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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be apprehensive about this school

68 replies

CoconutSky · 04/09/2024 00:17

DD starts reception tomorrow. It’s a class of 60 split with 2 teachers and 1 TA
The ofsted report is good however there are serious issues with a high % of children being unable to read properly by the time they hit KS2
That isn’t my only concern. In the hand book I read the Reception class visited the library once a week, there are weekly walks to a local park to observe nature which has turned out to be untrue
The school itself is unappealing and dirty looking, the toys are battered, sparse and mismatched, the floor is filthy, there is nothing educational on the walls, all the blinds are broken, the carpet which they sit on in a morning is heavily stained and what toys and learning resources there are, are utterly shit.
She isn’t 5 til Nov but I need her in school as she is completely ready. I have left it way to late but was somewhat shoehorned into sending her here for ease of pickup

I have got her uniform and book bag ready and I’m just feeling sick with it. I don’t want my child going here at all.

Anyone?

OP posts:
lololulu · 04/09/2024 06:14

Oh well that's different.

Poppins21 · 04/09/2024 05:57

lololulu · 04/09/2024 05:52

@Poppins21

What kind of school was this??
Reception is always 30:1 with a PA unless it's a private school, in a small village / undersubscribed.

A school in Scandinavia its where we lived at the time. Classe sizes are much smaller in general

lololulu · 04/09/2024 05:52

@Poppins21

What kind of school was this??
Reception is always 30:1 with a PA unless it's a private school, in a small village / undersubscribed.

PeanutButterCheesecake · 04/09/2024 05:28

You are the parent, it is your job to teach your child to read. A huge indicator of future success is having a parent who reads with the child regularly.

Poppins21 · 04/09/2024 05:28

Itsjustmeheretoday · 04/09/2024 05:21

Wow that's amazing, how lucky you were. 1:30 is a joke, it'd no wonder kids are falling so behind, especially if there are any children in the class with additional needs. Move your daughter OP, listen to your gut

Show quote history

My daughter loved that first year and it really set her up for loving school in general.

Bournetilly · 04/09/2024 05:26

I wouldn’t be happy for my DD to go there. I would still send her (if she’s ready and excited) but would try to find somewhere else ASAP. Put her name down on all the waiting lists. Could she go to a school further away?

Happyinarcon · 04/09/2024 05:21

Trust your gut. Having said that I would have been totally happy for my kid to have learnt nothing at school in exchange for not being bullied. At the moment schools are delivering poor academic performance alongside toxic bullying environments so you need to pick your poison.

Itsjustmeheretoday · 04/09/2024 05:21

Poppins21 · 04/09/2024 05:00

Thanks for clarifying 😀 though 1:30 at such a young age is not particularly great.

Where my daughter went to school at that age it was 1:10 max. In reception class they had 14 kids and 2 fully qualified teacher with them.

i agree engaged staff are important but I disagree that a run down school is ok. I would not want to work in a run down dirty building as a teacher.

Show quote history

Wow that's amazing, how lucky you were. 1:30 is a joke, it'd no wonder kids are falling so behind, especially if there are any children in the class with additional needs. Move your daughter OP, listen to your gut

Poppins21 · 04/09/2024 05:00

lavenderlou · 04/09/2024 04:47

Are classes size of 60 legal?

There are two teachers so meeting the legal requirement of 1:30. Some schools arrange Reception classes as a big free-flow area with two teachers, although I've not seen it in action so not sure how it works exactly.

Read to her lots, that will be the best support at the moment. Find out what phonics programme they use and see if they have parent information on their website.

Thanks for clarifying 😀 though 1:30 at such a young age is not particularly great.

Where my daughter went to school at that age it was 1:10 max. In reception class they had 14 kids and 2 fully qualified teacher with them.

i agree engaged staff are important but I disagree that a run down school is ok. I would not want to work in a run down dirty building as a teacher.

Calamitousness · 04/09/2024 04:57

Reception isn’t something to worry about, its not going to affect her education. You’re right it gets her started but for gods sake get her name on a waiting list elsewhere and just move her as soon as a place comes up as an in year transfer.

lavenderlou · 04/09/2024 04:47

Are classes size of 60 legal?

There are two teachers so meeting the legal requirement of 1:30. Some schools arrange Reception classes as a big free-flow area with two teachers, although I've not seen it in action so not sure how it works exactly.

Read to her lots, that will be the best support at the moment. Find out what phonics programme they use and see if they have parent information on their website.

Seashor · 04/09/2024 04:40

Read, read and read with your child at home. Our lowest readers are more often than not not supported at home. Do the nature walks yourself, have conversations with your child to develop language skills and then just keep an eye to check that your child is happy.
Shiny and new resources mean nothing if you don’t have motivated, enthusiastic staff. Good luck.

Poppins21 · 04/09/2024 04:19

Are classes size of 60 legal? I thought there was a cap.

The school does not sound good but if there is no space anywhere else you can either put her on a waiting list or withdraw her from school and reapply for a different one next year as she is only 4.

Original poster
CoconutSky · 04/09/2024 00:26

This is the thing that’s all we’ve had on emails. How to donate to the school, how to give money to the school. It’s an academy and the academy website boasts quite frequently of its spending. I can’t get my head round it at all.

OP posts:
crazyunicornlady73 · 04/09/2024 00:25

Put her name on the waiting list of any schools that you like better, there'll be a fair bit of movement so you may well get lucky.
The school doesn't sound great but if you are^^ stuck with it then how about trying to improve things? Stand for governors or volunteer for the PTA and raise funds for some new resources?

Original poster
CoconutSky · 04/09/2024 00:25

It’s also almost 70 pupils over capacity. 🤦🏿‍♀️ I really am dreading this

OP posts:
Original poster
CoconutSky · 04/09/2024 00:21

I have contacted our local ones and they’re all full. I’ve even tried the LA today and plead my case but nothing!

OP posts:
Whocanbelieveit · 04/09/2024 00:20

Can you look for another school and see if they have any space for your daughter? The school does not sound great.

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