Appropriate sanction.

[Karen A]

Hi All.

Just after some opinions from others.

Ben attends swimming lessons in PE.

He goes off site to a leasure centre a few minutes walk away from school.

After the lesson today several pupils were making noisein the leasure centre foyer.Ben was not one of them.

As a result the whole group were told by the head of PE that they had to do five press ups on the public pavement [which is less than clean Inner London side road ]outside of the school gates.

Ben had a go and grazed his knee and has now been bullied because he cried.

I am in the process of writing a complaint.

However just wonder whether people feel this is appropriate for any year 7 never mind one with dyspraxia and AS.

Karen.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Karen A

[baddad]

Looked at from another angle: if the whole class were sanctioned for 'group behaviour' is it appropriate that Ben be exempt?

As for dyspraxia/AS - would you want him exempt from PE on the basis of these conditions, because five press-ups in the gym would be pretty standard as part of PE

Whether the sanction itself was appropriate for the class or not is a different question...

 

L&P

 

BD

[Tally]

When there is a group misbehaving, it can be really hard for teachers to identify which ones were actually involved. Punishing the entire group can be a good deterrant because it makes all the people who were not involved annoyed at those who were for causing them to get punished. It might have been difficult for Ben to be excused from the punishment even if the teacher had been able to tell that he was not one of the ones making the noise.

 

I'm not trying to belittle what happened, it was obviously really embarrassing for Ben to try the press ups, and then to be seen hurting himself and crying, all because of something he was not even involved with. What I'm trying to say is that the teacher may have been more thoughtless than deliberately unkind toward Ben. He did not deliberately pick Ben out for undeserved punishment and may not have thought through the possibility that Ben may find this difficult and the possible consequences of making him do it.

 

A letter explaining the consequences for Ben might be a better place to start than going straight in with a complaint.

[JsMum]

Because of the location it was unsafe and therefore I deem this an inapropriate Sanction, I think it is also inapropriate sanction due to Bens Dyspraxia and not having the correct support avilable to ensure he does it correctly, a press up is actually a very presice excerise do it wrong and there is alsorts of precussions on the body.

 

I think you have every right to put your concerns in writing and to share how distressed Ben became when he put into action the sanction.

 

JsMumxx

 

Edited March 24, 2010 by JsMum

[Karen A]

Thanks all.

It is helpful to get some other perspectives from people not in the situation.

I should say.I do not have a big issue with pressups.I did one myself this morning at the gym with some enouragement.

It is partly the location......in a public street on the pavement where there is dog mess most mornings.

 

I do not think the teacher was deliberately unkind towards Ben.I would not have been pleased if it was J who was told to do press ups in the street.Mind you he is six foot and in year 9 and would probably refuse.

 

Karen.

[Karen A]

Looked at from another angle: if the whole class were sanctioned for 'group behaviour' is it appropriate that Ben be exempt?

As for dyspraxia/AS - would you want him exempt from PE on the basis of these conditions, because five press-ups in the gym would be pretty standard as part of PE

Whether the sanction itself was appropriate for the class or not is a different question...

 

L&P

 

BD

 

Yes very good point.

My main problem is that this was in a public street rather than a gym.Is this appropriate anywhere other than the army.

We certainly want Ben included in PE.

 

[Mumble]

It is partly the location......in a public street on the pavement where there is dog mess most mornings.

I'm assuming that following this, this PE teacher did 5 press-ups as a sanction for causing a blockage on the pavement?

 

[justine1]

Yes very good point.

My main problem is that this was in a public street rather than a gym.Is this appropriate anywhere other than the army.

We certainly want Ben included in PE.

Hi

Yes I agree with everything mentioned above. Personally dont think the punnishment itself is too harsh but definatley dont agree with the location

Given that the school is nearby I am sure they could have been punnished there.Also my son(9) goes to swim at a leisure centre they get a coach there and back but all the kids are exhausted after,I cant imagine how he would have coped if he was given such a sanction.

