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Primary education

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Would this reward system put you off a school?

78 replies

wishIwasonholiday10 · 26/04/2025 13:58

I have been reading up about our local schools. One school stands out as being the most convenient for us by far and it is well rated and usually oversubscribed. However I've come a across several parents mentioning a reward system that seems a bit over the top to me. Something like:

  1. when the kids arrive at morning, they are all on the sun. Those who behave well go on the rainbow but those who misbehave go on the cloud. 2) when the kids help, tidy up etc. They have points. 3) each Friday, teachers select a child in their class as star of the week and children are awarded in assembly.

Would this put you off the school or is this sort of thing common?

We are in the catchment area of two schools but this one is closer to home and to my work (DD has mobility issues so distance matters). Both schools are OFSTED rated good.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Littlebitofthisandthat · 26/04/2025 15:45

wishIwasonholiday10 · 26/04/2025 13:58

I have been reading up about our local schools. One school stands out as being the most convenient for us by far and it is well rated and usually oversubscribed. However I've come a across several parents mentioning a reward system that seems a bit over the top to me. Something like:

  1. when the kids arrive at morning, they are all on the sun. Those who behave well go on the rainbow but those who misbehave go on the cloud. 2) when the kids help, tidy up etc. They have points. 3) each Friday, teachers select a child in their class as star of the week and children are awarded in assembly.

Would this put you off the school or is this sort of thing common?

We are in the catchment area of two schools but this one is closer to home and to my work (DD has mobility issues so distance matters). Both schools are OFSTED rated good.

It’s a really poor system from a psychological perspective but very common.
The problem is that it doesn’t take into account when pupils are of different levels of development, and those with additional needs eg. they often can’t possibly sit still or hold their pencil nicely all the time.
It’s very openly shaming. For those that say how “public” is it, it’s very public to the children! I say this as a mum whose children always sit at the top, but I still disagree with it. If teachers are very switched on they can do it “ok”, but it’s still hard for children who “behave” well to then see those they don’t still do well on the charts.
So yes. It’s a really outdated, rubbish system. But used so widely that’s it’s considered ok.
So I wouldn’t turn down a school based on this, but keep it in mind through the years!
In terms of star of the week - does this in practice work itself around so that it’s not the “not so good” getting it last? Or is it obvious? At the school we were at, it wasn’t but…

Littlebluetear · 26/04/2025 15:48

Calmdownpeople · 26/04/2025 15:34

FFS OP what could possibly be the worry. Even super nanny does reward charts for good behaviour so it’s hardly a brand new shiny concept.

And please don’t over think everything when your kid goes to school either.

The whole point is that it ISN'T a brand new shiny concept, it's pretty outdated. And I loved watching Supernanny back in the day - still do if there's a rerun - but I fundamentally disagree with a lot of her methods so the fact that she uses x y or z isn't really a case-closed endorsement.

Littlebluetear · 26/04/2025 15:52

Acorncoffee · 26/04/2025 15:40

Our school do this it’s ridiculous. I made my own ‘sun’ with my child’s name on that I give them each day after school to override the one there and get them a small gift at the end of each week. They also have stupid attendance reward programme where they do something like the ice cream van or a tea party or outing for those with 100%. I just replicate that as well . On the day they did the Ice cream van for those with 100% me and another mum hired one to be outside school the same day after school and we pre paid for an ice cream for every child who missed out- there were 2 children who actually have severe illnesses who never would achieve 100% and we didn’t want anyone feeling less than due to health luck !

Oh man, I HATE the attendance reward! It's unfair - and I really don't understand what they're trying to achieve with it. It's just a party/reward for few kids and excludes the others. Horrible.

AngieBlack · 26/04/2025 15:53

Both systems are for the naughty kids only. I did not even know about the sun/cloud thing until my youngest was in year 2 as they stayed in the sun.

the star of the week is also for the naught kids as they only needed to be “not naughty” for a week to get it (ie making it achievable for them) whereas the good kids had to be outstandingly good to get it as they’re naturally well-behaved.

its only ever the parents of naughty kids that complain about the “public shaming” and only ever the parents of good kids that complain about the “start of the week”. Schools can’t win so I think both need to remain as they need to be able to challenge poor behaviour somehow

Happyinarcon · 26/04/2025 15:55

I would be extremely wary. As ridiculous as it sounds I bet all the bad kids will get stars all the time and all the good kids will get clouds just for sneezing. Watch how it goes and i bet I’ll be right.

