Is this a shit school or aibu? (DD finishing reception)

[ElFire]

PFB alert here, so prepared to be (gently) mocked...

DD has just finished reception. Her main teacher works a 3.5 week. For the first six weeks Thurs pm were taken by the TA and Fridays by a lovely experienced teacher whom the children adored

Nine weeks later the school gets a shit Ofsted, a Yr 6 resigned and our lovely Friday teacher replaced by the assistant head. She was obviously ill suited to EYs and lasted six weeks before being moved elsewhere. That's followed by a shout-y supply teacher on Fridays, but no notification to parents. HT apologises for disruption following complaints , then promises current supply will be there til end of term. Meanwhile TA goes off on long term sick. Supply resigns. Another random supply. HT tells me TA will now take class. I point out NUT are against this and that she has been on long term sick and therefore perhaps it was mean to expect her to take on a teaching role. Yet another supply for Fridays, but no notification to parents. So DD has 5 teachers on a Friday over one year, but the same teacher Mon - Thurs am.

MOn-Thurs teacher is OK, but during in whole of reception year, DD has had no music lessons, no drama, no baking. DD's xmas/easter/mother's day card is folder cardboard with scrawled felt tip. There has been one school trip. Mon-Thurs teacher, although lovely, regularly talks about 'when we use them bad words, we hurt people's feelings', showing poor grasp of basic grammar.

I feel let down. School seems to be poorly managed and totally lacking in creative curriculum. But are my expectations too high? We are in big city with mixed catchment. DD is happy-ish but not progressing in phonics and regularly upset going into the classroom in the morning.

I come from a family of teachers, who have worked in v deprived areas. They all think this school is appalling. But really? Is this just not par for the course? Genuinely interested if you've read this far...

Yanbu

I am so sorry

Yanbu.

Do you have alternative options? Letter to governers or LEA?

Call your local schools and arrange short visits ASAP if at all possible.

Call your Local Authority Pupil Admissions Team to find out which schools might have places in your local area for September in Year 1.

Find out what is available, which schools have vv l

I don't know about it being a 'shit school' but your dd's reception experience doesn't sounds good.

Do you know what the arrangements are for Y1 in terms of teachers etc?

It's a really tough time for a school after a poor Ofsted judgement, but they should be communicating with parents re changes of teachers and the like.

That is so very bad.

Sorry for your DD.

Oops posted to soon.

Find out which schools have vv long waiting lists and avoid those.

I would move her ASAP. Children only get one chance at their schooling. She doesn't get to do Reception again, don't waste the next few years.

god, thanks, I have met with head, written to chair of governors. DD on waiting list for outstanding school 0.2 miles away. have done everything I thought possible, even though i know other parents now think i am THAT parent who complains all the time.

I am a LP so private is not an option but I am so gutted I would consider getting into debt. i just don't understand why i'm the only parent who seems to feel like this? I have spoken to others/ joined PSA, but none of them seem to be moved to action. I don't get it.

thanks for the vindication though. I will home ed if I have to.

YANBU, I think one or two problems you might overlook but there seems to be far too much going on there.
I love my sons nursery but we have the problem there of adults using sentences with very bad grammar, it drives me mad.

I wouldn't say this is a rubbish school, but this doesn't sound like a great reception year for your dd. Is there any reason for you to think year 1 will he bad as well? Continuity of teaching is the issue here. Does the school have ft yr 1 teachers?

I think your concerns about drama, music and baking are a bit OTT tbh - the curriculum at that level is very informal and the basics are a priority.

Other than that though, I would feel the same as you. That level of disruption cannot be good for a child and it sounds as if they are failing in quite a big way with the basics too.

I'm in a similar position with my DD so I do sympathise, although my concerns following a bad Ofsted are more for the future of the school (Academisation) than issues with how DD had done so far (she's in Yr 4).

Unfortunately no sign of a place at the other school we've applied to after four months at the top of the waiting list .

Awful.

My DGC has just finished her Reception Year and it's been brilliant.

Phonics and Numeracy excellent, other curriculum areas also very good. I cannot praise the staff highly enough.

You cannot get that year back again. Vote with your feet.