[Karen A]

Hi again all.

Now with the help of elder son and after Ben has explained again the situation does not appear as bad it first appeared.

The press-ups took place outside of the school main entrance on the concrete drive within the grounds.

They took place on the way to swimming.Some of the group were making a noise just outside the school main entrance.

How they all had room to do press -ups in the drive I don't know but ar least there was no dog mess.

Ben also said he was told that if he did not do the press-ups he would get detention....I would have opted for detention myself but then I am still four stone over weight and me doing press-ups in the school drive would be horrid to behold.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Karen A

[smiley1590]

i had exact same treatment in PE lessons teacher knew i had balance,co-ordination and motor skills difficulties due to dyspraxia and she still force me to do it even though i explained i struggled hard due to my condition she used to send me out for not listening messing around being 'naughty' 'lazy' she wasn't very sympathic and i would cry when being sent out i get so angry and frustrated i made it clear i try my best and i never used dypsraxia as 'good reason and excuse' not to do it in the end my mum said she write me sick notes to cover me for this horrid nasty teacher she seemed to enjoy making a fool out of me and showing me up in front of whole class which made me feel so 'small' inside just pushed me deeper into low self esteem

 

i gave up trying to explain so when i went back and told my mum that she keeps pushing me too hard putting me under pressure constantly my mum wrote letter to headteacher explaining i had a true medical condition which made PE more awakard yet i tried and was made to feel like this my mum was so annoyed angry .... upset for me she seemed to hook onto the fact that i used dyspraxia as an excuse which hurt me alot! she seemed to 'like' everyone else just felt like me the 'outsider' she make feel anxious uncomfortable always on edge

 

but then i had another PE teacher and when i explained i had dyspraxia and difficulties around it she was gentle calm understanding

 

i always felt 'never good enough' to be in the lesson and always look at my peers jealous and bitter just because way she was with everyone else then me! painful stab in the heart i lost all enjoyment and excitement everyone else felt i was always picked last when in teams and my teacher say just go with that team just like that and never gave encouragement support and belief where other teacher did i responded better to the other teacher

 

my teacher like competitiveness and that 'stuck' in my throat and when anyone else found stuff difficult struggle she didn't seem to mind she give them encouragement praise support even with my best friend she loved her but all missing with me and why i'll never know but would like to know someday! as you do always question behind situations that negative .... to work out the conclusion!

 

everyone commented on how i was sent out so i was so embarassed and ashamed for being dyspraxic and struggling like i did and when tried to stand up for myself she called 'backchat'!

 

so hard to understand why it is done for i never get my head around it! felt like had to be 'perfect'

 

it seemed unfair and unjustified but in her eyes was opposite and you couldn't tell her different she'd swear overwise i used to try run out lessons i was so scared and afraid what she'd say or do next! made you dread the lesson fear doing it even more!!! she used to tell me i wasn't trying my hardest enough! or paying attention/focus!

 

XKLX

[Kathryn]

five press-ups in the gym would be pretty standard as part of PE

 

I don't think I've ever had to do press-ups in PE, maybe it's a male thang.

 

I think it's usually considered bad practice to punish a whole group for the behaviour of a few - (I think there's something about that in my son's school behaviour policy). Having said that, the punishment wasn't terribly draconian, in my opinion, and is at least related to the PE curriculum.

 

Not wanting to belittle Ben's distress, but I think within reason, learning that life is sometimes a bit unfair and a bit tough, and sometimes one may as well just grin and bear it, is a valuable lesson. You won't always be there to intervene on his behalf when he's on the wrong end of a bad call.

 

K x

[got the tshirt]

My girls just have a massive problem with the whole class being punished, Dd1 used to get sooo upset and Dd3 is just the same. I Don't think peer preasure works in this way and think that the ones who are a pain don't care about the others and the others are not tough enough to stand up to the ones who are a pain.

