Rules for teacher not signing EMA card?

sarymclary

Hi,

My son's teacher has refused to sign his EMA form because he wasn't paying attention for a while during her. He has only just this week received his first payment of EMA, having applied originally back in August 2008!

There is a school rule that they are meant to get them signed at the end of each lesson, however a particular teacher refuses to do this, being willing to sign them only at the start of a lesson.

What I feel is that surely it's immoral to not sign a card, if the student has turned up for the lesson, and he's on the whole a good student, and attentive in class most of the time (frankly, he's a bit of a nerd, of his own admission)! By not signing the card he will lose the week's £30 payment, and as we are a single parent family, with 4 children, you can imagine how tight money is.

He's a grade A student, and certainly not the sort of kid to be disruptive in class, so I'm sure he's just been either chatting, or reading something when he should have been listening. What he did certainly didn't result in a reprimand in line with school sanction policy, say a green/yellow card.

Is there a set of standard rules regarding EMA & the school?

BruceyBonus

I thought they could only refuse to pay when you didn't turn up?

My college had an electronic system - if the register showed you were there then the payment was authorised.

Have a look at page 17 of this booklet for schools/colleges
http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/2008-09_EMA_Guidance_for_Providers_(non_E2E_PLA).pdf

Providers must decide on and implement an
attendance policy, which they may be monitored on.
Within that, they must define what full attendance
means for their learners and also the standards of
behaviour and effort required and then apply them
fairly. Many localities have local area agreements on
attendance procedures, so that learners are treated
consistently. The attendance policy and standards of
behaviour and effort adopted by a provider must be
made clear to EMA learners as part of their induction
process.

Where a decision not to pay has been made on
the basis of inappropriate behaviour and/or effort,
providers must ensure that this decision is reported
to their EMA administrator and must retain details of
the reason for non-payment for Audit purposes. The
behaviour and effort criteria will have been agreed
with the learner at the start of the programme.

I would make a complaint to someone more senior at the school/college.

Oldernotwiser

I think that the relevant point in that quotation is "also the standards of
behaviour and effort required ". It does seem a bit harsh but if she's just done this once to jolt him into paying attention it might be fair enough.

sarymclary

Many thanks for your replies.

I do think it's rather harsh, especially as it's a 'disciplinary' procedure not able to be used across the board, so if a child not in receipt of EMA had not been paying attention, he would have got either a ticking off, or at worst a yellow/green card.

It is parents evening next week, so I think I will tackle this in person, and try to speak to the headmaster if possible too. It's a grammar school, and I have a slight issue with the babyish manner with which they're treating the lower 6th pupils anyway, as I don't feel they are preparing them for the real world.

I'm very grateful for your replies.

BruceyBonus

sarymclary wrote: »

I have a slight issue with the babyish manner with which they're treating the lower 6th pupils anyway, as I don't feel they are preparing them for the real world.

Having to get a form signed every lesson seems like a very weird system. You would think they might have something a bit more discreet so that other pupils don't know who is in receipt of EMA?

lauh88

I thought if you missed a payment it meant you couldn't get the end of term bonus too? The teacher sounds ridiculous, speak to your sons HOY or form tutor.

maestro2001

lauh88 wrote: »

I thought if you missed a payment it meant you couldn't get the end of term bonus too? The teacher sounds ridiculous, speak to your sons HOY or form tutor.

Bonus payments are discretionary, one missed payment doesn't necessarily mean no entitlement to bonus.



I would suggest just making a private call to your son's teacher. I'm a college lecturer and I would often like the opportunity to communicate with parents more.

Oldernotwiser

BruceyBonus wrote: »

Having to get a form signed every lesson seems like a very weird system. You would think they might have something a bit more discreet so that other pupils don't know who is in receipt of EMA?

Unlike free school dinners, there seems to be no stigma attached to receiving EMA; rather the opposite, in my experience!

sarymclary

BruceyBonus wrote: »

Having to get a form signed every lesson seems like a very weird system. You would think they might have something a bit more discreet so that other pupils don't know who is in receipt of EMA?

The particular teacher in question has openly complained about her taxes paying for those in receipt of benefits!

My children attend a school where the majority of pupils come from the more 'comfortable' background. We were originally one of these families, but circumstances change, sometimes without any warning. My sons have been on the receiving end of some verbal abuse for being in receipt of free dinners, which they try very hard to keep quiet about, to the extent where one child (who appeared in a CH4 programme about child genuis) kept taunting him about it, stating 'if your mum dies too, will you get 2 free dinners!'

My concern here is that the EMA is being used as a disciplinary weapon, but of course only against those in receipt of it. I've read the EMA booklet, and unfortunately the wording is very vague, speaking in terms of 'appropriate behaviour and effort', which is left to the school/college in question to dictate.

It's parents' evening on Monday, I will be searching out the headmaster, or other appropriate senior member of staff. Unfortunately the new head of 6th form is already subject to a 'vote of no confidence' by the pupils, and one of the main complaints is his over-controlling policies, and inability to treat them as young adults. For example the school have introduced a uniform requirement for them from this year, rather than in previous years when they were asked to wear clothes appropriate for the office. If they don't wear black, they get sent home. I bought my son a charcoal grey suit in the summer, by 9.30am on the first day of term last September he was back home, because he was not wearing uniform! This was the first I'd heard about it, but not before I was £100 out of pocket!

I am usually very open minded about what goes on in school, and have always backed the teachers decisions, regardless, as I don't think it helps the children to see they can tell tales and get me involved. My son didn't even tell me about the EMA, I noticed his status update on facebook mentioned it. I don't want the EMA to be used as a means of control or bullying.

[Deleted User]

It looks to me like your concerns are valid,and i would phone before attending the parents evening to make an appt to see the head teacher and voice all your(and your sons)concerns,making it plain that if they are not addressed you will involve the chairman of the governors(that usually makes them listen)its ridiculous for a teacher to abuse EMA in this way,for that is exactly what is happening.

Lokolo

Although you seem to have poor fashion sense, sending someone home for not wearing a black suit is, all in all, pathetic.

Sounds like a right shi*te school if you ask me.

(this is coming from someone who grew up in Bucks and went to grammar school, yes I am a posh **** )

---

I got EMA! However I was against some people getting it, for instance, one of my friends parents were divorced and the dad gave money to the mother without doing anything proper so it went all on the mothers income which was £0, even though dads income was £50k+ and he was living off this.