Rules for teacher not signing EMA card?

poet123

dmg24 wrote: »

I think Blacksheep1979 makes a good point. We only know one side of this, and I doubt that the same opinions would be given if it was the teacher/ support worker giving their version of events.

You also misquoted Blacksheep1979, seemingly to make their post look worse than it is.

Whilst I was typing, Blacksheep edited his post to add the bottom comment,originally it appeared that his comments, in their entirety, were directed at the OP.

I cant see how I have misrepresented his post perhaps you could explain?

Also if you read my earlier post I make the point that we have only heard one side of the story.

sarymclary

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

There's always two sides to every story and pandering to your kids/always sticking up for them isn't preparing them for the real world either.


Discipline and structure is what a lot of young people need these days to stop them turning into the layabout chav inbreds that seem to be overtaking this country.

(Not saying your kid is like that though)

I'm not sure where you live blacksheep, but thankfully where I am isn't being taken over by 'layabout chav inbreds', but then I don't read the Daily Mail either, so I don't scare that easily!:rotfl:

I should point out that I do not usually get involved with the school, unless they contact me. In fact, I would quite happily have no involvement with the school given half the chance. I think there is far too much support for the school expected from the parent, but when I've sought to discuss behavioural issues with a head of year, I was quite swiftly told 'what goes on outside of school is really of no interest to us', although the meeting I was attending was requested by the school (for my younger son, I might add) regarding behaviour issues in school, and I was merely reaffirming that any sanction imposed by the school is backed up by me by another sanction at home. If they get a detention, they get grounded. If they misbehave in school, I will punish them at home, etc.

I am loathe to get involved, in fact my son has asked me not to get involved, and let him deal with it, but it was the fact that it's parents' evening tomorrow that prompted me to look into it further, and consider mentioning it.

My BF's attitude is that my son should be grateful for his EMA and not do anything to jeopardise it. I agree, and if he's been mucking around, and not paying attention then fine, however this was revision time, and they were given the choice to go to a different room to study and the subject teacher was away. You don't get to stay on at 6th form at this school unless you are in the top achievers of the GCSE year, and your progress is constantly monitored. It is a high achieving school, and my son is expected to do well. Were he getting bad grades, not working, being inconsistent in his attendance, etc., I'd be more in favour of the EMA being docked. He isn't driven by the money though, he's not had the benefit of it since joining 6th form, so the incentive simply isn't there. You can't miss what you've not had, is how he put it!

percymoneysaver

"My main gripe here is that if they are using the EMA sanction on the children from lower income families, as well as imposing detentions and usual school sanctions, how on earth is that a level playing field alongside their more wealthy non-EMA pupils, who can disrupt a lesson, not do coursework and only get the usual school sanctions"

Sorry, OP, but what do you expect? The flip side of that coin is that EMA students are getting cash for turning up to class when everyone else isn't. Shouldn't there be some sort of extra conditions for getting it? Otherwise, as Poet123 said, what is to stop many eligible students just turning up when they feel like it and having a laugh. And please don't think this wouldn't happen, because it already does.

I'm not saying that this is what the OP's son is doing, and the majority of EMA students are in sixth forms because they want to be. But the fact remains that there are also those who are there for the "free money" (their words, not mine) and surely you can't think that they should just get the cash for registering in a school. Those that really need it, follow the rules. I've found that over the years the ones who regularly get it stopped for lateness or behaviour are the ones who drive to school, have brand new mobiles etc. Read into that what you will.

But it does sound like the OP does have a case for appealing the payment being stopped, and if she has the correct information then we certainly would have paid it in this case. Only, as was said before, get the school's side of the story before you go in all guns blazing, just in case. Teenagers (in general, not necessarily the OP's son!) do have a habit of not mentioning some of the relevant details.

BruceyBonus

percymoneysaver wrote: »

Sorry, OP, but what do you expect? The flip side of that coin is that EMA students are getting cash for turning up to class when everyone else isn't. Shouldn't there be some sort of extra conditions for getting it? Otherwise, as Poet123 said, what is to stop many eligible students just turning up when they feel like it and having a laugh. And please don't think this wouldn't happen, because it already does.

We had people at our college just turning up for the money - especially in the first year. Payments were authorised as long as you were present on the register that was taken for each lesson. Most teachers marked you as present (rather than late) even if you turned up half way through the lesson. A number of students would never make any serious attempt at their homework either - just handing something in so they got their EMA. Some students were also working nearly every hour they were not at college (some almost full time) - therefore doing 2 or 3 A Levels just to get their "free money".

