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AIBU?

To think awarding medals/prizes for 100% attendance is really rewarding good antibodies, strong constitutions and a bit of luck.

84 replies

Sleep404 · 19/07/2013 22:09

I just don't get this policy. It doesn't encourage or insentivise kids and likely makes them either have a dont care attitude or upsets them as they lose out through no fault of their own.

Who's the target?
Kids who play truant arent going to suddenly show up because of an award/prize on the last day of term, so it can't be them.
Mums and Dads who take their kids out of school for special trips or holidays will likely see the benefits of the holiday, be it financial or educational, as more important than the reward.
So that leaves the kids who make every effort to attend every day, but through no fault of their own, they get sick and miss a few days. Why punish them further by implying they have done something wrong.

I find this utterly baffling.

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LiveItUp · 19/07/2013 22:12

I'm with you, can't agree with it either.

This year my DCs have had chicken pox, and D&V, both caught from school, both requiring them to have time off. Not their fault and I'd be upset if they lost out on an award for that.

Fortunately we don't have such a ridiculous thing. Can't think why anyone does Confused

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wickeddevil · 19/07/2013 22:16

And don't forget the lovely children who have 100% attendance, because they went to school with their cold/bug/virus and gave it to everyone else....

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NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 19/07/2013 22:16

Our new head has just banned it for the very same reason.

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iwouldgoouttonight · 19/07/2013 22:18

YANBU. DS has ongoing medical issues which means he has hospital appts every few months. The last time he got really upset and didn't want to go because he never gets the 100% attendance award. Its not his fault, or our fault, that he has to take time off. It does seem ridiculous to be rewarded for being lucky with health.

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Meglet · 19/07/2013 22:24

Yanbu.

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Hulababy · 19/07/2013 22:28

YANBU

Especially at primary school they are a nonsense award tbh.
Even if it isn't illness, at primary level, it isn't as if the child has any real influence in whether they go to school or not.

And I don;t like that it encourages parents to bring children to school when they are ill. When they do they spread their germs - then I get ill too!

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Latara · 19/07/2013 22:31

YANBU.

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SirChenjin · 19/07/2013 22:33

YANBU - I really don't get this either.

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Mintyy · 19/07/2013 22:36

Yanbu.

There have been many threads about this on Mumsnet over the years and yaDnbu.

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ElizabethHornswoggle · 19/07/2013 23:01

YABU. Why shouldn't the kids who DO turn up every single day get rewarded? They're there day in, day out throughout the year, When there's others in the class taking time out for holidays (not generalizing, just saying like it is in our class) why shouldn't those who turn up every day without fail get noticed?
They're there rain or shine. Just because someone else isn't doesn't mean they should miss out.

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Mintyy · 19/07/2013 23:03

Think you have missed what is being said on this thread Elizabeth.

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Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 19/07/2013 23:03

I don't like it either. Especially when the dds have to take two extra days off at the schools request if they've been remotely ill.

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AnnaFender · 19/07/2013 23:06

YANBU!

I think these awards are so pointless, and agree with whoever said especially at primary age where the child has basically no influence over whether or not they are at school. The whole thing baffles me!

And I say this as the parent of a year 1 child who has had no days off in her two years at school so far. And receives this award every term!

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Justforlaughs · 19/07/2013 23:06

I think there should be an award for children who attend every day that they are well enough, so no reward if they take time off for trips/ holidays, but sickness, hospital appointments are exempt. Or just scrap them altogether. YANBU

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FeckOffCup · 19/07/2013 23:09

YANBU I still remember being miffed because my brother got a book token and I didn't when I had been off for a hospital appointment through no fault of my own. Pointless award, I agree that the parents who take their kids out in term time won't care about it and the rest is just random chance as to whether you get ill or not.

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selsigfach · 19/07/2013 23:10

While you might not like it, and I do appreciate the reasons given above, once you graduate to the big world of work, you get penalised and drawn into disciplinaries for taking time off. It's good to instil in children the idea that unless you're really bloody sick, you drag your arse out of bed and go to school, whether you want to or not.

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GinAndaDashOfLime · 19/07/2013 23:16

Exactly what selsigfach said. Too many kids take a day off for very minor ailments. When they go to the real world of work they'd eventually get disciplined for that attitude. Sad, but true.

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queenebay · 19/07/2013 23:22

My friends dd has cystic fibrosis so she can't drag her arse into school when she is hospitalised for 2 weeks at a time.she will never get 100% attendance awards.

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Sleep404 · 19/07/2013 23:26

Gin, I don't agree with this. Most parents would want their children to go to school so they don't have to miss work themselves or entertain them if they are only mildly sick.
My dd had days off for vomiting and diarrhoea. Not contagious as we knew the cause but school policy meant she was off for 48hrs each time. Not much I could do about it.

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Sleep404 · 19/07/2013 23:33

This idea that we are a nation of sickie pullers is a media creation IMO. Some folk pull sickies but the vast majority of us only take sick days when we really need them.
I hate that folk come to work with flu or V&D which they spread to everyone else because they never have a sick day.

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MaryBateman · 19/07/2013 23:54

What Sleep says. As a manager it is very difficult dealing with staff who are clearly too ill to be at work but drag themselves in under the mistaken impression that they will be penalised for taking sick leave. Not by me for sure. Ill staff shouldn't be at work. Firstly cos they are ill and secondly cos they're ill. No brainer for any manager worth their salt.

Any member of staff of mine who pressurised someone off sick to return too early would feel my wrath. And would have to explain their actions in very, very minute details.....

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selsigfach · 20/07/2013 00:03

I would categorise 2 weeks in hospital as being genuinely ill, queenebay - and would meet my scientific, medical classification of being "really bloody sick" :o)

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selsigfach · 20/07/2013 00:12

Wish my boss is as nice as Mary - when I had 2 Weeks' bed rest, under doctor's orders, following surgery, I was asked if I wanted to take it out of annual leave! And that's in the public sector!

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simpson · 20/07/2013 00:19

I agree these awards are silly...

My DC have good attendance records and DS (7) mentioned today that he cannot wait to get his silver award for attendance on Tuesday

Kids love going up on stage and getting certificates but I just wish it wasn't for attendance.

DS also commented today that kids who are in school for 5 days (ie the whole week) and are not late in that time get to choose a prize (pencil sharpener, rubber etc) but he said that its not fair as he is always on time and in school (bar 3 sick days this year) and he does not get a prize anymore as its obviously aimed at kids who are not at school as much (or who are always late) as an incentive iyswim.

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VeryDullNameChange · 20/07/2013 00:28

I do see that this isn't fair to children with ongoing health issues, but I don't agree that it's completely pointless. My DD had the disastrous combination of a chronic non-serious unprovable health condition and a tendency to malinger, and the attendance awards have improved her attitude noticeably. And a KS2 pupil can influence their attendance, either by getting themselves to school on their own (sad but necessary in some cases) or, less drastically, by being cooperative. If a parent is struggling for whatever reason then the difference between a child who is digging their heels in and fighting every inch out of the door or a child who is up, dressed, made themselves some cereal and is saying "I'm ready Mum" can be the difference between a 95% attendance and 75%.

I do think that these threads polarise parents into the ones who are doing absolutely everything possible, and the ones who are completely feckless and don't care, neither of whom can be incentivised to change their behaviour in anyway. But actually there are a large number in the middle ground who do sort-of care but are a bit crap, and for whom carrots and sticks will work.

Whether the advantage you gain is worth the disadvantage of "punishing" sick children or incentivising parents to break quarantine is a serious question, but I think there are real advantages.

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