AIBU to be disappointed that school have turned a blind eye to rule breaking.

[stickwithit]

DS started reception this week. The entrance to his classroom is within a fenced off play area specifically for reception children.

We have been asked not to enter this play area until a teacher opens the gate both before and after school. The reasons given were that entering the area creates a bottleneck around the classroom door and that they do not want unsurpervised children and their siblings paying with the outdoor equipment that the teachers have laid out for the day ahead.

We were told about this at a new parents evening, in a letter in the new starter pack and in a letter given out on their first day.

However, parents have completely ignored this request. There have been several children and siblings playing with the equipment before and after school each day. They are tearing about while the rest of us try to explain to our DC that they aren't allowed to join in. The teachers have said nothing.

I know this is only a minor niggle and that i should be happy that DS has settled well but for some reason it sits very uncomfortably with me that at this early stage parents are ignoring this request and teachers are not enforcing the rule.

I feel that if there is a rule it should be enforced for all, otherwise what kind of message does this create?

AIBU

"Ask" if the rule has been lifted. You know, sweetly and all innocent.

That should sort it

You may well find that it's reiterated in the next newsletter (are they weekly?) and enforced from then on - it can be really hard for schools in situations like this, my DC's school has a problem with parents letting younger siblings run around the car park (!?!?!?!) and despite various letters etc nothing seems to change - the school staff pretty regularly have to fetch them out, or call over to them, it must drive them potty!

but the parents do nothing.

This happens at our place aswell. Reception teacher sets up for the morning - younger siblings are sent in by their parents to play and wreck it. Requests not to let them in are met with hard stares and more total ignoring.

I used to be a TA and we had this problem too. We asked the parents a couple of times and when we were ignored we simply changed tactics and stopped setting up in the mornings beforehand and did it during registration instead. The attitude was that if the parents ignore it once they are unlikely to listen when told again. You may find that this happens at your school.

and then they wonder why the kids dont listen to/respect the teacher in the classroom :(

Thanks for the responses. At least no one has told me I need to get off my high horse yet!

I guess a part of me is disappointed that so many parents have ignored this simple rule. Makes me wonder what is in store over the coming years!!

Thank you, Scrambledeggs, I think that is what I was alluding to somewhere in my fuddled brain!!

Wait until one of the unsupervised younger siblings falls off the equipment and hurts themselves and then the parent - unhapppy with the school's response (cold compress, tissues and a plaster from the lovely office ladies) decides to involve the governors and gets me....

(1) Children remain the responsibility of the parent until they step into school
(2) Younger siblings not actually on the school's roll remain the responsibility of the parent ALL THE TIME they are on school premises
(3) You were asked to keep your children off the equipment before school at the parent information evening, and in the newsletter and by the class teacher.

Yes, I do understand that it's hard for little Jonny to look at all that lovely play equipment in the reception playground and for you to have to say "no" when he wants to play on it. It's tough being a parent isn't it. But saying no is something we have to do.

Now off you go.

That will be the children of the PTA then!! Different rules for those at our school it seems!

"That will be the children of the PTA then!! Different rules for those at our school it seems!"

New term, same old bullshit.

Yup, Seeker, here we go again.

Not sure about the PTA comment??!!

Sorry, pressed post too soon.

Not sure about the PTA comment??!! I have been thinking about looking into joining the PTA but am not the type of parent who would knowingly allow DC to break rules.

The thing is that it is their children who suffer in the end if a piece of equipment is broken and the children can no longer use it (even putting aside the risk of injury).

stickwithit - pay no attention to the PTA thing. There are some people on here who have a total chip on their shoulders about parents who get involved with the PTA or become school governors, claiming that they do it to suck up to teachers/their kids get away with murder/always get the best parts in the Nativity play etc etc. It is generally speaking completely untrue. I am CoG and former PTA chair in my children's school and I can promise you they have never been treated differently from any other child, nor have they had lead parts in any play. Don't let it put you off getting involved.

They aren't going to bollock the kids on their first day are they? Give it a couple of weeks....

There are always parents that ignore the rules especially ones that have had or have children already in the school. We had new equipment installed and I had to go out every day to tell parents to keep their kids off as the were not covered by insurance outside certain hours. Some wait till you go back in and you hear the parent saying "she is gone, go and play again" We do notice the parents that follow the rules and we do apprecate it even if we don't get the chance to say.

Stick don't get me onto rules that are broken by parents... the parking is the worst - particularly the parking on the zigzags - or perhaps with the boot of the car sticking over the dotted line at the end of the road - partly on the pavement ON the corner of a junction, or across someone's driveway.

And here we are, taking our children to school - hopefully hoping that they'll become law abiding citizens - very unlikely if their parents flaunt important rules and laws like that.

mistlethrush Ah yes, parking and the school run . . . especially when there is another DC to drop off at another school . . . and the neighbour who just wants to get off the drive . . . we've all seen it, haven't we?

I was thinking the same seeker

Do what fuzzled said. It's brilliant.