Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to think this primary school is being extremely rude?

51 replies

AdrenalineOverload · 08/05/2014 11:03

We have recently moved (took much longer than we hoped) so DC4 was put on the waiting list for the school 2 mins walk away as he is due to start Reception in September.

He was offered a place last week and initially I was delighted as some of his nursery friends will be going to the same school so I called the school and asked if I could arrange a visit for myself and DS so he could see his school and I could have a look round as I know nothing about this particular school. I wanted to look around before I accepted the place really.

I was told rather abruptly that the school was 'too busy' to facilitate us visiting the school and we would have to wait until we were invited in at the end of June for a settling in session.

I later emailed the school questioning this as when my older 3 DC have changed schools I have never been told that I could not look around whatever school they were going to. The school have not even responded to my email.

AIBU to think that this is really rude and I am quite perturbed about my DS starting there now if they are this rude before DC even start there!

OP posts:

SuffolkNWhat · 08/05/2014 11:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

AdrenalineOverload · 08/05/2014 11:05

It did not have to be this week that we visited. They could have just said that.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 08/05/2014 11:05

Next week is SATS week and all Primary schools will be very busy that, as well as the day to day running of the school.

I'm suprised they didn't offer to quickly walk you around once the pupils have gone home, but if they're having a settling in session next month that's not too long to wait.

Beehatch · 08/05/2014 11:05

I do sympathise, but it's SATs at the moment and I bet no one can think beyond the next hour, let alone day!

ilovesooty · 08/05/2014 11:08

Did you make it clear in the email that you were aware of the SATs and not necessarily looking to visit immediately?

Original poster

AdrenalineOverload · 08/05/2014 11:10

No I did not make it clear sooty as I did not know. Perhaps they should have told me?

OP posts:

MrsCakesPremonition · 08/05/2014 11:13

I suppose that, from the school's pov, your DS isn't changing schools. He is one of the cohort of new starters beginning in September and the school will have made various arrangements (including the taster session in June) to smooth the transition. They would presumably struggle to cope with personal visits from all 30 (or possibly more) families.

However, as I assume you missed the usual open days etc. I don't think YABU to expect to visit the school before accepting a place. Does the school know that you are new to the area?

WaitMonkey · 08/05/2014 11:13

YABU. It would be very difficult go facilitate this if every parent and child wanted to do this, especially at this time of year. Just wait until the settling in session in June. I have a ds starting in September who also has a settling in session next month.

ilovesooty · 08/05/2014 11:14

You have 3 older children and didn't know?

Whether you mentioned the SATs or not, you cold have made it clear that you weren't looking for an immediate visit. However you said you wanted to look round before you accepted the place, so perhaps they didn't realise that.

ilovesooty · 08/05/2014 11:16

I don't see why you can't wait for the settling in session on June either. It sounds as though you want to go before that so you can look elsewhere if you aren't happy.

MrsCakesPremonition · 08/05/2014 11:18

ilovesooty - why shouldn't the OP look elsewhere if she is unhappy with what she sees at the school? Most parents have a look around several schools before applying and accepting a place.

Blu · 08/05/2014 11:19

Schools are very very busy places, it's SATS, the time of year that everyone is calling and calling abut waiting lists etc - and school secretaries can be under pressure and abrupt, even in the most idyllic schools. Don't let it put you off, a school 2 mins away is not to be sniffed at.

I think you can accept a place but remain on the waiting list for other schools?

tiggytape · 08/05/2014 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

5madthings · 08/05/2014 11:21

I think that's crap!

Our primary school gas had visits this week by parents who have been given a place for Sept and who hadn't seen the school due to moving etc.

And even if they are busy it takes two minutes to send an email explaining that and that you will be back in touch etc.

5madthings · 08/05/2014 11:25

This isn't just about the child who yes will have the settling in session, but the parent who hadn't even seen the school (due to moving I assume). They won't stay with the child at the settling in session I am guessing.

Its not too much for a parent to want to look around the school their child will be attending, normally you would have done this before applying, but presumably this wasn't possible due to moving etc.

Seriously what about manners or making people welcome, they could have just Saud we are busy but will get in touch to arrange a day for you to come and have a look.

maddening · 08/05/2014 11:27

you could take it as they prioritise the children they are actually teaching and if your son goes there they won't let others disrupt his learning.

WorraLiberty · 08/05/2014 11:28

She can have a look on the settling in day though

fascicle · 08/05/2014 11:29

I can't see anything in your post to suggest that the school has been 'extremely rude', especially on the basis of one conversation and an e-mail which hasn't yet received a response. The school will be busy at the moment and you and your son have the opportunity to visit with others in June. Out of interest, why didn't you arrange to visit the school before applying for a place for your son? It's not really their fault that you now feel it's time critical to get a visit in.

MrsCakesPremonition · 08/05/2014 11:31

It depends on how the settling in day is run.
My DCs school runs them on transition day - the day when all the children spend time in their new classrooms, with their new teachers (including the Y6s, who spend the day at their secondary schools). So probably not the ideal to look around and get a feel for how the school usually runs.

Fakebook · 08/05/2014 11:32

Why didn't you go and see the school when he was on the waiting list? Surely that makes sense? So now he's been given a place you want to go and see the school before you accept? Weird!

I went and saw my child's schools before applying.

sarahquilt · 08/05/2014 11:35

Unfortunately schools can't accommodate everyone who would just like to look around. It has to be organised properly at specific times so that it causes the least amount of disruption. I can understand why they want you to come in with everyone else.

Original poster

AdrenalineOverload · 08/05/2014 11:36

Thank you 5. We had hoped to move before the applications deadline but it did not work out that way. We also hoped to send DS to the other school in the area which we had experience of but he was No 28 on the waiting list so we obviously had no chance and applied for this school and were successful.

AS a parent I do think I am entitled to look around the school that my DS may be going to.

I was not aware it was SATs week. My older DC are at secondary and I had forgotten about it. They could have told me they were too busy NOW and would contact me later instead of a firm refusal to look around IMO. Not really buying it.

OP posts:

Original poster

AdrenalineOverload · 08/05/2014 11:36

He was only on the waiting list for a week!

OP posts:

Gurnie · 08/05/2014 11:50

It's very rude. I must admit I work in a small school but I know for certain that if someone wants to come and look round then they are warmly welcomed to do so. Yes, we sometimes have to jiggle things around but we always say "Yes, of course you can". Not many people would want to send their child to a school that they had never even stepped foot in. I wouldn't!

Gurnie · 08/05/2014 11:50

I'm afraid things like that really put me off places!

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread