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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

School Parking

120 replies

ChatTime · 15/11/2010 13:08

At my childs school some staff park cars in the school playground this has been given the go ahead by the current head. I have voiced my concern with regard to health & saftey also to the fact that due to major building working going on at school the closure of one entire playground means lack of play space. I had no responce however today i happened to see the Head at school gates and mentioned my concern and that other parents were in agreement with me. Heads responce was she had made the decision that cars can be parked no change will happen and if i didn't like it to take my child to another school. Where do we as parents stand, after all we as Tax Payers pay for the children to play in the playground and not for staff to have their private car park.

OP posts:

TheNextMrsDepp · 15/11/2010 19:52

Galena - off to Pedant's Corner with you.

clam · 15/11/2010 19:54

And tbh, we don't know how scientific that poll was either. Agreeing with the OP in a half-hearted "yeah, whatever" sort of way? Or a "yes, we must organise a petition right now."

Goblinchild · 15/11/2010 19:55

She sounds a hard woman to disagree with

DurhamDurham · 15/11/2010 19:55

I was referring to the % of parent's that the op had asked, I was using her stats not mine

Tiredmumno1 · 15/11/2010 19:57

if its 45% of one year, then there is a strong possibility that if the rest of the school were asked, a lot would be opposed to it just like you.

goblin nearly all the teachers at my ds's school actually live very close, but all drive, it does not bother me as i walk anyway.

its still no excuse to use a playground as a car park.

onceamai · 15/11/2010 20:02

OK Clam but we are talking Y2 here. Even if 30 children complete 60 pieces of work how complex is it to mark? How much can the average Y2 produce that has to be read, marked and commented on? Kindly don't assume I am ignorant because you are a teacher and I am not. I have had two DC's go through primary and think I know pretty well how much marking went on and how complex it was and the school was rated as "outstanding".

Serendippy · 15/11/2010 20:05

onceamai I laughed out loud at your suggestion that work be completed on paper and then stuck into the book later. Have you ever seen a 6yo using PVA glue?

OP YABU. IMO. Which you asked for.

clam · 15/11/2010 20:06

I'm not a Year 2 teacher. Therefore the marking demands are different. And varied from week to week. I did not assume you are ignorant. You queried my time-management skills, implying that, because this weekend I have had a lot to do, it must somehow be because I am inefficient in some way.

Goblinchild · 15/11/2010 20:08

' Have you ever seen a 6yo using PVA glue?'

Ohh yes.

JoBettany · 15/11/2010 20:11

oncemai
Kindly don't assume I am ignorant because you are a teacher and I am not. I have had two DC's go through primary and think I know pretty well how much marking went on and how complex it was and the school was rated as "outstanding".

Of course you do! Having two DC's at school is exactly the same as being a teacher!

thatsnotmymonkey · 15/11/2010 20:14

Having read the post I have this to say-

It is an inconvenience for the space to used for parking, but if it is temp, then I think you need to put up with it for now.

I would be concerned if there was any cars moving about in school hours, for example- what if the Ed Psych is in the temporary car park, has an appointment at 9:30 and then is leaving at play time. The Ed Psych needs to move her car, so what happens then? I mean I am sure the Ed Psych would wait, but it makes for a stressful time all round.

I would be more concerned that the HT was so sharp with me.

clam · 15/11/2010 20:14

6 year olds! 10 year olds aren't much better. Part of my weekend was re-sticking stuff into books that had been done on paper due to the HT someone not ordering topic books in time. Or was that poor time-management on my part also?

upahill · 15/11/2010 20:14

I think yABU tbh.

The work is being done to improve the schools facilities. Your child will benefit from this. Building work doesn't last forever (unless it is in my house but that is a different thread!!)

There are times when things aren't ideal but everyone just has to get on with it as best they can.

I know you have said other parents have agreed with you but I would be careful with that. People often say they agree with you when you are talking about something contensious but if you ask them to back you up you won't see them for a mile or they will ask you not to mention there name.

