100% school attendance now will not be..

anguk

Person_one wrote: »

I don't really think schools should be awarding 100% attendance in that way, for exactly the reason you're discovering!

I agree and I also think it's very unfair on those children who do have health problems, they will never have the chance of winning a prize.

victory

marleyboy wrote: »

I must admit to liking the Schools approach to children's attendance. But with NO flexibility does make it a difficult accomplishment, if a child becomes ill and as a result, loses his\her 100%, do they lose the initiative to perform 99%?

My Son will start school next Year, as he is a special needs case, there is a very high probability that he will never achieve 100% attendance, as much as I would encourage him to perform a maximum attendance. As a result he is likely to be automatically excluded from participating for the bike.

I think I will resort to rewarding him myself for his school attendance, if not just to balance it out in fairness.

I think to be honest fairness has to be for all children, the poorly, the keen, the able, the not so able, the whole spectrum and with that in mind I do see the school 100% attendance carte blanche but where I struggle a bit is with the 'when the shoes in on the other foot' like many posters have said if your child becomes ill the school would much rather you kept the child off, if he becomes naughty keep him off, etc there is no leaway whichever way you look at it.

victory

anguk wrote: »

I agree and I also think it's very unfair on those children who do have health problems, they will never have the chance of winning a prize.

But they do though, all sort of smaller just as important and significant to them prizes for all different reasons, it is not just one prize the school gives out, it gives them out daily/weekly/monthly for all sorts of good behaviour/improvement like moving up a class, free day trips out for the class that has performed the best etc there are many incentives there even if the attendance is not 100% due to health issues.

tescobabe69

victory wrote: »

No I won't be lying to him:D I did fleetingly think extreme things like that but what would that tell him? he would have earnt the right to be in the draw off his own merit, not for me to buy him the bike and then lie that he won it in the draw, he already knows his 100% has gone . I would not do that.

You said in your OP he was sad, my way alleviates his sadness, I assumed that your son was not up to the approach I would have taken with my son - "you're out of the draw son, man up, thats how it is." Both of my kids have been brought up with a realistic approach, I would never be tip toeing around at 12.

[Deleted User]

A phrase from my childhood has sprung to mine....

Me - "It's not fair!!!!!"

Dad - "Neither is a monkey's bum"

victory

tescobabe69 wrote: »

You said in your OP he was sad, my way alleviates his sadness, I assumed that your son was not up to the approach I would have taken with my son - "you're out of the draw son, man up, thats how it is." Both of my kids have been brought up with a realistic approach, I would never be tip toeing around at 12.

Yes he is sad, I think he has earnt that right of feeling.

I hope your approach works for you:D

furndire

I remember my mother in law telling me many years ago that she had not had a day of school in all her school years - and should have had a certificate for the same - however, her father died, & she had to take a half day off. She never did get certificate!!

Four_leaf_clover_2

:beer:

I would like to congratulate you OP on your sons brilliant attendance. It speaks volumes how well cared for he is that he hasn't succomed to the usual rounds of coughs and colds and had to have time off.

I think it is brilliant that at his age he is so aware of the importance of being at school as often as possible. This approach will stand him in very good stead when he gets out into the working world in years to come.

It is a shame that his medical appointment will spoil his record and jepoardise him being in with a chance of winning. Unfortunately that is life.

At my sons school they give certificates to all the children who have over 95% attendance over the school year. This is signed by the Head Teacher and handed out at the final assembly. It doesn't cost alot to do and means alot to the children involved. They all get a big round of applause. Could this maybe be a possibility. It takes into account all those kids who have 100% and dont win the bike and would also include your son and probably a few others whose attendance really should be recognised.

tescobabe69

victory wrote: »

Yes he is sad, I think he has earnt that right of feeling.

I hope your approach works for you:D

Your son has a right to feel sad ? Well let him get on with it then, I thought you were trying to alleviate his sadness.

DS4215

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Tell him that 100% attendance is a statistical anomaly. He's lucky he's not been ill enough to miss school, but he should realise it's just pure luck. There are plenty of kids who don't intentionally miss school, but won't have 100% attendance because of sickness.

It's more important to be treated medically than it is to have a meaningless statistic that no one will remember in a year.

Attendance will not improve his grades. It will never go on a CV. No one at 6th form will care. Also, he's trying to win a prize that he already has!

According to a slide show playing in the hall at DDs review day, a 10% drop in attendance (so 90%) is equivalent to missing half a year of school over the 5 years of comprehensive and works out about 1 GCSE grade for every 10% missed.

I don't know where the figures come from, but if correct this would be a major affect on a child's education.

But as for the OP, surely a medical appointment is an authorized absence and that is different from a sick day.