I hope the teacher gave the children a warning first so that they at least knew what was coming. I think this is lazy disapline and the teacher should try to be a bit more positive. At the end of the day the kids were probably excited about going swimming, they are still young. Give them a break I say, they're not squadies!!

[cmuir]

Hi

 

I don't think the punishment fitted the crime (ie public punishment), nor do I think it's fair that a whole group are punished for the sake of one or two culprits. Sure, make an example of those who are misbheaving, but where's the sense or justice in that extending to those who are deemed guilty by association, especially given they were in a group (ie association wasn't optional). It would have been much more appropriate to have cut their time short during that lesson or missed some of playtime or something like that.

 

Caroline.

[Mumble]

at least related to the PE curriculum.

That's the bit I disagree with most ...

 

I have a huge problem with subjects being used as punishment; the same would be the case where a child is punished in maths by being made to recite or write out times tables or by being given lines in Literacy. They come with the implicit understanding that whatever aspect of the subject is being used as punishment (which may well be extrapolated to the subject as a whole) is 'bad' and that the subject - maths, writing, etc. is not one to be enjoyed.

 

The sanction should relate to the behaviour that has been deemed inappropriate otherwise it is far less meaningful.

 

[JsMum]

 

Hi, Its been interesting reading other peoples opinion, I found this earlier it has some of the similair points, of view, the link is already five years old though, but its interesting enough.

 

Baddad I think you might have a few opinions on it, especially as the rewards are money insentives.

 

Anyway here is the link.

 

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2169819

 

Happy reading.

 

JsMumxx

 

 

 

[Kathryn]

Point taken, Mumble, although I'm not sure what would have been an appropriate punishment in this situation.

 

To put this whole thing in perspective, it was 5 press ups - soon over and done, not 25, not an essay or a 3 hour detention which might well be worth a protest on behalf of the innocent. Hardly worth worrying about - sometimes you have to pick your battles. Teachers get it wrong sometimes and a perceived mass injustice can bond a group together like nothing else.

 

K x

Edited March 24, 2010 by Kathryn

[Mumble]

I'm not sure what would have been an appropriate punishment in this situation.

Well the 'crime' was noise, so duck tape round every pupils' mouth to gag them for the rest of the day? (yes, this is a joke...)

 

To put this whole thing in perspective, it was 5 press ups - soon over and done

To which you could argue, well what was the point? All it would have done was waste time and did it really teach the children to keep the noise down in future?

 

[Mumble]

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2169819

"Bristol academy rewarded GCSE pupils with a total of £37,000 under its incentives scheme this year. The 165 pupils, who were paid £10 for reaching predicted grades and £5 for every grade above that target, received an average of £180 - with one high achiever netting £410."

Huh I wish that had been around when I did my GCSEs - I was told I would be lucky to get one E grade. I would have made £190. That's a lot of chocolate!

[baranigirl]

yeah a few schools round here have paid their kids to do well in exams

 

Personally I think the 5 press ups is a reasonable 'punishment' and probably used as a calming method as well, although I find just stopping what I am doing and either waiting for the rest of the children to catch on or clicking my fingers is just as calming in method and a lot happier result afterwards

[Kathryn]

Interesting article, Jsmum.

 

On the subject of inappropriate punishments, my standard 2 (year 4) teacher was fed up with telling me off about my sloppy handwriting. Presented one day with a page in which all my u's apparently looked like v's, she lost her temper and told me to write out the letter u 1000 times. I think I lost count after about half an hour and she let me stop.

 

It was obviously a memorable punishment but I don't know if it had the desired effect. I note that my u's are now perfectly formed - so maybe it did.

 

K x

[Karen A]

Point taken, Mumble, although I'm not sure what would have been an appropriate punishment in this situation.

 

To put this whole thing in perspective, it was 5 press ups - soon over and done, not 25, not an essay or a 3 hour detention which might well be worth a protest on behalf of the innocent. Hardly worth worrying about - sometimes you have to pick your battles. Teachers get it wrong sometimes and a perceived mass injustice can bond a group together like nothing else.

