To think this is a sign of a weak school?

[nickchatname]

My dc's secondary school always send out the reports to arrive in the first week of the summer holidays, which means that there is no way of contacting the teachers with any concerns arising from it. Does anyone else's school do this and AIBU to think that this is a way for them to get out of having to listen to any concerns that parents may have with their dc?

The school my DH teaches at does the same, as does my DS primary school. I think its so they can sum up the childs academic year. I don't think it is bacause they don't want to listen to parental concerns as parents can still contact the school in the hoidays. DH has had a few phone calls or emails from parents in past holidays and he answers them immediately as he would in term time.

My friend's school handed reports out on the last day (a primary school) and I thought it was bad practice as they do not hae any way of contacting the school as it is now closed. The reports would hae been wriitten for a few weeks (probably around the half term), the same as most schools. Ds1's report came out 2 weeks bfore the end of term, giving us time to discuss any problems.

My son's primary (normal state primary) handed out the reports at the beginning of July. The following week we had parents evenings to discuss the reports.

My DD's primary handed out in July on a Friday with open evening on the Monday which gave any parents an opportunity to speak to teachers. I was impressed.

My DC got theres two weeks before the end of term, with a slip for comments and opportunity to make an appointment with the Teacher.
The school where my SIL teaches handed theirs out with just two days left in school.
SIL wrote her reports in half term as did at least one of the teachers in DC school.

I'm a teacher and I think this is unreasonable (of the school, not you!). It is either thoughtless or perhaps a cynical effort to avoid any aggro. I would urge them to rethink. It's not necessarily a sign of a weak school. It depends on your impression of the teaching generally. My school regularly canvasses parents as to how they feel about our reporting and acts accordingly. My dd's school are phenomenal, they give out a detailed report at Easter, followed by a little one with SATs results and a parents evening in the last weeks of term. Fabulous but VERY intense for her teacher who had 35 in the class!

Thanks everyone - this isn't a dig at the teachers who are great throughout the year - it's obviously a decision made by the headteacher which I find a bit strange, as it's the main report of the year.

I'm a teacher too, and I think that's odd. We have a sensible system (secondary) where the various reports for each year group are done at different times (otherwise we simply wouldn't get them done - I teach over 400 different chidlren) and the send-home date is always followed, about a week later, by a parents evening.

We had computer issues this year (long and dull story) which meant that the parents evenings, in some cases, came before the reports, and our Yr 7 reports did end up going out in the last week of term. However, this was an absolute one-off and was due to the computer melt down. The HT sent out letters to apologise. However, parents evening had happened the previous week, as planned, so parents did have opportunity to talk to us.

OP, is this how it always is, or was it a one-off error like ours? If it's just what they do, then I think it's an odd decision.

Had out reports Monday, Parents evening Wednesday, closed for summer Friday. Reallt felt for our teachers that week, what with above and leavers and shows etc they must have been at school roung the clock!

Handed out on the last day here too

It cuts down drastically on all the wailing parents ringing to complain about the class their PFBs have been put in next year, how they're not with their best friend etc...

Anything properly important normally keeps until September by which time most of them have forgotten their gripes.

I'd be a bit miffed at that. Ours gets done 2 weeks before the end of term with a drop in evening for parents with teachers if they have any questions.Personally I think it smacks of teachers ( or the head) hoping that over the holiday any issues parents might have will be forgotten.

Last day of term, any comments to be sent back to school one week before next term.

By law, primary heads have to allow an opportunity for parents to respond to the report. I can't see how this can happen if the reports are given out on the last day - unless the Head is willing to stay at school every day for the first two weeks of the holidays?!

Still waiting for ours 2 weeks after they broke up. Head prefers to add comments without distractions of end of term .

Secondary or primary? That's unlawful, if it's primary.

i think it is bad practice. there needs to be time to discuss the report if needed. round things up at the end of the year and start with a clean slate in september

It depends. DD's school sends reports out in the holidays BUT the teachers are always around and will chat to parents any time and there is nothing surprising in the reports, everything in DD's report had already been said to me when chatting to staff. At school functions the teachers always chat to parents and if they have concerns they approach the parents during term time pick up.

From the ARA 2011 KS2 (statutory document)

"5.2 Reporting pupils? achievements to parents or persons with
parental responsibility:
Headteachers are responsible for preparing and providing a copy of the headteacher?s annual report to parents or persons with parental responsibility noting their child?s achievements at least once during each school year. The headteacher also needs to make arrangements to give the recipient of the report an opportunity to discuss its content with the pupil?s teacher, if they so wish.

Headteachers have the discretion to:
■■ arrange for the report to be translated
■■ include additional information about the pupil?s progress in the report
■■provide more than one report
■■decide when to issue the report. The report must be received by the end of the summer term of the year to which the report relates.

What must be reported to parents or persons with parental responsibility?
The following information must be reported to parents or persons with parental responsibility each year during key stage 2.
■■Brief details of achievements in all subjects and other activities forming part of the
school curriculum.
■■Comments on general progress.
■■The results of any national curriculum tests taken during the year.
■■Results of any public examinations taken and details of any vocational qualifications and credit towards such qualifications obtained by the pupil.
■■Attendance record, providing the number of possible attendances and, of those, the percentage of unauthorised absences.
■■ Arrangements for discussing the report."

Ahem - the strange numbers are bullet points, not sure what happened then.

Does that apply to private schools ? We get a slip for feedback.

Nope, they get to make up their own rules.

I thought that all schools handed them out with time to have a meeting. I think it far too late.

It's secondary. Claims to be one of the best comprehensives in London