Obviously, this isn't happening with the OP and they should take it further as it seems a very petty reason to withold the payment.

mumsworld

Can any one advise me what to do please.
My son attends college 4 days aweek and always had his £20 e.m.a paid regulary.
However he has recieved no payment since Jan 7th 09. He has been going in on time and stayed for all his lessons. I have contacted the college on my sons behalf only to be told his lecturer has messed up the register and no payment can be allowed till he's sorted it out.
The lecturer doesnt seem to care this is causing us problems and just keeps telling my son he will get it sorted. Which of course he still hasnt.
We are low income household and it is costing me £12 in bus fares every week let alone other things my son needs for his course work.
I really dont know what to do please advise.

poet123

All you can do is contact the Lecturer directly,and explain the situation and ask for them to make it a priority.

Freckles88_2

Hi SaryMcClary,

So sorry to hear about the situation your son is in - I too come from a low-income household and also received EMA whilst at college. I'm now at university - it is possible, definitely start looking into any grants he can get from your local council, and when looking at universities, find out what scholarships/bursaries they award undergraduates. I get several hundred pounds (income-assessed, in twice-yearly installments, each of the 3 years I am studying) which doesn't have to be paid back.

My college were fairly lenient with paying out your EMA - absences, lateness etc had to be explained obviously, but they were nowhere near as harsh as your son's 6th form.

You aren't sticking your nose in - we never like it when our parents interfere but it sounds like it's needed in this case.

The school's system for paying EMA sounds downright wrong. I got free dinners all through my school years, and both schools were very discreet - other children hardly ever noticed that I was a 'poor kid'! Having very little money is nothing to be ashamed of and when you work hard as a parent to provide for your children on the little you have, I can only imagine how awful it is for you to watch your son's school sort of single him out - it's disgusting.

I don't know if you have the time or would want to do this, but perhaps ask to leaise with the school board/EMA secretary to look at the schools' policy on paying EMA? They're clearly misguided and that can only change if they have 'real' peoples' input.

Good luck x

morg_monster

Mostly unrelated - but when you are at the parents evening, you could point out that the "squares" or "dots-and-boxes" game your son was playing is a great mathematical game and he is learning useful skills in strategy and game theory. Might be especially useful if it did happen to be maths class he was in at the time!
We learned about how to always win at dots and boxes when we did our maths degree as part of a game theory module and my OH even did his 4th yr dissertation on it. not just a child's game!

percymoneysaver

"The school's system for paying EMA sounds downright wrong. I got free dinners all through my school years, and both schools were very discreet - other children hardly ever noticed that I was a 'poor kid'! Having very little money is nothing to be ashamed of and when you work hard as a parent to provide for your children on the little you have, I can only imagine how awful it is for you to watch your son's school sort of single him out - it's disgusting."


Can I just say as an EMA administrator that the school may not be "singling out" the EMA students intentionally, and I certainly take issue with the word "disgusting".

EMA is adminstered differently in different schools and colleges - I've worked in more than one and know lots of other people working with it as well. The paper based, teacher signing method may be the only way the school can do it for various reasons, not least of which are financial. In the first year of EMA we had a paper based system, but when it came in nationally we had to spend a fortune on an electronic registration system for the college just to make administering EMA possible as there were over 500 students eligible and we couldn't do them all by hand! If the school doesn't do electronic registration,the teacher signing method may be the only way to check students are attending classes. But there are certainly ways this could be done discreetly.

I can't believe that there is a single sixth form that wants to single out the "poor kids", and anyone with an issue with it at a school where it's more obvious should just speak to their EMA administrator and I'm sure a more subtle method would be worked out for that student. However, I have to say in my experience it's been a very long time since I've seen a student ashamed of getting EMA.

3nicky1

I know theres loads of good arguments but I do think i's wrong that his school is using it as a weapon to discipline people with. I obviouly don't know your circumstances and only have one side of the story but it seems unfair. I agree talking to the teacher wouldbe the best bet but i think it'd come better from your son directly.

I used EMA when it was in the pilot stage - i needed it to pay transport to college and contribute to my meals or I would have had to get a full time job and pay board as my mum hasnt got spare cash. There were loads of kids that used it for equally decent reasons even if some people are getting 'free money' and everyone hears them boasting at every street corner about this please don't tar everyone with the same brush.

I don't believe any of this 'youth of today' 'layabout chavs' stuff either, I send a lot of time volunteering with a lot of really decent children/teens who get this grief from people who believe everything they read.

On a separate note - we had to eat in a separate building and queue in a speacial poor kids queue to getour free school meals!! Glad most schools are a bit more civilised.