Flaming Schools

[Pipsqueak]

I have just found out from eldest that he is not allowed to go on the year trip as his attendance is too low.

Now, I admit he had a few days of genuinely poorly at the start of the academic year... there were days when school themselves sent him home as he was poorly. They even sent him home when he hurt his hand. I recently posted about them not sending him home or ringing me when he had his sprained ankle and he needed pain relief.

Anyway I got it sorted with the school - his orthodontic appointments were marked down wrongly (as unauthorised absences) and he was also being mixed up with another child with a very (very) similar name.

Now it transpires there is a school trip that he has been excluded from (too late to do anything about it - he has left it too late in telling me) due to 'poor attendance'. Rob is really peed of about it and said its not like I have been naughty like some of the kids who are going. No point me even bothering is there.... is his reasoning.

He doesn't want to go into school on the day of the trip - apparently they have to join in classes with other years and as he said ' we get the pee ripped out of us'.

so to me they are punishing him for being genuinely poorly (apparently he is 1 point of being able to go). they are lumping him with the 'naughty kids'.

Now I agree with rewarding the good behaviours but singling kids out like this is not on to me.

I am tempted to keep him off that day anyway (strike day) as the other two are off anyway - my logic is oh well they think he has bad attendance anyway and they are insistent in getting it wrong....


am I wrong in my thinking of this???

[tinkerbelle]

our school is bad for allowing the naughty kids on trips for free as a incentive to behave like thats going to work and the kids that work hard and behave all year have to fork out for them its totally ridiculous

[clio0602]

I would def keep him off! Never heard of anything like this happening in schools not sure I'm keen on the idea. Think it should go on behaviour and effort rather than attendance where genuinely poorly kids get excluded x

[gigglinggoblin]

If school are in the wrong (and it sounds like they are) I would write and tell them you are keeping him off and why. I would also make sure they know he feels there is no point in trying, sounds like he is right >:(

[Pipsqueak]

I will be writing, mind you they didn't respond to the last email I sent about them denying him pain relief when he needed it.

[mumto3]

I would be writing a letter of complaint, u should of been informed of this in time to rectify it

I would keep him off school, not fair that he has to join other year groups

[PixiePetal]

What's the point of him going to sit in with other year groups - not as if he will be doing the usual work.:rolleyes:

I can't stand normally good kids being punished like this - especially as the school are wrong about his time off for illness.

I am waiting to see if I get the 'letter home' from DS dance teacher. He is yr 9, gangly 6' tall, normally quiet and conscientious lad. Aparently he was not putting in enough effort to the 'S Club 7' dance. They were in groups of 8 so he was being the cameraman! :rolleyes: Teacher said - letters home for the ones showing little or no effort.

Well I wouldn't mind but I had his report last week - 96% attendance, all subjects on target for level 6 at least and wonderful comments from all teachers - even dance! What else do they want? - blood :angry: He hates dance and can't wait to give it up next year, when he found out today was an Inset day he was so chuffed as it is dance day :D

sorry to go on but school does my brain in:angry:

[Blaze]

I would be in ORBIT!!!! Definately make a formal complaint - they should get him on that trip any which way - it was their mistake! Definately don't send him - let him stay home...:angry: on both your behalves!

[The Juggler]

OMG Pip that is awful. This is discrimination. That's like in the employment world not being given a pay rise for having too much sick time off - IF YOU ARE SICK YOU ARE SICK - THEY do not have the right to do this. Lateness at school - yes, that can be helped but sickness CANNOT.

Throw the book at them.:panic: :angry:

[blue bear]

This has happened all but one year for my son, he has genuine health problems that means he spends lots of time in hospital, this year has taken the biscuit though, the Pe teacher took him out of school with out my permission to play rugby for the year above him, he was injured and had multiple fractures. Because he couldnt go up stairs the school excluded him from those lessons taught up stairs and I had to collect him and take him home and return him for any lessons tome tabled down stairs, bearing in mind he is in year 11 you can imagine how frustrated he was.
Any way they then decided he couldn't go to his end of year prom due to absences caused by the rugby injury!
Only 40 children from a possible 120 went as many refused to go in protest of the treatment of my son

Complaining equals hitting head on brick wall!