THanks - i take on board yr comments about music/baking. i do these things at home obvs, but i know of (admittedly outstanding) schools where these things do happen, so feel gutted that my DD isn't get as good as others, IYKWIM?

Sorry you've had similar experiences goats and wyrd.

thanks for feedback.

Is it even legal for a TA to be in sole charge of a class? I thought teachers had to be qualified? Wasn't there a big stink about this with regard to academy schools?

YADNBU OP - get her out of there pronto. Apathy of other parents is weird. But don't take their attitude as validating the school in any way. That is very very poor by anyone's standard.

My dd is in FS1 (ie nursery) 3 mornings (9 hours) a week of the school she will be going to.

We are very happy with the school.

She's definitely done in edible baking I've had to eat it

With music and drama - I hadn't realised that she'd done any but we had a parent consultation the other day and the teacher talked about how much she enjoys dancing and how well she'd done in the dance studio recently when they were pretending to be different animals. Dd on quizzing said "we didn't do dancing - we were just crawling around!"

So it may be that she doesn't recognise the lessons as music and drama. But if she isn't doing them then that is pretty rubbish.

Dd enjoys arts and crafts so she is always producing things. There was a plant for mothers day I think and a cristingle candle. And endless cards. I have to admit the standard of artwork is higher at her other (private) nursery but her key worker there is very artistic, the ratio is 1 to 8 and she is there 16 hours a week rather than 9. Between the two nurseries (25 hours a week - so less than school) I have a lever arch file jammed full of stuff from H1 2014 but that is probably partly as art is what she likes to do.

Tbh DDs school has always given them opportunities re cooking & music but it doesn't tick Mr Gove's boxes and has still ended up in special measures .

She has done well at the school so far but the amount of upheaval that is happening in the wake of their Ofsted report is frankly terrifying, and my concern is that DD's needs will be overlooked in the chaos while they try and sort the place out & tick yet more boxes for Ofsted .

So from a disruption pov alone I can understand why you would want to move your DD.

I think you're massively over reacting tbh, chill she's what 5? I really can't stand parents like you who complain and meet with everyone.....

Sounds dreadful,I don't think you're over reacting at all.

It sounds dreadful and you are not over reacting!
They get one chance in reception- it is not a rehearsal!
YANBU

Yanbu.
Move.

My DD is also just finishing reception.

The curriculum in early years is very play based so I couldn't say she has formally 'done' drama, music or baking. They have had one (amazing) school trip so I would think that was par for the course.

Lack of continuity bloody awful however. DDs teacher was on mat leave when she started, they had an excellent cover and now the main teacher has returned they job share, plus as it's a unit of more than one class, the other teacher has been there all the time. Consistency of relationships has meant such a lot to DD at her age.

Plus if she's not progressing in phonics (and you don't have a clear view of why not) and is unhappy going to school, that also suggests a problem to me.

Good luck with pursuing alternatives.

I wouldnt be happy with a TA taking a class long term. It does sound like there are issues with staff morale. That is never a good sign.

What are your other options, though? Are you thinking of moving her to another school?

And is your DD happy? Is she thriving? That is the crux of it for me.

My son has just finioshed P1. He went on one trip, didn't bake or do drama, but did do some music (not instruments). I am very happy with this school, and these lessons come later on. However I would not be happy at all with the teacher situation. That is not good enough, and would convince me to be trying to move schools. I really hope you strike lucky with the outstanding school. Are you certain other parents aren't complaining too? I am shocked there isn't at the very least a lot of playground moaning going on between parents.

I'm surprised at the lack of trips and creative activities, though.

My reception age DD goes to a London state primary, rated 'Good' but not one of the bunfight-to-get-into schools in my area at all. They have been on trips to the zoo, a city farm, local parks and the theatre this year, and they regularly bake, have singing/dance/music classes and do loads of sporty stuff. What are they doing with 4/5 yr olds if they're not engaging them in fun, creative learning??

Our school do a trip nearly every term for each year, for example in reception they went on a bus and train as part of their Transport topic. Also went to the local farm at Christmas to do a "live" nativity play. They have various mufti, school disco's and dressing up days through out the year too.

The school also finance one big trip at christmas - either paying for everyone to go to the cinema for a Christmasy film or to the theatre for the panto.