What is your favourite bit of school nonsense?

[fridayschild]

Well I do know this is partly my fault for sending the DSs to a prep school, where there seems to be a certain amount of ponce to justify the fees, but really I am at a loss here.

DS2 wants recorder lessons next term. His previous state primary did not offer much in the way of music, so the opportunity to nag at him to practice the recorder was one of the things I had hoped for, I think. The recorder teacher has mailed me a list of the things he needs for his lessons next term, and has actually allowed sufficient time for me to go and get these as well as working for a living. But her list includes a YELLOW bag for the recorder. This is in addition to a music bag, and to naming the recorder itself. Does the colour of the bag help to keep it in tune?

I feel like I am living the start of that John Cleese sex education class from the Life of Brian.

[JWIM]

OP one of the recorder makes comes with a yellow bag to keep the recorder in - sorry can't remember which one but recorded is dark plastic in colour. Hope he enjoys learning to play and read music.

[Greythorne]

I agree with PP; most recorders come in a soft pouch-like protective bag which is yellow by default.
I suspect the teacher did not mean much by it. Probably calls it a 'yellow bag' instead of 'protective bag' because they are invariably yellow!

[mrz]

Aulos recorders come in yellow, blue and red bags depending on the level. Yellow is for beginners/intermediate players ... could she mean this?

[DeWe]

We had last Christmas a list to make Christingles which included 4 cocktail sticks. Follwed by all the local shops running out of packs of 200 cocktail sticks so 150 children could have their own packet in which to remove 4. 150 families round here have packets of cocktail sticks with 196 in. Wouldn't it have been easier, and not very expensive for them to provide it, we could have all donated 10p and they'd have made a profit even.
State school btw.

[mrz]

I'm amazed that a school/teacher would ask parents to provide cocktail sticks! I buy items my class need for this type of activity and wouldn't dream of asking parents to pay.

[chasingthedevils]

Tie finishing at precise level of trouser top .(But I know why Heads do it)

[ManicMother7777]

My ds has been doing cookery (sorry now called food tech) and I've had to send in a 'pinch' of various things, salt, cinnamon etc, I feel like sending it in my biggest tupperware!

My other bugbear is school letters with a tear-off slip - on the back of the letter - so you lose half the information, but the school tell me this is necessary to save paper

[happygardening]

Once my younger son was critically ill in hospital and when I hurridly dropped off my older son at his prep school I was called back by his class teacher not to ask me how my other son was but to be told that the older one had the wrong socks on; plain grey instead of grey with a purple strip around the top. He had long trousers on so she must of checked. When I pointed out that it was a miracle he had socks on at all she reached for the school rule book and tried to read the schools uniform policy to me. Strangely we removed our children a term later.

[Teachermumof3]

Can't help with the recorder bag; sounds like total madness to me! However, it was 'The Meaning of Life', not 'The Life of Brian' ;)

[Marjoriew]

Few years back I couldn't get black school shoes for my daughter in her size. Getting near to September start and she still had no shoes so in desperation I got her some plain black, patent shoes.
First day back, she is sent home and I'm told in a letter that the shoes are inappropriate as the reflection from the patent shoes could possibly give rise to 'the young male pupils' being able to see up her skirt!
Church school.