[Helen D]

Keep him off hun.....putting him into the classes where he may get pickedon etcis way out of order and lets face it may teach him things you would rather he didn't learn........but do take matters up with the school....I sometimes think they are having a laugh as they never seem to admit when they mess up..........he could help you for the day...washng..ironing......cleaning the loo....all those delightful chores that the tidy up fairy usually does for them lol
Helen D

[rickysmiths]

I would be in ORBIT!!!! Definately make a formal complaint - they should get him on that trip any which way - it was their mistake! Definately don't send him - let him stay home...:angry: on both your behalves!

I agree on this one I would be in there now making sure he is INCLUDED on the trip. If they have a reason to EXCLUDE him then they should have written to you explaining why he has been excluded.

My husbands school do stop some children from certain trips but it is with very good reason and the parents are informed when the trip is organised.

I would be spitting mad. Even if he does get on the trip I would be writing to the Head in the stogest terms and copying to the Board of Govenors. Depending on their response I would have no hesitation but to go to the Dept of Education for your County as well. They must be made aware of any Exclusive practice.

[Pipsqueak]

in response to the email... I got a 4 line reply stating that it was to do with his 'effort grades' that why is apparently (now) excluded.


funny that I checked and double checked with Rob and he said no way was it down to behaviour or efforts or grades- he delightedly told me that he had a mentor meeting with his form tutor yesterday and they are pleased with his results and have seen significant improvement in all areas and his grades are back to where they should be barr two subjects - which he hates (science and maths but his grades had still risen by 1 level).

the school - from yr 7 have acknowledged robert has concentration problems and were supposed to working closely with me to encourage him, they have acknowleged (so I thought) his 'different learning style' and they were supposed to be keeping me closely informed if there were any other problems - which they have never done.

the bit about the 4 line email.... we trust you will continue to support us in encouraging Robert to better himself. RAGING......

I have replied with an essay!


long and short they are not going to let him go on the trip though - the school is a law unto itself. even when a child was viciously assualted and their head was split open and police were involved - the head would not meet with the parents nor police.

[Pipsqueak]

I agree on this one I would be in there now making sure he is INCLUDED on the trip. If they have a reason to EXCLUDE him then they should have written to you explaining why he has been excluded.

My husbands school do stop some children from certain trips but it is with very good reason and the parents are informed when the trip is organised.

I would be spitting mad. Even if he does get on the trip I would be writing to the Head in the stogest terms and copying to the Board of Govenors. Depending on their response I would have no hesitation but to go to the Dept of Education for your County as well. They must be made aware of any Exclusive practice.



Oh I will Ricky.... I will.

I fully support the school and if he had been naughty or disruptive, if he genuinely wasn't trying or skivving off then I would be with them ALL the way. They KNOW i will support them in detentions where its justified and so on but this is just plain wrong.

[The Juggler]

Oh I will Ricky.... I will.

I fully support the school and if he had been naughty or disruptive, if he genuinely wasn't trying or skivving off then I would be with them ALL the way. They KNOW i will support them in detentions where its justified and so on but this is just plain wrong.

Oh Pip I am soooo outraged for you. Straight to Chair of Governors and let them try to wriggle out of it. So they are penalising a child in need of learning support because he hasn't done well enough in his grades and are penalising him with excluding him from the trip.

I've never heard anythign so outrageous. :panic: :panic:

[Pipsqueak]

Oh Pip I am soooo outraged for you. Straight to Chair of Governors and let them try to wriggle out of it. So they are penalising a child in need of learning support because he hasn't done well enough in his grades and are penalising him with excluding him from the trip.

I've never heard anythign so outrageous. :panic: :panic:

thats the thing - its never been formally identified that he has concentration problems. He just gets distracted and loses concentration - even in a 1hr lesson and every single teacher since nursery will say the same thing of him.
His learning style is not sit around and listen - he is an on the move, hands on learner. Whilst I appreciate that you have to knuckle down every so often and bow to the rules - the rules need to be flexible.

I think they want blood - he has worked hard to regain his grades but obviously not enough. His he is a kind, thoughtful, enterprising, fun loving child who is not nasty malicious or a bully, he isn't rude or disruptive nor is he underhand or sly - you know those kids who get away with murder because they are good at disguising what they have done. My son is honest too and will always own up to his wrongs. This is not enough is it :(