 

K x

 

Hi.

I did not expect to create such a debate with this one.

My only concern with this approach comes from first hand experience of some of the year 9s who use the same gym as myself for PE.The school use the same leasure centre as they have no gym.

Some of them do multiple press-ups to show off to the girls with them.Things I could only dream of.Clapping hands inbetween.

For them five press-ups would be nothing.

 

Ben like myself is not slim.He also has dyspraxia.He could not do one press-up with a bomb behind him.

He would not dream of making a token effort to avoid trouble as would our elder son.

So he makes a spectacle of himself doing what is asked.

Sorry it does feel like something to worry about.

This was in the school main entrance with passers by able to look on.

He spent maths this afternoon with a pupil who has bullied him for the last six months calling across the class that he is ''Benjamine button'' ''Benjamine'' ''Attention seaking'' and ''Does not really have SEN'' and ''Could not even do two press-ups''.

This is upsetting after six months at secondary and one form move already.

 

If Ben had agreed to a detention this would at least be in line with the school behaviour policy.He may have agreed if he could sit and read a book which would not bother him that much.

In no other lesson other than PE could a teacher ask pupils to do prses-ups as a sanction and expect parents not to challenge it.

 

Having said that all opinions expressed on this thread have been noted.We are sleeping on this one and thinking about whether it is a battle worth fighting.

Elder son tells me press-ups are a fairly regular punishment for all in PE and he is a bit put out but not much.

Karen.

 

 

 

 

 

[Karen A]

yeah a few schools round here have paid their kids to do well in exams

 

Personally I think the 5 press ups is a reasonable 'punishment' and probably used as a calming method as well, although I find just stopping what I am doing and either waiting for the rest of the children to catch on or clicking my fingers is just as calming in method and a lot happier result afterwards

 

Hi.To be fair this is an Inner London Comprehensive.I have a horrid feeling any teacher waiting for pupils to catch on might be there some time.

Karen.

[Karen A]

Hi, Its been interesting reading other peoples opinion, I found this earlier it has some of the similair points, of view, the link is already five years old though, but its interesting enough.

 

Baddad I think you might have a few opinions on it, especially as the rewards are money insentives.

 

Anyway here is the link.

 

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2169819

 

Happy reading.

 

JsMumxx

 

I have not read all of the link yet.However money insentives are not likely to happen.The school cannot afford text books.

 

I did not realise I had started such a debate.

Karen.

 

[Sally44]

I'm not sure where I stand on this one.

Although this type of thing does happen quite often in schools. And I do understand that all children have to cope with having a raw deal, or things being unfair etc. I do think that the teachers in charge should also be considering WHO the pupils are. That in itself is a hard thing to do. But I would not like it if my son were put in a position where he was made to comply with something that he could not do well or which might upset him. He is 'different' enough without him being made to get angry/upset and look even more 'out of the circle'.

I think if it were me I would speak with the SENCO and maybe even the teacher and not necessarily demand it never happened again, but just to ask them to consider what their punishment or actions actually means for my son. For the other kids it is just press ups. For ours it is something much harder, with issues of self esteem, failure etc all added on top. Afterall, the teacher should consider there could have been the real possibility of a child totally losing it and the teacher having an even bigger issue of a teenager in the middle of a meltdown.

[baddad]

Hi.

I did not expect to create such a debate with this one.

My only concern with this approach comes from first hand experience of some of the year 9s who use the same gym as myself for PE.The school use the same leasure centre as they have no gym.

Some of them do multiple press-ups to show off to the girls with them.Things I could only dream of.Clapping hands inbetween.

For them five press-ups would be nothing.

 

Ben like myself is not slim.He also has dyspraxia.He could not do one press-up with a bomb behind him.

He would not dream of making a token effort to avoid trouble as would our elder son.

