Northamptonshire secondary school defends prom rules despite claims of 'student anxiety'
A secondary school in Northamptonshire has stood by its prom rules which are reportedly causing “anxiety among some students”.
Sponne School in Towcester has outlined its rules for students in Year 11 to gain an invitation to the end-of-year leavers’ assembly and summer prom.
To earn an invite, students need 96 percent attendance and good behaviour over the course of the year.
If standards drop, invitations can be taken away, according to the school, but students will have one chance to earn them back before the event.
Negative points for behaviour, uniform, or punctuality can affect students’ chances.
In a letter to parents, the school said: “We want to make sure that students have met our high standards of engagement, behaviour, and attendance to warrant an invitation. Our leavers’ assembly and prom are not a ‘right of passage’ for students; it is a privilege, and we will only extend invitations to those who have earned them. Our prom will be a wonderful celebration of the very best of our Year 11 students.”
One parent has said the rules have created “anxiety among some of the students” and has criticised them.
The parent said: “Essentially what they're saying is a poor student will be shunned. Not just from the prom but even from a leavers’ assembly?
“A student that is behaving poorly with low attendance and behavioural problems is generally the student who needs the most support and inclusion.
“Poor attendance and behavioural problems are linked to child neglect issues, parental conflict, social anxiety, being the subject of bullying, and low self-esteem.
“They're going to give the child a label of not being good enough, which can stay with them well into adulthood.
“This is just my personal opinion. It doesn't affect my children directly, but I don't like them in this type of environment, which is causing a lot of anxiety amongst some of the students, I'm told.
“I really cannot get my head around this decision to exclude children and label them as ‘bad’.”
Responding, the school’s headteacher, Graham Forbes, said: “Sponne School takes great pride in its approach to inclusion and equality to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed in a supportive environment. All Year 11 students will have the same opportunity to attend the school prom and end-of-year celebrations.”