pen licence

[glam71]

Do all schools do pen licences? When are they normally issued? My dd is in year 4 and still waiting. Mostvof the class have them

We don't. I teach Y4 and from about Feb half term they all began to use pen. Some prefer pencil, but I encourage them all to use pen.

Ours doesn't have a licence, but gradually in Y4 the children with the neatest hand writing are allowed to write in pen.

Ds is in year 4 and doesn't have a pen licence. He reckons he is the only one in his class not to have one. He's not bothered about getting one and frankly I don't see the point of them.

His writing is clear but whereas he used to write in a lovely cursive style in year 3 (at a different school) there seems to be no encouragment in this school to ensure that has been maintained.

Our school does them. I can't remember when DSes got theirs. DD is in year 4, and still hasn't had hers.

DS was in year 5 when he got his. He tends to rush and so would have lots of crossing out, which is why it took so long.

Ours calls it Apprentice (pencil) and Scribe (pen). You can get put back to Apprentice if your standards drop. DS is still on Apprentice and is DESPERATE to get onto Scribe but has a lot of coordination problems and I don't know when he will get there. He is one of only a few in his Yr 4 class still on Apprentice. It's not just about neatness, but punctuation etc too.

Dd and the rest of her class got their pen licenses at the beginning of year 4. I hadn't heard of this system before.

DD in year 4 and pens being handed out depending on neatness, spelling etc. It's a big deal to get it and some children get very upset if it takes time to be awarded a pen.

out of curiosity what happens to children who have a genuine problem, dyslexia related (what is the writing one called, dysgraphia?) are they just made to be the only ones left writing in pencil?

DD2's school does this, she got her pen licence this year (yr5) but to be fair her writing was never really neat enough until then. Her mind runs ahead of her hand/eye coordination and she loses patience with the whole cursive writing thing.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, as adults most of us end up with efficient and individual handwriting that is legible enough. The way she writes now is not going to be anything like the way she'll write when she's grown.

My DD's school has them and she got hers just after Easter - she is Year 3 and so far about 10 children out of her class of 27 have been given their pen licence. I had never heard of it before.

DS really struggles with writing as he has Dyspraxia so I'm not quite sure at what stage he will be granted his. He is only year 1 though so hopefully he will catch up a bit by the time he goes to Juniors.

One of the governors at dtds tiny primary donated a huge number of posh pens, all different colours, which were handed out ceremonially when Ms X finally decided children were ready. Children with learning disabilities would get them as a reward too, even if their writing wasn't comparably good to NT. One of the many good things about tiny primaries where teachers get to know children over several years.

We have pen licences. Usually given out in Years 3 and 4. As far as I know, kids really covet them.

Not sure what happens to those with dyslexia etc. I didn't think of that. Must ask.

Only the very best get them in year 4 at DD's school, most get them in year 5 and then regardless of whether they have obtained the licence or not they use pen in year 6.

We have pen licences - awarded as soon as your handwriting is consistently neat, joined, well sized and legible. Your teacher decides when she thinks you are ready and you are sent to the awarding teacher who looks at your writing across the curriculum. She might award the licence straight away or ask you to target a particular join or sizing issue and you can resubmit your work 2 weeks later.

A few children get them as early as summer term year 2 but most in year 3/4 I think everyone has a licence by Autumn term year 5 even if they have not made the required standard although Ts & Cs apply

When the first few kids got their pen licenses in Y3, everyone wanted them.

Now they are jaded Y4s, they're a bit less of an incentive

dd1 still hasn't got hers, in spite of being capable of beautiful writing in content terms, because she isn't consistent enough with her handwriting - much like her mother before her!

A berol handwriting one here.

Mine got hers in year 2, summer term, she was one of the last ones to get it (year 2and 3 are together) and was mich coveted.

I insist at home to use a proper fountain pen for thank you cards, letters etc. I bought it for her when she finally got her pen licence, because that's how I grew up, not realising you're not allowed fountain pen at school. I even found single use ones, so cartridge/refill is not a messy affair, but the school insists on those berol ones. She doesn't do cursive letters, the school doesn't like this system.

I'm not mad, I just grew up with fountain pen, calligraphy drilled into me and it's the one practical thing that I can do really well and I would have liked to pass onto my daughter.

We do and my ds2 in year 4 got his two weeks ago. dd got one in year 2 so it really does just depend on their handwriting. Some kids at our school still don't have one either. We have berol too.

My ds school did this. He has severe dyspraxia , and left school at year6 never getting his pen license. Very demoralizing.

My ds school did this. He has severe dyspraxia , and left school at year6 never getting his pen license. Very demoralizing.

Sorry , forgot to add, its also a way of showing other children in the class exactly who is and who is not good at something, not a good idea in my opinion.

What a hideous idea!! A licence to have and use a pen?

Never heard of this and so glad it is nothin my DS's school, they cause what they feel most comfortable with, no pressure, elitism, or pounced crap about licence's.

Sounds like a licence to be an idiot (school not pupil)