Stickers in primary schools

[drizellatremaine]

I had a meeting with the new head of a local primary this week. She mentioned how horrified she was when she arrived to find that the school still used stickers as rewards.

My own kids' primary is awash with stickers, and so are many of the primaries I visit.

I have googled, and can only find a tiny bit of info about this, based on the need for children to value the intrinsic reward of hard work, done well.

I don't disagree with this, but was surprised at how she reacted; it was as if stickers were widely accepted to be outdated practice. If so, no-one has told many other schools.

Just interested in wider experience of this.

My kids love their stickers (in foundation phase up to yr2). Don't think they have them in ks2 or ds2 just not good enough to get any!

Our school gives out stickers as rewards too.

I feel when they are for things like "good sitting" or they hand out so many a day that the child has no idea what each sticker was for,

Ds2 is in y5 and receives one every fortnight or so. It's a good conversation starter if you have a child who doesn't talk about school much.

DS2, in Yr 10, still enjoys getting stickers! If this is the only thing she has to concern herself with, I'd be worried.

DS quickly lost interest in stickers - he told me in year 2 that stickers were only for children who can't sit nicely or find learning difficult - so had worked out how they were being used in his class and didn't want them.

No child was ever damaged by a sticker - research suggests otherwise

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/primaryeducation/6209938/School-pupils-praised-too-much-says-research.html

Empty meaningless praise is pointless and potentially damaging whether it's a sticker or verbal.

She should focus on that, rather than denouncing all stickers as bad.

My dc use to love stickers and kept it in his diary.
I don't think they use it anymore in KS2.

used to!

my dd is freaked out by stickers so she never gets rewarded other than a pat on the back and a well done!!!

Dd1&2 loved stickers, but they don't motivate them.

Ds who could have done with some motivation hated them with a passion and still does.

Never forget the saying
"Beware of the child covered in stickers."