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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Children being kept in at lunch for spelling test mistakes

60 replies

loobee · 12/02/2019 13:46

Thoughts please?
My 9 year old daughter has been kept in last week for getting less than 7 out of 10 in a spelling test. She practised them at home and got 8 out of ten (hard spellings!) but on the day she didn't get the minimum score of 7 and therefore missed 20 mins or so of her lunch break. As a result she didn't get to eat all her lunch and came home hungry with leftover lunch. She was upset.

I'm furious. She is being punished for under-achievement in the same way she would be if she was behaving badly, when she hasn't behaved badly at all AND she had practised them.

I've requested a meeting to discuss this with her teacher. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Surely this is against a child's right to being treated with dignity and respect, not shamed for their test results despite good effort?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Stinkinants · 12/02/2019 13:51

A sure fire way to kill a childs natural live for learning. The system is totally messed up and not in the interests of the individual child.

Stinkinants · 12/02/2019 13:51

*love for learning

PrismGuile · 12/02/2019 14:22

What would you prefer the consequence be for underachieving in her spellings? Maybe go in and suggest it?

RiverTam · 12/02/2019 14:26

was this a punishment or some extra tuition, coming out of a member of staff's own lunch break, in order to help your child?

Original poster

loobee · 12/02/2019 14:45

No... all children who score less than 7 out of ten are kept in at lunch. The staff number therefore also loses part of their break. I am sure they're not too happy with this either?

PrismGuile I think a suitable consequence for not achieving 70% would be to practise them several times until the child finds them easier to recall (although I am not sure there is evidence to suggest this is effective- is it?) My objection is to the punishment / shaming element. I think it is not in keeping with a growth mindset culture.
It encourages fear and could affect the teacher/child relationship.

You wouldn't be able to treat an adult like this in a workplace so why a child? Who is more vulnerable?

OP posts:

RiverTam · 12/02/2019 14:53

is it a punishment, or is it additional work to help them? Are you getting this from a member of staff or a child?

If I got behind with my work or made a mistake that needed rectifying I would work through my lunch or stay late. Not a punishment.

ImBattlingOn · 12/02/2019 14:56

I can’t bleieve you want to take up the teacher’s precious time with a meeting about this! Don’t you think it’s a good life lesson?

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 12/02/2019 14:57

I too would have issues with this, that being said there had to be some consequence for not getting the minimum required.
Arguably she didn't do enough practise?
A chat with the teacher is probably a good idea though.

Original poster

loobee · 12/02/2019 15:00

Thanks for your opinions. We shall agree to disagree!
I think it's terrible.
I am surprised by your responses to be honest. But there we go, we are all entitled to our opinions.

I've discussed it with four teacher friends / relatives from other schools. All of whom think it is an awful policy too and theu don't do it in their schools.

OP posts:

FabulouslyGlamorousFerret · 12/02/2019 15:04

I'm usually 100% on the side of the school in these threads - not on this one though, if that's as it is then it's very poor

JurassicGirl · 12/02/2019 15:04

I think it's an awful policy too op!

Poor kids

A note in their diary/reading record asking them to keep working on it, but not punishment.

RiverTam · 12/02/2019 15:04

if it's a punishment it's bad, If it's additional help then it's good.

EdtheBear · 12/02/2019 15:05

20mins would be better knocked of something the child isn't struggling with if it was for extra tuition.

I'd not be happy as a parent or undiagnosed dyslexic child.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 12/02/2019 15:06

Have your four teacher friends suggested a suitable alternative that might be employed?

notanothernam · 12/02/2019 15:06

To be fair you didn't really set her up for success practicing until she only got 8/10, surely you practice at home until she gets 10/10?

EdtheBear · 12/02/2019 15:08

Some kids will never get 10/10 just not going to happen.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 12/02/2019 15:13

If you have practised enough you can get 7 though (dyslexia etc aside)

Mammajay · 12/02/2019 15:13

I am an experienced teacher and think this is a very poor way to treat children. Your daughter deserves praise for getting 70% not punishment. I was teaching in a school when a colleague was setting 20 random spellings for mixed ability 11 year olds. Ridiculous. Op you are right.

TortoiseLettuce · 12/02/2019 15:14

There could be any number of reasons for a child getting a low score. SEN, dyslexia, parents not supporting them with homework, etc. I don’t think it’s fair to punish a child for not being smart or being disabled or poor at spelling, or for not having parents who practise spellings at home. And it is NEVER ok to deprive a child of food as a punishment, which is basically what’s happening if they don’t have time to eat lunch. It’s utterly disgraceful and needs to be escalated to the head teacher and possibly beyond.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 12/02/2019 15:16

Mama she didn't get 70 though.

Mammajay · 12/02/2019 15:17

Additional help when you want to be socialising with your friends, unless you want the help,us punishment. Oh, and while we are on the subject, being able to spell well is not an indicator of intelligence.

redredrobins · 12/02/2019 15:30

so all dyslexic children have less lunch break than non dyslexic children?
really fair that!

RiverTam · 12/02/2019 15:38

there's no indication that this happens for children with dyslexia.

And no-one has said good spelling is indicative of intelligence. It's still important.

spinabifidamom · 12/02/2019 16:50

Request a meeting with the teacher to discuss your concerns. I’d also be annoyed if I had to sacrifice my lunch break for no reason.

Elisheva · 12/02/2019 17:00

It’s a punishment and it’s not appropriate. Schools are so weird about spellings. You’re allowed to struggle with maths, handwriting, science, even behaviour is understood, but spellings? Nope, you must all be equally good at spellings (even if it’s something that doesn’t come naturally to you) or you will be punished.

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