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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be cross with dd's school

30 replies

TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 16:00

I've just collected my year 1 dd from school, and as I left the playground I was informed by one of the other parents that the teacher had just told them school starts back on the 7th September and not the 6th, which is the first day of term for our LA.

I went back to check and apparently they should have brought a note out with them but she forgot to hand them out. I pointed out as nicely as possible that if I hadn't had a chance conversation on my way through the gate I'd have been bringing dd back to school a day early.

I appreciate the last day of term is hectic and there were some retirements today, which is exactly why this information should have come out a while ago, when parents were arranging holiday clubs and other childcare. The school doesn't seem to appreciate that many parents work and consistently give minimal notice for concerts, readathons etc.

Am I being unreasonable? Surely the school didn't decide today to have an inset day on the first day of next term?

I'm considering sending a message to the new head teacher in September to suggest that some forward planning and communication would be helpful.

OP posts:
TheButterflyEffect · 23/07/2010 16:04

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TheButterflyEffect · 23/07/2010 16:04

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fartblossom · 23/07/2010 16:09

My DS starts on 2nd Sept. I found this out about 3 weeks ago and thought that was too late. We wanted to go away that weekend and was hoping mine would start the 6th, but hayho. Anyway we couldnt make plans until we knew exactly. I personally cant see any reason why they cant give out the holdays till christmas around Easter and then the full years holiday for the following school year in June. Well I can see a reason, these things probably take more planning that I realise, but anyway.

Some people might have wanted to look into going away half term or christmas, but wanted the school dates first.

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 16:10

The website exists but isn't used to communicate to parents, it's just out of date information about the school.

No mention from anyone, we actually had end of term concerts this week and a goodbye newsletter from the head so two good opportunities and nothing was said.

OP posts:
TheButterflyEffect · 23/07/2010 16:14

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nagoo · 23/07/2010 16:14

YANBU, they should be communicating better than that and it's only by chace that you haven't got a masssive problem when she goes back!

TheFallenMadonna · 23/07/2010 16:19

They absolutely should have given you more warning. YANBU at all about that. But schools do appreciate that many parents work, bacause some parents work in schools! And have to get childcare for INSET days themselves. Although it doesn't matter how much notice we get for concerts and readathons, we can't go to them, so perhaps that's the reason for that...

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 18:00

My Dh often can't attend concerts etc and frequently has to work on christmas day and bank holidays because of his role, but we accept this is a result of his career choice, so I'm not sure the argument about teachers missing their dc's events holds much sway with me. Lots of professionals can't be flexible in their working hours.

Surely it's good management to arrange things well in advance and to communicate with parents and staff, other schools seem to manage it.

OP posts:
EvilTwins · 23/07/2010 18:06

I would imagine that most schools' websites have a school calendar section, and parents are very welcome to check it as frequently as they like.

Yes, a letter about the first day back should have been given out, but I don't think that parents need 5 or 6 weeks notice when there's a 6 week holiday in between as well.

YABU to be "cross", sorry.

cory · 23/07/2010 18:09

EvilTwins, the OP said that this school's website does not contain this kind of information. Which makes her NBU imo.

pippop1 · 23/07/2010 18:10

My son's school gives the starting and finishing dates of terms for a couple of years in advance. This is so people don't book holidays when it's school time and they can block them if they do.

Ok, it's a private school but I don't see why State schools can't manage.

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 18:14

Unfortunately the school website is no use, so we do rely on newsletters for information on this sort of thing.

OP posts:
mumbar · 23/07/2010 18:14

and the op hasn't been informed thats her point. My ds goes to after school club so If that had been me then I wouldn'thave known either. I do think thats poor communication op and yes schools can give out the information about holidays I have this school years already from my school and ds'.

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 18:17

Maybe "cross" wasn't the right word, but I'm certainly a bit annoyed, I'm hoping the word spead sufficiently around the playground at home time.

The teacher didn't even attempt to make an announcement as she brought the children out, I got the impression she'd forgotten altogether until someone asked.

OP posts:
Positivity · 23/07/2010 18:19

Our school introduced a texting service a while ago which is a lifesaver - half the time if notices are given out my DCs have lost them by the time they reach the playground!

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 18:28

I think I'll attempt some gentle feedback with the new head in September, he'll be new in post but has been deputy head for years.

OP posts:
coventgarden · 23/07/2010 18:36

YANBU

We have known the dates for term time, holidays and inset days for months and months now.

dilemma456 · 23/07/2010 18:51

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RustyBear · 23/07/2010 19:12

Most state schools do manage better notice than this pippop, so I think the OP is NBU if this was all the notice she got.

I work at a junior school where term dates for the whole of next year are already on the website, though some inset days may be at shorter notice, it's certainly longer than what is in effect the day before.

Though in fact the longer notice we give parents of an event, the more likely they are to forget about it....

clam · 23/07/2010 19:18

This is so wrong that I don't believe it!

Schools are bound to give notice of term dates well in advance, so they surely must have done so and this latest letter just a reminder???? Possibly?

What did the letter actually say, or did you not get to see it even when you queried the teacher?

KimberleySakamoto · 23/07/2010 19:26

Yep, we get term dates about two years in advance from both DC's schools. Both private schools, if that's relevant.

clam · 23/07/2010 19:29

No it's not relevant. State schools do the same.
99.9% of them, anyway.

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 21:46

We never got the letter, it's still on the teachers desk in the classroom.

There has been no mention of this at all until today, I check dd's bag daily and read all the newsletters.

We usually get a note at least a week or so before the end of term confirming the last day of term and the first day of the next term, but this time, nothing.

I think because they've left it so late it probably got missed in the last week of term chaos. We only got a weeks notice of the end of term concerts on Monday and Tuesday.

OP posts:
Wheels64 · 23/07/2010 21:55

This might be helpful for the future: check your district website eg. Bucks County Council. Term dates are published well in advance together with recommended inset days.

Original poster
TeaOneSugar · 23/07/2010 22:18

My LA website has term dates (already in my diary), but no suggested inset days.

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