Also I wouldn't make an enemy out of the head.

Galena · 15/11/2010 20:15

Yes, TheNextMrsDepp. I'm sorry. I'm going now...

I think it's very difficult actually to comment on this OP having only one side of the story. I bet the children have enough room to play and there is reasoning behind the parking of cars where they are. Which teacher in their right mind would park their car where children are playing, and also would agree to children having reduced playtime because of car parking? I wouldn't have - it's hell in the afternoon if the children haven't had enough playtime!

And for what it's worth - I would regularly have 90-120 books to mark at the end of the day - Literacy, Numeracy and 2 afternoon subjects such as Science and History. During the day I would be sorting out resources for the next lesson so couldn't mark them then. That means 90-120 books to mark after school. Admittedly the afternoon books were generally only needed weekly, but they still need to be marked, and if I left them, it'd just build up.

Some of the children produce beautiful work which needs very little correcting, however, most of the children would write reams and reams with no fullstops, capital letters and poor spelling. If I only corrected a few spellings parents would complain because they felt their children should be aware of correct spellings, so I would have to correct all of them. And give 2-3 positive remarks about each piece of work. And an area to improve. It all takes time!

clam · 15/11/2010 20:17

"Kindly don't assume I am ignorant because you are a teacher and I am not. I have had two DC's go through primary and think I know pretty well how much marking went on and how complex it was."

Let's switch that to:

"Kindly don't assume I am ignorant because you are a doctor and I'm not. I've been in hospital before, and visitied the GP a few times, so I think I know pretty well how to diagnose and cure illnesses and how serious they are."

RustyBear · 15/11/2010 20:17

Oncemai - I now work (in a support role) at the primary school my two DC went to - there is so much more going on than you see as a parent - it's not just the marking in the books, it's the levelling, the recording, the analysis...

I also know that when a parent complains about something and claims that all the other parents agree, it usually just means that they have ranted about it and the other parents have just nodded and said, yes, isn't it awful - no-one is going to tell you to your face that you are being unreasonable.

Tiredmumno1 · 15/11/2010 20:17

But i thought the op said the car park was not temporary

Panzee · 15/11/2010 20:19

I often agree with people in the hope they'll leave me alone. :o

onceamai · 15/11/2010 20:22

It isn't the same as being a teacher but it's a very good window into life as a teacher.

upahill · 15/11/2010 20:25

Ahh. I forgot about the bit about the car park not being temporarory.

However I still think the OP is being unreasonable. There are still 2 playgrounds and surely 350 kids won't be in each playground at the same time. Surley they will be on staggered playtimes

The Head has obviously thought things through and fair play for sticking up for her staff.

Tbh I would rather have a better building and facilities where the children will be spending most of the day (and playtimes if the rainy weather continues) than have extra space for a 15 min playtime break and lunch.

onceamai · 15/11/2010 20:26

No comparison I'm afraid Clam. But let's try to keep this out of the playground shall we.

Panzee · 15/11/2010 20:27

I'm a bit lost. When the building work is complete, the staff will still be able to park on the playground, is it still a playground then? Or will it be a car park, where children are not allowed?

clam · 15/11/2010 20:29

Hands up. I'm pissed off becuase I'M FED UP WITH MARKING BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!
The OP therefore hit a nerve with her "just a tick" comment.

JoBettany · 15/11/2010 20:29

oncemai, having children at school does not give you a 'window' into the life of a teacher.
Not even close...

I have been treated regularly by the practice nurse at my GP's surgery. I do not think it gives me a window into her professional life. I have no idea the work that goes on when I am not around, the paperwork, preparation for clinics and responsibilities she may have.

To suggest so would be exposing a degree of naivety and ignorance.

Just as you are doing in your posts about teachers.

Galena · 15/11/2010 20:31

Panzee I'm guessing it'll be a carpark with no children, but the playground which at the moment has building supplies on will be a playground again, hence 2 playgrounds?

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