Fury Over School Trust Rewarding Punctual Students With TVs and Alton Towers Trips

New Rewards System Sparks Debate

A school trust in the North of England has sparked a debate after introducing a new rewards system that offers students televisions, Nando’s vouchers, and trips to Alton Towers for arriving on time. The initiative, launched by Co-op Academies Trust, is being implemented across several schools, including Belle Vue, Walkden, Swinton, and North Manchester.

At the Portland academy, students are given a raffle ticket every day they attend school. Those who are present for five days a week have their tickets doubled to ten. Every Friday during assembly, winners are drawn from a prize pool, with different prizes available each week. A separate draw is also held for Early Years Foundation Stage pupils.

In Swinton, the initiative is called 'Strive & Achievement Points.' Students earn points throughout the school year for good behavior, correct uniform, and attendance. These points can be exchanged for various awards, including Manchester United tickets. Four tickets for every home game are up for grabs thanks to a partnership with the club's foundation.

At the Manchester academy, 401 students won a trip to Alton Towers after demonstrating excellent punctuality, 100% positive behavior, and full marks in Spark Reader and Maths. Pupils across the academies were also entered into a 'big prize draw' for a Lenovo tablet at the end of term, with a raffle ticket earned for every week of full attendance.

At the Co-op Academy in Walkden, lucky pupils have won various prizes for their punctuality and attendance. Two students won a 40-inch Smart TV, while another received a £40 Nando’s voucher.

Ahead of the half-term break in February, 20 pupils won Nando’s vouchers after winning a draw because they had attended school daily for two and a half weeks.

Public Reaction to the Reward Scheme

The reward scheme comes as schools continue to grapple with attendance rates since the pandemic. Headteachers often attribute the drop in attendance to the impact of the pandemic on relationships between families and schools.

However, some critics have taken issue with the reward shops and raffles introduced by Co-op Academies Trust. One person questioned, "Aren't you... meant to be on time every day?" Another added, "Being on time every day should be expected," while a third criticized the approach, calling attendance the "bare minimum."

"Rewarding bare minimum behaviour is not effective," one person quipped, while another expressed shock at the prizes being given out for simply turning up to school.

Despite the criticism, others praised the initiative, calling it a "fab incentive" and a "fantastic idea" from the school trust.

Ofsted Report and Attendance Rates

Belle Vue Academy in Gorton was rated outstanding in all areas in its most recent Ofsted report in 2024, with absence rates "well below the national average." The report noted that staff knew pupils and their families "exceedingly well" and were able to identify and address issues effectively.

In comparison, students attending state-funded secondary schools in Greater Manchester were absent without authorization around one day out of every 26. In the academic year of 2024/25, the rate of lost school sessions was above the national average, sitting at 3.8 percent.

The current national average for unauthorized absence rates in state-funded schools across England stands at 2.43 percent.

Principal's Perspective on the Initiative

Belle Vue Principal Scott Fletcher, who introduced the rewards scheme after being appointed in 2022, explained: "Where we have lower weeks of attendance, we do daily raffles. So basically, if you turn up that day, you're in with a chance of winning."

Co-op Academies Trust claims that its reward shops, attendance prize draws, and recognition schemes help pupils feel "valued" and "encouraged." The trust states that these initiatives are just one part of a broader strategy to improve not only attendance but also confidence, helping students "feel seen, valued, and motivated."

CEO's Statement on the Programmes

Chris Tomlinson, CEO of Co-op Academies Trust, emphasized the importance of excellent attendance: "Excellent attendance changes lives. We know that children and young people achieve better academically, socially and emotionally when they are consistently in school and fully engaged in learning."

He added that the rewards initiatives adopted by some schools are part of a wider approach focused on pupil experiences, encouragement, recognition, and belonging. "We are incredibly proud alongside other interventions to improve attendance of the positive impact this work is having across our academies, particularly in communities where schools continue to face significant attendance challenges following the pandemic."

Tomlinson highlighted that the programmes are not solely about prizes but about creating positive school cultures where students feel recognized, valued, and motivated to attend every day. He also mentioned that along with high expectations, strong pastoral support, and close work with families, rewards can play an important role in helping young people build the positive routines and habits that support long-term success.

Broader Strategies for Improvement

Co-op Academies Trust stated that the schemes are just one part of a larger strategy to improve attendance. Other measures include pastoral support, family engagement, breakfast clubs, activities, and attendance monitoring to support pupils.

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