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Original poster

I am outraged and bloody speechless!

74 replies

catbus · 15/12/2009 16:49

Hope I have managed to put this link in properly? Herewww.parentdish.co.uk/2009/12/15/boy-and-girl-barred-from-christmas-party-after-death-of-their-fa/

How utterly disgusting..if that were my kids school, they would be out of there in a flash.

OP posts:

tigerbear · 15/12/2009 16:56

Poor kids.

sowhatis · 15/12/2009 17:02

thats a disgrace, i wouldnt have just spoke to one person though, and gone to the head, followed by governors. the poor mum and kids, like they havent had enough to deal with.

cat64 · 15/12/2009 17:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Awassailinglookingforanswers · 15/12/2009 17:11

they didn't meet the criteria because their father died.

Bloody disgrace - according to that story the school have admitted it was a "mistake".

Awassailinglookingforanswers · 15/12/2009 17:14

according to this report the DD was absent on 2 further occasions, but the DS should have been allowed there.

"We are trying to build a community that attends school and regards school as absolutely vital for the future"

well yes fair enough - but how many employers would expect you to turn up to work on the day your close relative died, or on the day of their funeral??

Original poster

catbus · 15/12/2009 17:32

All I can say is that my own father was recently killed, and that I was so much in shock, I was not functioning for about a month. People say that kids are resilient, but my eldest 2 are still reeling from the shockwaves 18 months on. I dread to think how losing a father so young can make you feel. Yes, probably headline grabbing, but still pretty disgusting..

OP posts:

sarah293 · 15/12/2009 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MrsWeasley · 15/12/2009 18:29

agree with Riven what a stupid idea!

TheCrackFox · 15/12/2009 18:43

You have to question the headmaster as to what on Earth he/she was thinking. Really, children are rewarded because they are lucky enough never to be ill?

It seems very unfair to children who have suffered a bereavement, family crisis, have asthma or been selfish enough to catch chicken pox. Adults receive sick pay if they phone in sick but children are punished.

What a twat.

Missus84 · 15/12/2009 18:48

The whole idea of excluding children with less than 100% attendance is stupid.

hobbgoblin · 15/12/2009 18:51

who the dickens invented this 100 percent attendance bumbuggery eh?

McDreamyingofawhiteXmas · 15/12/2009 18:52

These attendance parties are bloody ridiculous. As someone else has said children are being rewarded because they have either been fortunate not to be ill or have parents that send them into school no matter how they are feeling.

ProfYaffle · 15/12/2009 18:54

Blimey. I think 3 kids at our school got 100% attendance certificates last year, some party that'd be

FabIsGettingReadyForChristmas · 15/12/2009 18:56

That is unbelievable. .

I thought it was bad enough when my 5 year old didn't get her 100% attendance for missing 2 hours of school to be at the hospital but this is just unbelievable that someone could think this was okay.

HumphreyCobbler · 15/12/2009 18:59

I hate this 100% attendance push. Children can't help being ill ffs.

poinsettydawg · 15/12/2009 19:07

Has no one rea the article? The schools admits to making a "genuine mistake".

Riduclous to only allow 100% attendendance pupils go to a party, mind you.

fabhead · 15/12/2009 19:08

yes this 100% thing pisses me off too - my 4 year old cant help being ill - do they want me to send him to school with bloody swine flu and infect everyone.

He also had 2 extra days absences noted this term where I deposited him at school, he fell over in the playground and bumped his head (yes, twice in one week!) and they called me back to take him home!

It's ludicrous. Maybe a good thing for teenagers to aim for but they dont have any control or choice in primary so why punish/reward them

ThumbleBells · 15/12/2009 19:09

Disgusting at primary age in particular. What a bloody stupid thing to do - especially with a Christmas party! Poor children.
I suppose they'd have any child with swine flu turn up rather than miss the Christmas party - brilliant move.

Pathetic rule, pathetic people.

EvilTwinsStoleSantasSleigh · 15/12/2009 19:12

I agree with cat64. It's a dreadful piece of journalism and a pointless bash at schools. Yes it's very sad that the children have lost their father - of course it is.

The 100% attendance thing is something which has been done at two of the schools I've taught in. Whilst it might seem "unfair" as there are plenty of perfectly legitimate reasons children have to have time off school, I do think it's a perfectly acceptable thing to do (ie offering it at all) IME, there are often children who are hard working, always turn up, make a decent effort BUT who don't stand out academically, don't get into sports teams, can't do extra curricular activities for one reason or another and therefore don't get rewards or awards in other areas of the school. Their certificates for 100% attendance are important to them. It shows a college or employer (I've only worked in secondary) that they are reliable, even if they don't have a string of academic awards. I think reward systems like this DO have a place in schools.

It's unfortunate that children don't get to take part in the reward because of illness or, in this case, because of family tragedy, but the school has to adhere to the criteria it has set, otherwise the floodgates would open.

It's a highly emotive piece of writing, and the headline is there to get a reaction.

ThumbleBells · 15/12/2009 19:13

yes, have read it poinsettydawg - but really, so what? The damage is done already, admitting it was a mistake doesn't make it better for the DC involved. They're not going to have another party to rectify it, are they?

EvilTwinsStoleSantasSleigh · 15/12/2009 19:14

BTW I doubt very much whether this was the ONLY Christmas party at the school. IME, it would have been a specific reward for those who had managed 100% attendance, just as there may have been a specific reward for those children who had tried their hardest all year or who had represented the school on open day or whatever.

MrsStig · 15/12/2009 19:16

Wow, the school must have really poor attendance levels for them to set something like this.

How many children actually attend 100% during the Autumn term? My 3 have all had at least a day off.

My 6 yo would be absolutely gutted if he's had to miss the party....actually I think he would have a very long sulk and refuse to do any work for a very long time.

McDreamyingofawhiteXmas · 15/12/2009 19:18

I see what you're saying eviltwins and I guess a certificate would be acceptable. It along the same lines of praise a more academic or sporty child might receive but a party......

MrsStig · 15/12/2009 19:18

Hmmmm....the school my DC's used to attend would have an extra playtime for children who had stayed on a green card all half term. (The card is turned to red if they misbehave) Aue much sobbing from one reception child who couldn't remember doing one wrong thing weeks before.

poinsettydawg · 15/12/2009 19:18

People might strongly disagree with the school putting on a special party for the hundred percenters (I disagree too), but outraged and disgusted by a mistake?

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