CatkinToadflax · 26/04/2025 16:02

DS1 was permanently on the sun because due to complex disabilities he would struggle too much with his peg being moved. DS2 was usually on the cloud. He told me years later that every day at school he just assumed he was going to get put on the cloud anyway, so he may as well misbehave early in the day and get it over and done with. We moved schools for non cloud related reasons and his behaviour immediately transformed.

Littlebluetear · 26/04/2025 16:07

CatkinToadflax · 26/04/2025 16:02

DS1 was permanently on the sun because due to complex disabilities he would struggle too much with his peg being moved. DS2 was usually on the cloud. He told me years later that every day at school he just assumed he was going to get put on the cloud anyway, so he may as well misbehave early in the day and get it over and done with. We moved schools for non cloud related reasons and his behaviour immediately transformed.

That's so sad. I think people (adults) forget how much children absorb, and how they are living every second of their lives, thinking about everything that happens to them just like we do. It seems a trifle to us being 'on the cloud' and kids'll get over it, but to the individual child it matters

BoleynMemories13 · 26/04/2025 16:11

Sun/Cloud visual behaviour charts are woefully outdated now. They've generally been frowned upon for at least the last 10 years now and rightly so. It means that one blip can cloud the whole day (pardon the pun). We deal with behaviour in the moment. An incident is dealt with, the child is given the opportunity to put it right and then we all move on. One bad choice does not need to make for a bad day where they remain on a cloud for all to see.

I disagree with those saying "it doesn't publicly shame them as children are all aware of who is misbehaving anyway". In a Reception classroom, where most of the children are naturally still egocentric, it's totally normal for children to miss misdemeanors of others, as they're so busy focusing on themselves. A Reception classroom is a very busy room with lots going on. Some children may be aware of an incident involving someone else (especially if they themselves are involved in some way), but over the other side of the room they're probably oblivious and rightly so. The misdemeanor doesn't need to be advertised by a child's name visibly moving down. This draws everyone's attention and gets them all talking about who has moved down, asking the child in question what they've done etc. They may have never known if there wasn't a visual chart. Therefore it does indeed publicly shame by drawing unnecessary attention to children who may have made one wrong choice. It's usually the same children that move down every day, so they don't learn from it. All it does it let the other children know that they been 'naughty' again (in their minds). That sh*t sticks.

These systems also cause unnecessary stress to sone children who are usually very well behaved, depending on their personality. Some really fear the pressure to remain on the sun (or move up to a rainbow, if there is one. Not moving up can feel like a failure to some). Without a chart, if the teacher needs to have a quiet word with a usually well behaved child it's unlikely to ruin their day, as most of the class will know nothing about it and they can quickly move on after putting it right. Whereas moving down on a chart feels like the end of the world to those children. Everyone knows what has happened. It is shaming.

I would actively avoid any school running this type of system, as it's not inclusive. It also suggests the school aren't up to date with latest wellbeing thinking and advice. I wouldn't want my child going to a school which is stuck in it's ways, as this is very outdated thinking. You can have high expectations of behaviour without ranking each child in terms of how well they meet those expectations.

Star of the week is different. Most schools will do this, and it's a way of rewarding children for doing something exceptional for them. It's very much differentiated and personalised to children's own abilities and personalities. Every child can and should get it at some point, but that doesn't mean it's just a meaningless token well done for everyone. Every child deserves to feel special and have their moment, whatever it's for. Any school who don't ensure everyone gets it at least once are again not being inclusive. Every child will do something to earn it at some point, if you look hard enough for the positives. It shouldn't always be about who listens the best, or produces the best work, or is a kind friend etc. There are all sorts of things children can be awarded star of the week for. Shame on those teachers who don't seek the positives in everyone.

