Require schools to stop excluding children from attendance rewards
Require schools to stop excluding children from attendance rewards
The Issue
I’m a mum of three, and I’m starting this petition because I believe no child should be made to feel excluded or less deserving simply because they haven’t achieved 100% school attendance.
This started when children at my children’s primary school were given special treats in their classrooms for achieving 100% attendance, while other children were left sitting watching their classmates enjoy them.
Some children miss school because they’re poorly, have medical appointments, disabilities or additional needs. Even authorised absences can reduce their attendance percentage. These are often circumstances completely beyond a child’s control.
My argument has never been against school attendance or rewarding children for attending school. It’s about the way these rewards are being given out and the impact they have on the children who are left out.
Since speaking publicly about my experience, I’ve received an overwhelming response from parents sharing similar stories. This clearly isn’t just about one school or one family.
Children should be encouraged to attend school, but we should also be teaching them kindness, inclusion and understanding. Leaving a child sitting watching everyone else enjoy a treat because they were ill or had a hospital appointment doesn’t encourage them. It can make them feel punished for something they couldn’t help.
I’m calling for schools across the UK to review how attendance rewards are delivered and stop publicly excluding children from classroom treats and activities based solely on attendance percentages.
Schools can still celebrate attendance and encourage children to do their best, but rewards should never come at the expense of another child’s wellbeing.
I’ve also submitted a petition to the UK Parliament, reference 785271, which is currently awaiting approval.
We should not be using reward systems in the way we are towards primary school children to enforce better attendance, as this is out of their control and unfair.
Please sign and share this petition so we can encourage a fairer, more inclusive approach for children everywhere.
No child should have to sit and watch their classmates celebrate while they’re made to feel left out.
750
The Issue
I’m a mum of three, and I’m starting this petition because I believe no child should be made to feel excluded or less deserving simply because they haven’t achieved 100% school attendance.
This started when children at my children’s primary school were given special treats in their classrooms for achieving 100% attendance, while other children were left sitting watching their classmates enjoy them.
Some children miss school because they’re poorly, have medical appointments, disabilities or additional needs. Even authorised absences can reduce their attendance percentage. These are often circumstances completely beyond a child’s control.
My argument has never been against school attendance or rewarding children for attending school. It’s about the way these rewards are being given out and the impact they have on the children who are left out.
Since speaking publicly about my experience, I’ve received an overwhelming response from parents sharing similar stories. This clearly isn’t just about one school or one family.
Children should be encouraged to attend school, but we should also be teaching them kindness, inclusion and understanding. Leaving a child sitting watching everyone else enjoy a treat because they were ill or had a hospital appointment doesn’t encourage them. It can make them feel punished for something they couldn’t help.
I’m calling for schools across the UK to review how attendance rewards are delivered and stop publicly excluding children from classroom treats and activities based solely on attendance percentages.
Schools can still celebrate attendance and encourage children to do their best, but rewards should never come at the expense of another child’s wellbeing.
I’ve also submitted a petition to the UK Parliament, reference 785271, which is currently awaiting approval.
We should not be using reward systems in the way we are towards primary school children to enforce better attendance, as this is out of their control and unfair.
Please sign and share this petition so we can encourage a fairer, more inclusive approach for children everywhere.
No child should have to sit and watch their classmates celebrate while they’re made to feel left out.
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on 28 October 2026