Cube mk2 and WIR

[Louise]

Good luck *sarah* those poor kids

[Mrs Frugal]

It doesn't matter who you vote for, the government get in anyway !

[Popcorn]

Good Luck Sarah - I'm feeling frustrated with you. What a total waste of paper and resourses - what jobsworth came up with that idea?

[Sophieam101]

I suspect my mum would move me if that happen, I get neck ache any from bending over doing my work at school.

Couldnt u go and see the head yourself, and have a good shout at it?

[Cinnamon]

I suspect my mum would move me if that happen, I get neck ache any from bending over doing my work at school.

Couldnt u go and see the head yourself, and have a good shout at it?

 

I have thought about moving her, but it is a very,very good School & the other one in the area is terrible!

Also, I think WHY SHOULD I ???

My Daughter is really happy at her School & really doesn't want to move.

I think that if enough people complain then the School will have to do something in the end.

 

I have also thought about meeting the Head, but to be honest I am not very good at confrontation & she is a bit scarey!

[Cate in NZ]

I think some head-teachers take being scary as part of their job description. I'll never forget Imy's headteacher treating me to a frosty glare and speaking to me like a 5 year old when my distraught daughter came out of school sobbing (reception class!) because she'd been excluded from PE for not having her kit, supposedly for the 2nd time. Furious at this and knowing I'd sent full PE kit in with her at the start of the week I grabbed her hand and went into the classroom to find out what had happened to cry so much. This is where I was confronted by the headteacher, who maintained that Imy and the class teacher could sort this out unaided! The PE kit was on the floor, directly underneath her peg where neither Imy, teacher (nor, presumably, the cleaner had thought to look ). She was incredibly intimidating to me though, I did find myself wondering about some of the little children there.

But on the other hand my son is now in year 9 of a large 1000+ all boys, wide ability school, that head-teacher must have some real tough nuts to deal with, boys and parents, yet he is polite, charming, easily accessible, but exudes this calm, quiet authority. Such a difference in attitude, yet he has to be the one with the tougher job. Not that I'd ever suggest that head-teachers (or any teachers at all in fact) have it easy at any level, but I do think that some get a bit power-crazed.

[Imogen]

Wow havn't posted for a LONG time!!

My headteacher is pretty nice - she seems quite down to earth but we are usually addressed by our year heads, who are much more in touch with what the students want and who they are, and since everything is much more relaxed now I'm at sixth form, you can go and speak to them about anything you want almost at any time, and a lot of issues get dealt with.

I remember that in the first few years of secondary school, you are taking SO many subjects, all with unbelieveably text books etc. The pressue to get everything on the school lists is immense too, especially considering you don't use half of them (or at least I never did still got a brand new school atlas downstairs that seems about the size of a small county) My back ached SO much, and so did my neck, but I used my locker a lot and as a result, my bag was a lot lighter. The idea that you should be made to carry about all your books in a huge folder is utterly ridiculous, and my mum worried about my back even though my bag wasn't half as heavy!! I seriously think that you should keep campaigning to the school - the results of this stupid rule could leave children with serious back problems.

All I can say is it's all very well and good for the teachers to think up all these rules, baring in mind they are about twice the size of the pupils AND stay in the same classroom the whole time while the children have to drag all their books around the whole day I often excuse myself at the beginning of my lesson so I can go and get my folders and text books from my locker. Good luck and I hope you get somewhere with this

[Mel (& Paul)]

Hi Imogen

Thought you hadnt been around for a while! Hope its all going well for you?

[Imogen]

Yup, everything going just fine!! Loving school at the moment, despite the considerable work load. Chickens doing great - Flo had a spell of soft shelled eggs recently but today, she laid the perfect eggy. Hope everyone and their chicks are doing amazing too !!

[Cinnamon]

Hi,

Just thought I would do a quick update.