Natsku · 26/04/2025 16:17

They have a traffic light thing in my DS's class, never was told about it but I noticed the traffic light cards stuck to each desk when I was dropping DS off and asked him about it, they start on green and can be moved to amber and then red for poor behaviour. He told me he's been on amber sometimes (which doesn't surprise me because he can get overly chatty in class and has a tendency to make random noises) but has never mentioned it since so I guess he doesn't care about it.
No reward stuff though, no points to earn and no attendance rewards or star of the week.

BunnyLake · 26/04/2025 16:17

Calmdownpeople · 26/04/2025 15:34

FFS OP what could possibly be the worry. Even super nanny does reward charts for good behaviour so it’s hardly a brand new shiny concept.

And please don’t over think everything when your kid goes to school either.

I used to over think everything before my kids were in seniors and I could cringe at myself looking back. Thankfully, once they were in seniors and I went back to work I stopped.

Sunshineclouds11 · 26/04/2025 16:19

My son is in year 1 and absolutely loves star of the day still.

My school does traffic light system. No reward or points though just to keep them in line with behaviour I suppose

Baital · 26/04/2025 16:26

DD was in a school that issued demerits. She was endlessly criticised, and when she started self harming in class was criticised even more because it was 'unfair' to expect the teacher and other children see her distress.

It turned out (after she left) that there was also a 'merit' system. She never once had a merit, despite being in that school for 5 years and constantly doing her best.

She has since been diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD (she is adopted, and had a very traumatic start in life).

Her secondary school were fantastic, she got the support she needed and when she left an award for most improvement.

Any school using old fashioned behavioural techniques is worrying. Punishing and shaming children doesn't improve behaviour.

Calmdownpeople · 26/04/2025 16:32

BunnyLake · 26/04/2025 16:17

I used to over think everything before my kids were in seniors and I could cringe at myself looking back. Thankfully, once they were in seniors and I went back to work I stopped.

Totally right. I think there is always a bit of ‘spot the first time mum’ but I kinda always thought that holding schools to a higher standard wouldn’t work. Plus as I worked full time in a pretty stressful job (my choice) to be honest I didn’t have time to over think ever little thing or contact the school over every little thing. I almost never contact the school as they have enough to deal with and you’re right at seniors the kids can contact the teachers themselves if they need something.

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 26/04/2025 17:01

Points, celebration assemblies,star of the week etc. are pretty normal things, even in secondaries. However, most schools are (or already have) moving away from the public shaming of name on the board/traffic light/sun-cloud-rainbow system, which is actually a good thing.

wishIwasonholiday10 · 26/04/2025 17:32

Thanks all for your thoughts. I will read all of them carefully and obviously consider all the other aspects of the school.

I agree I am probably overthinking. There is an element of PFB but I also think that overthinking is natural when you have a child with some developmental delays and you want what is best for them. I don’t think my DD is particularly badly behaved (no problems reported from nursery) but there are some unknowns about whether her medical condition could make some aspects of school harder for her than for other kids eg it means she get tired more easily than other kids. I don’t think she will qualify for an ECHP as the bar for this seems quite high.

OP posts:
MargaretThursday · 26/04/2025 20:05

I have 3 dc who are very different in temperament.
One is very hard working, always visibly does their best even when not good or liking the subject,.
One has ASD, ADHD, glue ear and is wriggly and does work under protest.
And one is in the middle.

And they all had this system and it worked for all three.
It meant that the hard working one felt like she was acknowledged as doing well when she stayed on sunshine - and was thrilled if she went up to Rainbow for doing something special.
The one with ASD etc had an achievable aim to stay on sunshine. And if they moved down to cloud, then they knew there was a reason for it, and wanted to get back up again, and it was a visible thing to say they'd behaved well so moved up again.
And the middle one, had a incentive to stay on sunshine and would put extra effort in if they thought there was a chance of going up.

They did try and keep it honest so they didn't put them up for no reason, but at the same time they would find little things (eg helping a friend, or tidying something up) that they all could do to move them up.
Any child on the rainbow at the end of the day got a special sticker (one hated stickers, but oh well, you can't please everyone...) in one class, and in another they got a pick of the "treat box" which had lots of donated little things like rubbers/pencils/mini dinosaurs etc.

