Why Attendance Awards Are Damaging for All Children, Especially Those with SEND

Every term, many schools proudly hand out certificates and prizes for “100% attendance.” The idea sounds positive: to celebrate commitment, encourage consistency, and show children that turning up matters.

But while the intention may be good, the reality is far more complex. For many families, particularly those of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), attendance awards can be unfair, exclusionary and emotionally damaging. And in truth, the problem extends beyond SEND. Attendance awards can send unhealthy messages to all children about health, worth and success.

When Being Ill Feels Like Failure

I recently spoke with a parent whose child had been extremely unwell but refused to stay home because they were desperate not to lose their 100% attendance award and the end-of-year reward that comes with it. It is a story that is far too common.

Some schools offer non-uniform days, parties or even special trips for pupils with perfect attendance. The idea of taking a select group of children on a shopping-centre trip raises its own concerns, but that is a discussion for another day.

If a child is ill, they should rest. We should be teaching children to listen to their bodies, to recognise when they need to slow down and to understand that recovery is a crucial aspect of their wellbeing. Attendance awards do the opposite because they create a culture where being unwell feels like failing.

Rewarding perfect attendance sends the wrong message: that showing up is more valuable than being well. That is not the lesson we want children to learn.

The Reality of Attendance in England

Recent national data shows just how many pupils struggle with attendance and why blanket “100% attendance” rewards miss the mark.

• In 2022 to 23, the overall absence rate in state-funded schools in England was 7.4 percent.

• Persistent absence is defined as missing more than 10 percent of school. In the same year, more than 21 percent of pupils fell into this category.

• Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) had a 7.3 percent severe absence rate in the latest figures.

• Pupils on SEN Support had an overall absence rate of 10.2 percent, compared with 6.3 percent for pupils without identified SEND.

These numbers tell us something important. Many children, particularly those with SEND, simply cannot achieve 100 percent attendance and that is not their fault.

Children with SEND are more likely to require time off for illness, therapies, assessments and medical appointments. Even when these are authorised absences, they still affect their attendance record. How can we claim this is fair?

Rewarding something unachievable for a significant proportion of the school population does not motivate. It isolates.

For SEND Children, the Impact Runs Even Deeper

For pupils with SEND, absences are often unavoidable. Medical appointments, therapy sessions, mental health needs or recovery from sensory overload are not optional days off. They are essential to a child’s stability, wellbeing and ability to engage in learning.

When unavoidable absences lead to losing an award, it signals to children that their needs are an inconvenience. It chips away at confidence and belonging, the very foundations of inclusive education.

Mixed Messages About Wellbeing

Many schools have worked hard to promote wellbeing, emotional regulation and mental health. Yet rewarding perfect attendance sends a contradictory message: that being physically present is more important than being well enough to learn.

Children should not feel pressure to attend school when they are sick or anxious simply to protect a certificate. That is not resilience, that is distress in disguise.

Let’s Redefine What We Celebrate

Every child deserves recognition, but not for something as uncontrollable as illness or disability. Instead of rewarding perfect attendance, schools could celebrate:

• kindness

• effort

• progress

• perseverance

• emotional growth

• resilience

• positive contributions to the school community

These achievements build genuine self-esteem and belonging, and they are far more meaningful than a perfect attendance percentage.

Moving Towards True Inclusion

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a duty to promote equality and inclusion. Attendance awards, though well intentioned, often work against these aims by rewarding circumstances that many children cannot control.

If we truly believe every child matters, our reward systems must reflect that belief. We should model balance, compassion and self-awareness, values that support lifelong wellbeing.

Final Thoughts

Attendance awards might appear harmless, but they can have lasting consequences. They exclude SEND pupils who are unable to attend every day, and they pressure other children to ignore illness or burnout for the sake of a certificate.

It is time for a more compassionate approach, one that values health, inclusion and individual growth over statistics. Every child deserves to be seen, supported and celebrated, whether they are in school every day or taking the time they need to heal.

To the schools that have already moved away from attendance awards, well done. This is an important and positive step for all children, especially those with SEND.

If attendance or emotional based school avoidance is a worry for you, please do get in touch to see how SEND Meadow can help.