So he makes a spectacle of himself doing what is asked.

Sorry it does feel like something to worry about.

This was in the school main entrance with passers by able to look on.

He spent maths this afternoon with a pupil who has bullied him for the last six months calling across the class that he is ''Benjamine button'' ''Benjamine'' ''Attention seaking'' and ''Does not really have SEN'' and ''Could not even do two press-ups''.

This is upsetting after six months at secondary and one form move already.

 

If Ben had agreed to a detention this would at least be in line with the school behaviour policy.He may have agreed if he could sit and read a book which would not bother him that much.

In no other lesson other than PE could a teacher ask pupils to do prses-ups as a sanction and expect parents not to challenge it.

 

Having said that all opinions expressed on this thread have been noted.We are sleeping on this one and thinking about whether it is a battle worth fighting.

Elder son tells me press-ups are a fairly regular punishment for all in PE and he is a bit put out but not much.

Karen.

 

But if ben had agreed to a detention and it wouldn't bother him that much it's not really a sanction, is it? And you've already moved the goalposts because your original concern was that it was on a dog-egg strewn public highway outside of the swimming baths, but when you learnt it was inside the school gates you said it wasn't as bad as you first thought, but now you've found another reason why it was bad, because passers by might see... And if he wouldn't dream of making a 'token effort' isn't it important that he should start to see that that's sometimes necessary? Sounds to me like you are looking for reasons why this is 'bad'. To me, (and I'm sure I'll be in the minority but what's new?) it sounds like you're making a mountain out of a molehill and actually going out of your way to do so. More important, if he is going to access a mainstream school, is that occassionally he's just gonna have to learn to bite the bullet like every other kid in the school, because i'm sure there are going to be bigger challenges ahead of him than five press up's and the possibility of not being able to choose his own sanction of preference.

J's mum - not sure why the article would be of interest to me? Big advocate for sanctions and reward schemes actually, I just thing sanctions should be for bad behaviour and rewards for good. Often rewards seem to be offered for NOT doing bad stuff, which is completely ar8e about face. Carrot and stick - you don't give the donkey a carrot for not moving but not kicking either; you give it the stick for kicking and the carrot for moving. If you don't, you end up with a donkey that expects carrots for standing still...

 

L&P

 

BD

Edited March 25, 2010 by baddad

[Karen A]

But if ben had agreed to a detention and it wouldn't bother him that much it's not really a sanction, is it? And you've already moved the goalposts because your original concern was that it was on a dog-egg strewn public highway outside of the swimming baths, but when you learnt it was inside the school gates you said it wasn't as bad as you first thought, but now you've found another reason why it was bad, because passers by might see... And if he wouldn't dream of making a 'token effort' isn't it important that he should start to see that that's sometimes necessary? Sounds to me like you are looking for reasons why this is 'bad'. To me, (and I'm sure I'll be in the minority but what's new?) it sounds like you're making a mountain out of a molehill and actually going out of your way to do so. More important, if he is going to access a mainstream school, is that occassionally he's just gonna have to learn to bite the bullet like every other kid in the school, because i'm sure there are going to be bigger challenges ahead of him than five press up's and the possibility of not being able to choose his own sanction of preference.

J's mum - not sure why the article would be of interest to me? Big advocate for sanctions and reward schemes actually, I just thing sanctions should be for bad behaviour and rewards for good. Often rewards seem to be offered for NOT doing bad stuff, which is completely ar8e about face. Carrot and stick - you don't give the donkey a carrot for not moving but not kicking either; you give it the stick for kicking and the carrot for moving. If you don't, you end up with a donkey that expects carrots for standing still...

 

L&P

 

BD

 

Please prepare to stand back in amazement.

I think having thought about it we agree with you.

We may well document the bullying which is an ongoing issue that needs to be resolved.

However kicking up a fuss about whole class sanctions and the appropriateness of them may well just wind everyone up.

Ben does need to learn things are not always fair IRL. tough though that it is.