WonderingWanda · 26/04/2025 20:11

Apparently it's now outdated and shames children. My kids primary did it and it worked a treat. Both of my kids got on the raincloud once maximum and they were a bit sad about it but then they never went on the cloud again.

ICantPretend · 26/04/2025 20:13

Agree it's outdated but wouldn't choose a different school over this. Go to the school and try and influence it being changed!

Pikablue · 26/04/2025 20:14

GreenPaint1 · 26/04/2025 14:18

Love star of the week - its a personalised reward.
Did a PGCE in 2011 and was told I might see a sunshine/thunder cloud regarding system still in some schools.

I think you might find more inclusive schools that don't publicly shame children

Publicly shame is a crazy conclusion to draw.

Silvertulips · 26/04/2025 20:18

If teachers are very switched on they can do it “ok”, but it’s still hard for children who “behave” well to then see those they don’t still do well on the charts

The teachers use these charts to encourage the correct behaviour, at its tailored to each child. Maybe the fidget stopped for a while and was noticed, maybe another child who struggles with manners says thank you. Maybe a kid who pushes in all the time, waited their turn.

There’s defiantly more rewards than punishments.

Plus every child gets star of the week - 39 weeks, 30 kids, they reward them all in turn.

Honestly, this system is very low down in a teachers list of priorities!

Littlebluetear · 26/04/2025 20:28

Silvertulips · 26/04/2025 20:18

If teachers are very switched on they can do it “ok”, but it’s still hard for children who “behave” well to then see those they don’t still do well on the charts

The teachers use these charts to encourage the correct behaviour, at its tailored to each child. Maybe the fidget stopped for a while and was noticed, maybe another child who struggles with manners says thank you. Maybe a kid who pushes in all the time, waited their turn.

There’s defiantly more rewards than punishments.

Plus every child gets star of the week - 39 weeks, 30 kids, they reward them all in turn.

Honestly, this system is very low down in a teachers list of priorities!

'Being a fidget' is not a personality flaw, and shouldn't be something that a kid should feel they have to hide or suppress to cater to other's convenience.

Similarly, impulsivity can certainly be worked on to keep within reasonable limits but praising or shaming isn't the best way to do it.

I do understand why teachers use it, but I don't know why there needs to be a 'punishment' component. Stay on the sun or advance to the rainbow, the cloud part of it is unnecessary.

Snorlaxo · 26/04/2025 20:34

It’s very common and my kids have left school.

Lots of problems with the system

Quiet kids with good behaviour who don’t get noticed stay on the second highest level. If it’s a school with Star of the Week then they need an older child or adult to tell them that it’s turn based and they will get their recognition some time. They quickly work out that they aren’t noticed and it either dents their confidence or they become one of those kids that stay under the teacher’s radar until their leave school.

The kids with behaviour issues become demoralised and stay in the lowest level. If they are a Star of the Week school then those kids quickly work out that behaving badly normally and being good temporarily makes the odds of receiving a certificate much higher. The rest of the class know who the children with behaviour issues are and will consider being naughty then good to get Star of the Week.

The extrovert kids who are noticed by the adults and have good behaviour get the recognition but not as much as the kids with behaviour issues. Being on the highest level becomes their normal so they lose interest because they work out that the system is really for the kids with behaviour issues (and maybe OFSTED?)

Prepositional · 27/04/2025 08:32

1SillySossij · 26/04/2025 15:28

Every child does not get star of the week. I never give it unless someone has deserved it.

Yes but surely every child will do something brilliant (by which I mean brilliant for them) at some point? I've never taught a child I've not been able to give a certificate to.

NoBots · 27/04/2025 08:43

Seems a sensible system. There need to be ways to guide children towards better behaviours, otherwise schools won’t work.

Elisheva · 27/04/2025 08:57

There needs to be a way to guide children towards better behaviour, but behaviourism (rewards and punishments) isn’t the only way, nor is it the best way. Thankfully many schools are slowly starting to understand this and are moving towards other methods, but not all of them.