100% attendance rewards

[Africa2004]

Our school has sent a letter encouraging parents to send unwell children in, they can be 'monitored'.
They're then giving children certificates termly if they have 100% attendance and a special school trip.
I'm torn as attendance should be high, but not at the expense of infecting the whole school. The rewards seem to punish those with ill health.

I’d be writing to the school with the following-

If my children are unwell, I will decide whether they are well enough to attend school.

How will the school treat those children with chronic illnesses which result in frequent time off school or those children requiring regular medical appointments?

If unwell children are attending school and the teachers become unwell and not able to attend school, is there sufficient funds in the school budget for supply teachers and has an assessment been made on the impact this could have on teaching/SATS results?

I just ignore these. Keep my son home if he has a temp or d&v. Send him in with a cold. World keeps turning. Doesn't get a 100% award and gets a big treat of his choice at the end of term.

At least they're consistent. My school tells kids to stay home not just give them Calpol when they're ill, BUT also has an 100% attendance prize...

Yes this .
It is ridiculous.

I would be beyond furious at this, especially the special trip. My daughter has never, and will never, achieved 100% attendance although she does her best. She had cancer 4 years ago (leading to an attendance rate of 7% one term!) and although she’s doing very well now will continue to have follow up appointments for years to come. I would be asking them how this was fair to her and to kids in a similar position… and in what way it wasn’t disability discrimination

This just isn’t acceptable anymore. The pressure over attendance is huge and it’s now counterproductive as sending in unwell
kids spreads things and just increases absences overall. Not to mention it’s discrimination towards those with long term conditions who can never get 100%.

The pressure over attendance comes directly from the government - take it up with them, not schools.

In July, schools were issued with a pile of directives related to attendance, that they must follow.

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter.
It's situations like this that worry me, the vulnerable children shouldn't be exposed to illness due to a certificate!

I get your point but the school chooses how to phrase it surely?
It's so vague, surely they can list illnesses that cannot be in school?
And the rewards are up to them?
Wouldn't it be more sensible to tackle those with poor attendance (without valid reason)?

Does the letter actually state “Send your children in to be monitored when they are unwell?” I don’t think they’d be allowed to do that, since when are teachers HCPs?

Does the letter actually state “Send your children in to be monitored when they are unwell?” I don’t think they’d be allowed to do that, since when are teachers HCPs?

More disability and illness-shaming FFS. I am perfectly capable of deciding when/if my child is too ill for school, thank you.

@Africa2004 They have to give the same message to everyone but they will enforce it with discretion. If your child is rarely ill, they will know that and act accordingly. If your child has a day off every week, they will need to act accordingly too. But the initial message must go to everyone.

Aww yea I will just send my chicken pox child in.. lol it's crazy. A friend of mine got sent letters warning further action when he child was in a coma.. the consultant she was under actually emailed the school/head/governors on her behalf after the 3rd letter.

Oh honestly I truly detest these stupid awards. When my DS was primary age they provided licence for feckless parents to send desperately poorly kids into school who then infected swathes of others. I always kept DS off for the recommended times if he had D and V for example, but I was in the minority.

I’m a primary teacher and I agree it’s ridiculous. It really annoys me and my colleagues when our pupils are encouraged to come in even if they feel unwell, as we don’t want to catch it! And don’t want the other kids catching it and spreading it.