 

I have not had a reply to my second letter to the head (sent 2 weeks ago) or the Govenors (sent 3 weeks ago), which I think is pretty poor.

 

On Tuesday as Devon was walking out of the door I rifled through her bag & pulled out a big paperback she had in there.

Would you believe, she got a detention from her english teacher for not having a reding book with her

I sent in a letter saying it was purely because of the size of the learning file that I decided to try to lighted her load by removing the book, but she was still given her detention.

However, the letter was forwarded onto the head, so maybe that will help a bit

 

So, they have to take in the file with each book in it every day (even today when the finish at 12.30!) because otherwise they may forget their books.

BUT, they have to remember their textbooks too on days they have French,Maths or German & now their reading book on English days too.

Oh - & Games kit on Games days.

 

Sort of negates the point,doesn't it?

[Jem]

Could you not have expressly refused for your daughter to be given detention under these circumstances? I'm afraid that I would have taken a trip to the school by now, perhaps even accompanied by my solicitor as a witness (otherwise I could be accused of becoming, god forbid, 'argumentative' with a teacher ). We're becoming so oppressed as a nation that for one to even express valid opinions on certain matters is now taboo. What a mess

 

Still, at least we can keep chickens

 

Cheers

 

Jem

[Cinnamon]

I feel that I did all I could in the circumstances, Jem

I phoned the School right away (Devon only gave me a few minutes notice,just before the bus came!) & asked for both the teacher involved & her form Tutor to call me back, leaving both my numbers. No-one called, & her detention was over lunchtime, so even thought I tried to get hold of the teacher again, she was "not available".

I did give Devon a letter for the teacher explaining the circs, which she handed to her & because of this her detention was reduced in time to only 10 minutes.

You are right....maybe I have not done enough, but the last thing I want to do is jepodise her education in what is otherwise a very good School.

In fact the best in the Oxfordshire area.

I certainly don't want her made an example of by the teachers, management or indeed her peers, so I feel I have to tread carefully here.

 

I am not good at confrontation, although I wish I was, but I am trying here.

I have sent a letter to the local paper with an email address for other concerned parents to contact me & try to arrange a meeting ,& today have contacted 2 national papers in the hope of them running a story.

But, there again I am in difficulty, as they want names & photos, & as I said my daughter comes first. She has already had a few jibes about me doing this, & I really do not want to make it worse.

Devon is also going to discreetly hand out a printed note with my phone number on to some of her pals whose parents have worries about the learning file, in the hope we can get a bigger crowd together.

 

I am NOT going to back down, as I feel that this is far too important an issue to drop.

BUT I will embrace a "softly softly" approcah I think

[Jem]

You are absolutely right of course

 

I'm so sorry for compounding your problems with a 'you should or I would have done this' attitude.

 

It was just one of those things that struck right to the core of me and I opened my mouth (?) without thinking it through... Sorry again.

 

I do hope that you get satisfaction eventually and my very best wishes and thoughts are with you in your frustrating quest.

 

Cheers

 

Jem

[Popcorn]

Oh Sarah, this is unbelieveable, and those teachers didn't even have the courtesy to call you back. That's one thing I wouldn't drop, I'd be on the phone asking why my call wasn't returned.

 

You've obviosly hit a raw nerve, and they are avoiding you.

 

Good luck with everything, it's hard making a stand, especially when it seems you are the only one doing it, but changes do come from people making themselves heard.

[Imogen]

Definately good luck - when there's an issue at school, it's always so tricky to know what to do. All I've learnt from it is to take as much action as you feel valid in the circumstances, because looking back upon my art exam fiasco (not sure if I've explained that or not Sadly, such a big fiasco, that arguments with the teachers and the exam board are still continuing - though thankfully, the teacher who caused all the grief to me got fired because of it) I do sometimes feel as if we could have done more and now it's too late. But definately keep campaigning - the policy is utterly ridiculous. Have you tried getting other parents involved with your cause and writing a petition or anything??