Karen.

 

[Karen A]

Thanks for all of the mixed views they were very useful.

 

It is good to get a different perspective from those not so involved.Ben gets very worked up and it is easy to join him.

 

We have sent an Email documenting the incident very briefly as background to verbal bullying that took place later.We have also mentioned very nicely the need for provision in PE to take account of Ben's needs as per his Statement.We were told at the AR on 15th March and during subsequent conversations that TA support is provided from Ben's allocation of 15 hours in PE which is not currently the case.We have had problems in swimming for over a month.

 

We have not expressed an opinion on the sanction and context other than describing what took place.Interestingly I think the school behaviour policy does allow for whole class sanctions where appropriate.The sanction took place outside the main office and staff entrance so I am sure staff will know about it.

We worked hard at the AR to build a good relationship with the school and be positive about the many good staff and it would not help to ratchet things up again now.

Karen.

[baddad]

Please prepare to stand back in amazement.

I think having thought about it we agree with you.

We may well document the bullying which is an ongoing issue that needs to be resolved.

However kicking up a fuss about whole class sanctions and the appropriateness of them may well just wind everyone up.

Ben does need to learn things are not always fair IRL. tough though that it is.

Karen.

 

The 'bullying' thing... be careful with that word, but yes I agree that the 'teasing' thing should be documented and some sort of intervention decided upon. Having negotiated similar straits myself I think you have to address these kinds of things from both angles - while you need to ensure that the kid(s) doing the winding up are sanctioned you also have to do everything you can to stop your kid from reacting to the winding, because it's usually the reaction that is the other kid(s) 'reward'... And the fact is, no matter how good the policing teachers can't see everything, and even when they suspect they know what's happening what they haven't witnessed they have to remain impartial about. One of the things I work hard to impress on my Ben is that the kids who 'c0ck a deaf 'n'' don't tend to get teased - it's the ones who rant and rally against the injustice or get upset who do, because that's highly entertaining visual stuff.

That doesn't mean that the 'teasers' should get away with it, of course, but stopping that kind of behaviour can be a slow/complex process (and sadly very few parents of the 'teasing' kids are willing to accept that their kids could EVER be in the wrong , however much evidence there might be to the contrary) and while that's going on cocking a deaf 'n' is defintely a better strategy than firework displays. The other thing a calmer approach offers is the opportunity for the teaser and teasee to both get engaged in negotiating the solution. While 'friendship' may be impossible a negotiated truce is much more likely to work in the long term than an aggressive 'playground injunction order'.

 

Hope that's helpful, and on the plus side it can sometimes be that the other kid's parents are really helpful too. Fingers crossed.

 

L&P

 

BD

[puffin]

Personally I think that teachers who resort to collective punishments need their head examined - all they succeed in doing is alienating the good kids who see no benefits to good behaviour when they are punished anyway.

 

It also causes pupils to loose total respect for the teacher and to be perceived as unable to control the class if they need to punnish the other kids to exert peer pressure- this was certainly the case when I recieved a group detention in the UK - I still remember it today almost 40 years later - the worst bit was that the 2 people who caused the trouble did not even turn up and the teacher did not bring a class list so only the innocent kids got punnished and the guilty ones got off scott free - the teacher never managed to regain the respect of the class.

 

Happily I now live in a country where collective punishments for schoolkids is in fact illegal

 

 

[baranigirl]

Hi.To be fair this is an Inner London Comprehensive.I have a horrid feeling any teacher waiting for pupils to catch on might be there some time.

Karen.

