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Secondary education

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Original poster

Outrageously harsh school reprimands pupils for forgetting a pen

66 replies

noblegiraffe · 04/10/2017 19:42

They're scraping the bottom of the barrel with these 'strictest school in the country' stories now.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-41496276

Are these parents serious? Kids crying because if they forget a pen 6 times they get a detention?

SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL WITH A SODDING PEN. AND A SPARE. AND AN EMERGENCY PEN IN A SECRET POCKET IN THEIR SCHOOLBAG.

And breathe.

OP posts:
Soursprout · 05/10/2017 09:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/10/2017 12:07

Apparently the local radio station had so many phone calls about this yesterday.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 05/10/2017 12:09

Supporting the school or supporting the whiny parents?

OP posts:
LoniceraJaponica · 05/10/2017 12:11

A pretty even split by all accounts.

Frequency · 05/10/2017 12:15

We all have a pack of pens each in our school/college/work bags plus a pack of pens on my desk.

They're 70p for 10 in Wilkos.

I'm pretty lax at most things, but even I can remember a pen. You just pop a handful in your bag and leave them there. My I.D otoh...

BigSandyBalls2015 · 05/10/2017 12:16

My DDs school has just introduced a 'ladder of consequences' for being caught with a mobile phone.

1st offence - 10 min detention and phone confiscated until end of day.
2nd offence - 10 min det and phone confiscated until end of week
3rd offence - 10 min det and phone confiscated until end of that term.
4th offence - 10 min det and phone confiscated until the end of that academic year

Grin just wondering how they're going to enforce the last one - can you imagine all the parents paying contract phone bills for months without actually having a phone!

I can completely understand the reasoning behind this though, to be fair, must be a nightmare trying to teach a class with everyone sneaking a peak a their mobiles.

Floralnomad · 05/10/2017 12:24

My son is a teacher at a secondary and he buys job lots of cheap pens at Poundland each half term and still runs out because the children never have a pen . It's ridiculous , but he also rang a parent to say a child hadn't handed in any homework and she told him the child can't take work home because he doesn't take a bag . It beggars belief.

GlitterGlue · 05/10/2017 12:25

Six times? Detention the first time.

Some canny child needs to stock up at Poundland and sell them on for a profit.

MrGrumpy01 · 05/10/2017 12:28

That was somewhat of a let down. It seems fairly reasonable to me.

Dd has an equipment check on a Monday and I think you get a mark if you haven't got something. I made her put spare pens just in her bag so she knows she always has them. I think they are sent off to student services to buy a pen if they forget which seems fairly reasonable.

But that school still seems very relaxed, especially compared to one of my local schools.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 05/10/2017 12:42

I stopped buying pens to lend out in about my 2nd year of teaching. Kids never gave them back and it cost a fortune.
Now at the end of a lesson I pick up any scraggy pens and pencils that kids have forgotten and lend those out. 'Ew but that's mank' gets a reply of 'beggars can't be choosers, next time bring your own'.

OP posts:
WyfOfBathe · 05/10/2017 13:21

The only problem I can see is if they get a mark every lesson (so forgetting a pen one day could lead to five marks).

Where I teach, form tutors are supposed to give detentions if students don't have everything on the kit list every day. I check for pens and homework diary, but I don't care if a student with no science lessons hasn't brought their lab coat.

Fecks · 05/10/2017 14:08

I'm pretty sure the staff will know which DC are pupil premium and may be from deprived background and which ones are just disorganised.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/10/2017 14:46

They won't Fecks. There are 1500 pupils there.

woodhill · 05/10/2017 14:48

Sick to rematch of lending pens.

woodhill · 05/10/2017 14:48

Death

KittyVonCatsington · 05/10/2017 14:51

They won't Fecks. There are 1500 pupils there.

We have to know who are pupil premium children are, even in a school of that size. Just like SEND, they should be clearly identified and planned for in lessons. I say should, plenty teachers don't or forget but that doesn't excuse the fact that they should know. OFSTED would jump on that pretty quickly.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/10/2017 15:05

Ok. I stand corrected. I Don't work in education.

Freshprincess · 05/10/2017 15:14

this happens at my D.C's school as well. Seems reasonable to me, must be a complete PITA to have to start every lesson scrabbling round for pens for the kids who haven't got one.

scaryclown · 06/10/2017 07:35

If they really want to teach pupils about life, not only should they hammer down on the most disorganised and maximise their exclusion from education, they should charge the poorest kids the most and divert extra resources to buy even more pens for those who already have more than enough pens, then structure privilege in a way to reward those with the most pens with additional qualifications. Internships should only be available to those with many pens, so that those without pens are unable to ever secure any pens. Also you could then fine them, in pens, so that if they do bring a pen in, you can take it away to pay the fine, and then punish them again for not having a pen.

When the school runs out of real pens for reward, they can give the owed pens to the kids with the most real pens.

thisagain · 06/10/2017 07:54

There is literally no excuse for turning up to school without a pen! My daughter once got a conduct slip for not having a glue stick, which I felt was a little harsh, but a pen!

TheDrsDocMartens · 06/10/2017 07:55

I’ve no objections to that. I’ve worked in Exams where students don’t bring pens or any other equipment.

vickibee · 06/10/2017 08:05

My son is due to start there in sept 18. He is autistic and canno organise himself. I will have to micromanage his day, remember oops and stationery for him etc. I will do my best to make sure he has everything.. I do think reasonable adjustments should be made for kids with additional needs. Wearing. The uniform is going to be a challenge for my son, shirt, tie blazer as he is over sensitive to touch and can't stand tight restrictive clothing. He will accept it as it is a rule but he will find it difficult. People don't understand how difficult it is for kids with Sen.

shyness247 · 06/10/2017 09:34

It'll be caning and cutting the lawn with small scissors again, once we finish Brexit.

Up with the flag! Down with the bridges!

Meanwhile, practically all other countries have a much better educational outcome...

IceMagic · 06/10/2017 09:44

practically all other countries have a much better educational outcome
Where did you get that info?

shyness247 · 06/10/2017 10:00

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38212070

But be careful. The ranking is for the UK as a whole. Regions have different positions. None are very good.