to wonder what to reply to this email from head teacher....

[CocktailQueen]

Got an email from ds's HT this morning to ask me to, effectively, report back on my ds's teacher. I don't know what to do.

I had emailed her on a different matter yesterday, and I have no idea why she has asked me to report back, or if she has asked others too.

She's a new HT. Earlier this term, she asked teachers to hear all readers at least 3x per week - including guided reading, TAs, parent helpers - and she wants me to email her every week and let her know if ds's reading log shows that he has read in school 3x or not!! This feels like spying to me.

WWYD???? Help!

Asking a representative sample of parents for feedback on staff doesn't seem like an unreasonable assessment method, although I agree that the way of asking is a bit blunt.

You could send a one-liner along the lines of "DS is very happy in Mrs X's class". You aren't qualified to judge her teaching by proxy anyway!

I would email back "I am very happy with the reading support that DS gets in school (assuming you are) and I will contact you if I have any concerns in the future. I would prefer not to have to email regularly"

... and I would make sure that as well as contacting her if you have concerns, you should contact her if you are very happy with DS's teacher. i.e. spread good news as well as bad

But the whole thing seems very odd - have you complained in the past and she's checking that things are resolved now?

It also sounds a bit counter productive as surely the teacher will just start adding entries to the reading log whether they've read or not just like I do with DC's homework diary

Personally I would reply & ask her to clarify WHY she has asked you to do this, say something along the lines of...

"I may well be happy to help, but without more information as to why you are asking this of me, I can't really make an informed decision. Can you please clarify what exactly you are asking of me & why"

& then decide from there - though if she's keeping on top of staff who are under performing, it can be no bad thing, if on the other hand its a personality clash with your DDs teacher & she's looking for excuses to pick on her them, then you are right to feel uncomfortable about this & tell her so

Good luck

Hmm. Agree it sounds a bit off and very unprofessional.

Perhaps email back and say that you do not feel comfortable being asked to 'spy' in this way. If she does not have confidence in her teachers she should be talking to them about it, not parents.

She said: 'I have reiterated this expectation to staff but would greatly appreciate your feedback on a weekly basis to ascertain if this occurs.

Teachers have been given clear directions to facilitate reading three times a week so if it is not happening I would really appreciate your feedback.'

Nope, I haven't complained about reading in class/how often they are heard. DS has 2 teachers.

I don't think it's very professional. If I were the teacher I would feel undermined. Can't see the teaching unions looking favourably on it either.

If the HT wants to check up, she should be telling the teachers that she will be monitoring by doing spot checks on the reading logs and talking to the pupils.

She doesn't sound good. For a start, senior leaders should be monitoring that kind of thing anyway. If the HT has reading concerns, she should raise them with staff and inform them that they will be monitored. She certainly shouldn't be enlisting parents as spies.
Posters suggesting that you ask for clarification and make it clear that you are happy raise excellent points. She sounds a bit dangerous, tbh. Not a good leader at all.

That's what I thought, cornflake. Feels underhanded to me.