Imagine having a certificate for children who are able to walk and not giving it to the child paralysed last year.
Imagine an awards trip for children who have brown hair and not letting those with red hair go.
Imagine giving prizes to children whose first language is English but not giving it to the little girl who moved from Spain last year.
It wouldn’t be fair, it probably wouldn’t be allowed, in fact it would be discrimination and people would make a lot of noise until it was stopped.
Yet this is happening all over the UK every term!
Schools are so caught up in the fact their attendance levels need to improve that they are rewarding children with certificates, prizes and trips for going to school every day. However there are children who can’t achieve these awards even if they wanted to.
The child that has outpatient appointments at the hospital.
The child regularly seeing a psychologist.
The child who needs to attend medical appointments, meetings, be assessed or who school tells to stay home.
These children are unable to achieve 100% attendance through things that are out of their control.
These children don’t get certificates or reward trips, they don’t get the prizes they see their friends getting. They want so badly to wear the gold badge or go bowling.
These children often have low self esteem anyway and to introduce an unachievable award is just so unfair to them. I guarantee so many parents of children with special needs have had to deal with an upset child who didn’t get an attendance award when all their friends did. Too many parents have had to explain to their child why they are discriminated against in this way.
I am one of those parents and that is why I hate 100% attendance awards.
I wanted to do something to help and have designed an alternative attendance certificate for all those children who can’t achieve the impossible! If you would like a personalised alternative attendance certificate from Autism Kids On Tour for your child then please pay 50p (to cover time) into the Pay Pal: star@autismkidsontour.com and leave a message with the name you would like on the certificate. You will recieve your child’s certificate via email within 72 hours, ready to print!
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Those are very valid points. Thanks for raising the issue.
Well done you! I love it! You make a valid point. The pressure on kids is becoming ridiculous!
Thank you! And yes it is!
If we would all collectively prioritize education as a nation’s most valuable investment, schools wouldn’t have to obsess over attendance (funding). The kids lose out short term and long term.
This was a very good post. I’d never thought about how unfair perfect attendance awards are for kids who have to miss school for medical reasons.
There is certainly something to be said for more than just showing up. Bravo on this post! #mondaystumble xo
Thank you Lisa 😀