Unsecure chicken perches

[charly1979]

Ok I will try and keep my concerns/rant to a minium and to make sense:

 

I am really concerned over the last 6 months my chilcdrens primary school has been going downhill (suppose due to cuts but also due to the head becoming an excutive head of two schools)

 

Regarding my son he has started Yr3 (1st yr juniors) when he was in year 2 his reading took a nose dive despite both me and the OH reading at home with him, 'aprarently' his Sats were average but he lacks confidence and now the teacher has said she is concerned by his reading level (unforetantly she left this week new teach in the new year) but I dont see what the school is doing to help he may be doing the odd extra group but im not seeing anything else. We have now started the Peter & Jane set with him. He is trying his best but im so concerned and feel more needs to be done. So am I expecting too much ??

 

Regarding my daughter she is in her last year her year have also been disrupted by new teachers and after parents evening I felt confident that she was being challenged enough but I am now wondering if this is the case and I have heard similar concerns from other parents ?? But what I have just been tod has really upset me, in the school assembly yesterday she was crying because a teacher was leaving and the head told her to stop crying and being dramatic as nothing was changing and didnt show her any compassion ? Is it really that wrong to be sad when a very much loved teacher is leaving, I mean I was emotional too ... Problem is the school will change dramatically now she has gone as she was really the best teacher and actually got the kids to work to their full potentail whilst being fun too.

 

Its is a small school (approx 30 in each class and theres only 4 classes) but recently Ive noticed the lack of manners in the children one morning I was with the head whilst a number of children barged in front us to go down the steps !! There seem to be a few too many incidents re bullying, my daughter has been picked on in the past because she is a good singer and usually the only one who sings up and knows the words plus tune !! Ive just heard this has happened to a younger child as she has the same musical flare. My daughter recently had he hair pulled out and flushed down the toilet, the school knows its happened but why did I not get told ?? they called me last year as she had a knock on the head (standard policy) failed to mention it was a younger boy who pushed her against the wall on purpose

 

Ideally I should have removed her from the school at the end of the summer term but now I feel its too late, I know what school would be good but if she went there chances are in september all the children at that school go to different secondary school (catchment issues) so I dont feel its fair to uproot her or is it? Do I remove my son but he is so settled socially and then what about my youngest due to start in september ?

 

I know I need to speak to the head about my issues but dont know how she is very much my way or the highway, I do get on ok with her as I do the school website but I dont want to cause bad feelings or make anything worse (I know I need to man up but I want to stick my head in the sand)

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this any comments and suggestions would be great

 

PS The school love her to bits when a local radio asks specfically to feature her in section etc ???

[TheGirlsMum]

I would talk to the teacher who has just left and ask them for an honest opinion, but tell them you wont quote them, but ultimately you need to go with what will make your children happy because when they are happy they learn.

 

Hope you can sort it.

[Alis girls]

Could you put your concerns to the head and govenors in a letter. that way you could put your worries on paper and also stops you feeling too emotional. I am not suggesting you are emotiuonal - I was exactly the same when YS had probs and posted many a time on forum and got lots of support. Bullying - have they got a policy and ask to see it, some schools have antibullying groups - might not here as so small a school and primary. I think I would prob leave daughter and get to route of probs. Your son is young enough to be moved if necc. Has he had eye, ear checks and do you suspect dyslexia? Good luck - been there and worked way out of tunnel. I found forum a great support. Ali x PS just in case your son has physical probs which could be causing reading probs. ES's school work went down when he had glue ear.

[charly1979]

thanks Alis grils

 

I have a copy of the anti bullying policy will look at that, I am think a letter to the head and governors could be the best route, as for my son he has an eye condition called duanes an dI have seen some online groups that suggest this may have some problems re learning but these are all american sites where they seem to have more knowledge, i have wondered sometimes about dyslexia but the school have never indicated anything.

 

I am hoping the teacher who has left may stay in contact (fingers crossed) then I can ask her off the record

[patsylabrador]

Not suggesting that you do this as it's an option that doesn't suit most people but I took my kids out of school and taught them at home. It's definitely not an easy option but it worked for us and I thought it might be good to have the idea tucked away in your mind to think over.

[Willow]

I seriously considered pulling my YS out of last two terms of primary school to home school. Wish I had now tbh. the bullying followed him, one lad who went off to a different school spent the next two years pretending to be my YS on-line abusing everyone he came in contact with until I managed to gather enough evidence for the police. So unsurprisingly my son is socially isolated locally Taking him out of school probably wouldn't have stopped that happening but it is indicative of the extreme bullying that was going on at the primary school and of how little was being done about it. This evil **** had been told lots of times by teachers to leave my son alone, I went into school all the time. Turned out his parents had not been told once that there was a problem

[soapdragon]

If the Head is not very approachable what about the Head of Govenors? Could you meet with him/her and talk things through - or maybe there is another Govenor that you could approach? I am a Govenor at ES school and this sort of thing is (or certainly should be) of great concern to the Governing body. Depending on the type of school it is the Governing body actually are the employers so have quite a bit of 'clout' - we have just undertaken our Head's annual review! Not sure if this would apply in your case tho?

 

Cuts should certainly not affect the standard of teaching or the behaviour - sounds like the Head has maybe taken on too much!

 

As a very last resort you could report to OfSTED but hopefully you will be able to resolve matters at school level.