They a 4,5 and 6 years old.
Now I don't agree with latness either.But there are certain parents who are late most days and they take the children through to the office and their children don't get humiliated like this. I will be tempted to do this if I am ever late again. We were late because she had to change her school clothes this morning.
I want to say it's not fair but I don't know how to word it really or know if this is common practice.

No they dn't. Infact slight lateness is not commented on at all, unless it was every day.

At this age the children themselves really should not be mmade examples of or be in trouble for being late. The teacher/head should bring the matter up with parents seperately if it becomes an issue. After all in infant age, it is the parent's responsibility to get a child in on tim, not the child's job.

I went to 4 primaries a long time ago, no such nonsense.

I have issues with my younger son's school, but I would never dream of such a thing happening there. I'm open mouthed. Has the school had a mutiny yet?

The newsletter tactfully reminds us about the official starting time window, 8.30-8.40, and I think we were asked not to bring children in before then!

The children are taken into their classrooms by parents if they are little, there is a morning activity written up on the board and reading a book on the carpet is always a good thing to do. The teachers walk in with their cups of coffee and are waylaid by parents on their way to the class room, pretty civilised. It's quiet for a busy time and good natured. The parents tend to chat a little in the classroom with other children they know, general bonding and kindness.

From a teachers point of view it is irritating when a child is persistently late but FGS it is not the Child's fault. A word with the parents perhaps, but humiliating the child ! No No!

From a teachers point of view it is irritating when a child is persistently late but FGS it is not the Child's fault. A word with the parents perhaps, but humiliating the child ! No No!

The parents outside the school this morning were saying pretty much the same thing. That it's the parents respnosibily and not the child.
I think that the school has had problems with persistant offenders. I just don't think the head teacher is being very rational about the whole thing.

Sorry, I think I pressed Post too hard in my fury!

Very unfair to humiliate children this young. It is not fair that they are late. The parents need to be spoken to if it happens on a regular basis but terrible to upset littlies like this.

Choccy the head teacher is the only one making these children late for classes ad they have to stand in the line until their names have been taken down .

I agree it is important that the children are there for the start of classes too.

I have just spoken to DD's teachers about tonight. DD is in tears. Apparently The children that were late this morning had their names called out. Thoses who didn't were given a sticker with I was on school on time printed on them. Outragous

WTF ????

I sometimes wish schools would make more of an issue of timekeeping.

I have a couple of young lads working for me and they clearly have never learned that it's not Ok to be a few minutes late.

When I'm yelling at DS in the mornings to hurry up or he's going to be late, he will say it's Ok you just have to say sorry I'm late.

I don't think anyone should be humiliated, but they do need to know it's important to be on time. I would think positively reinforcing promptness with stickers is Ok. If kids are upset that they didn't get a sticker, perhaps parents will make more effort to get them to school on time.

Simply cannot agree with making a point of child's behaviour so that they will be upset enough to encourage change in parent's behaviour. Plain wrong.

Don't they get rewarded or reprimanded for doing or not doing homework/learning spellings/being in uniform etc at you're school then? Surely you can argue that everything children of this age do or don't do is down to the parents?

Agree with that too. I was backed up by two other parents one who is a teacher herself. She left for school at the same time she does every morning and her child had a late mark this morning too. This is not even a few minutes late we are talking about. One parent mentioned to her that the bell was rung early this morning too. I didn't have a watch on so couldn't tell t.b.h.

Thing is she is not punishing people who continue to be late. She is taking it out on children that were seconds later than the bell.

I think parents who bring their children in late all the time are not going to give a toss whether their child gets a sticker are they? I suppose children who happened to be comming through the gate when DD did and always do it care either.

sorry post cross there

Actually if homework is not done, no uniform e.c.t is brought to the attention of the parents. I thought at this age you can't force but only encourage them to do homework. These are not secondry school children here

Ok, so how do you encourage if it's not by rewarding whether with nice words, a sticker, golden time whatever?

Doesn't anyone think children and their parents need to know that it's important to be at school on time everyday? I must be even more old-fashioned than I thought. It really is a core life skill. The lads working for me won't be progressing anywhere until they get this sorted (and that's not just down to me, it's really annoying to all their colleagues)

no your not old fashioned at all. You sound like it's getting you down about the lads at work.
I am never late for anything and my children have been late once and thats because I was stuck in motorway traffic.Thats in 7 years of taking children to school.

I think this is why I am so peeved really.Reward stickers are brill at this age but humiliation is not on. I don't do it to my own children at home to get them to behave- I reward.

Have you tried giving the lads at work reward stickers when they are on time?

Stickers ridiculous in this instance. Usually it's the parents fault they are late not the child's at that age. What bearing can a 4 year old have on a parent by saying 'We mustn't be late'?? Just upsetting and humiliating for the child.

(happystory wonders if she should give some lovely smiley stickers to ds's teacher to hand out) (he's 16 )

reward stickers in this case would be more appropriately given to parents

Yes of course you're right it's all down to the parents getting the children to school on time, but isn't that also the case for certificates for the library reading challenge, dancing awards, badges at Beavers, spelling tests, whether reading books get done, best entry for the Christmas decoration contest?....and at least the head is trying to do something to improve timekeeping. Perhaps she should get the parents at the front and take their names.

I've been in the school office at 9:05 and there's a steady stream of children, most don't even appologise - they don't seem to realise it's wrong.