 

 

true, but saying that it can take even my 4 kids a while to catch on

[Karen A]

The 'bullying' thing... be careful with that word, but yes I agree that the 'teasing' thing should be documented and some sort of intervention decided upon. Having negotiated similar straits myself I think you have to address these kinds of things from both angles - while you need to ensure that the kid(s) doing the winding up are sanctioned you also have to do everything you can to stop your kid from reacting to the winding, because it's usually the reaction that is the other kid(s) 'reward'... And the fact is, no matter how good the policing teachers can't see everything, and even when they suspect they know what's happening what they haven't witnessed they have to remain impartial about. One of the things I work hard to impress on my Ben is that the kids who 'c0ck a deaf 'n'' don't tend to get teased - it's the ones who rant and rally against the injustice or get upset who do, because that's highly entertaining visual stuff.

That doesn't mean that the 'teasers' should get away with it, of course, but stopping that kind of behaviour can be a slow/complex process (and sadly very few parents of the 'teasing' kids are willing to accept that their kids could EVER be in the wrong , however much evidence there might be to the contrary) and while that's going on cocking a deaf 'n' is defintely a better strategy than firework displays. The other thing a calmer approach offers is the opportunity for the teaser and teasee to both get engaged in negotiating the solution. While 'friendship' may be impossible a negotiated truce is much more likely to work in the long term than an aggressive 'playground injunction order'.

 

Hope that's helpful, and on the plus side it can sometimes be that the other kid's parents are really helpful too. Fingers crossed.

 

L&P

 

BD

 

Unfortunately the other party has already been documented by most school staff as being very challenging.The school have a house on site which is internal exclusion.The young man in question is currently spending more time there than in class.Ben had to move form at christmas because of consistent severe verbal abuse which had been recognised by the year head before we raised the issue.Unfortunately he is still in the same maths group.

 

We have delayed in clearly documenting issues but CAMHS have advised us to do so now.I am very supportive of inclusion generally.As you know I shout loud about parents having a right to appeal exclusion.Unfortunately we have reached the point where we feel at least by documenting consistent verbal abuse and threats to beat Ben up we will enable the Year Head to have evidence to support action.

 

Having said all of that we do know that for whatever reason Ben will place himself in situations which far from avoiding trouble provoke it.

The other day he discovered that there are now two clans in his year.Both clans have a strong group identity.Not really gangs but not to be messed with.Ben wrote on his hand ''Saints'' [one gang] .He waited until seventeen year 7s knew about it in the playground .He the rolled his shirt up to display the word '' sucks''.He is intelligent enough to know he had not been wise and placed himself strategically outside of the staff room window.....where he ended up with his face pressed up against the window when a member of staff who knows him well rescued him. He came to no harm but I do not understand.

 

Yesterday apparently when asked to write on a stick it note what he had learned at school in the last few days in PAL he wrote ''that this school is rubbish and nobody helps you''.He was surprised that his Year Head told him it was horrid.

 

He ended up in detention this afternoon.He worked his way through sanctions C1,C2,C3 and was fortunate not to end up with a C4.He wiped the C3 off the board in front of the whole class and the teacher.

I collect Ben still .He arrived at the car telling me he was not going to do detention.I must have been thinking of your previous words to another FM because I took him myself to the office and told him I do not intend to give up a Saturday morning while he does a C4.

He has now found he does not like detention as much as he thought he would.Not just the detention but the extra half hour sitting in rush hour traffic which was a loss of important x box time before big brother gets home.

 

I am not supposed to be drinking tonight but may have a small glass.

Karen.

 

[av16]

Sorry things are a bit tricky at the moment <'> I would say holidays are nearly on us - but that brings another set of problems

[NobbyNobbs]

"Bristol academy rewarded GCSE pupils with a total of £37,000 under its incentives scheme this year. The 165 pupils, who were paid £10 for reaching predicted grades and £5 for every grade above that target, received an average of £180 - with one high achiever netting £410."

ahh, yet another 'system' that penalises the intelligent and responsible. if you always do your work properly you should always achieve your predicted grades and no higher... and why should someone who is predicted A* and gets it get less of a reward than someone who messed around in class and was predicted a D, who then bothers to pay attention in the test and does better.

 

i think i'd have been paying money back to the school. after missing most of year 11 i *only* got As and Bs