to think I should have had more than one response by now?

[wootle]

Parents' evening at my DCs school 3 weeks ago. They have a system where DC book the appts with teachers. The evening is meant to run from 4pm to 7pm.

So my DC being a bit disorganised only booked 3 appointments with teachers - having not had lessons with the others in the week leaving up to Parents Evening due to the way the timetable works. Anyway so we turn up on the night just before the first appt at 1750 and expect to catch the other teachers I wanted to see in between the booked appointments.

Except that they'd all already left, other than one of the teachers we had an appt with. The other 2 teachers (who we did have appts with) were off sick.

I wasn't terribly impressed, as DC is in year 9 and I was keen to speak to their teachers about progress etc. Anyway I got home and emailed the main school email (didn't have email addresses for the teachers themselves, plus wasn't sure if someone might be covering for those off ill etc) politely to say I was disappointed I'd only managed to see one teacher, and would it be possible for those I missed (listed names and subjects) to either drop me an email or give me a call to let me know how DC was doing, any concerns, anything they needed to be doing to prep for yr 10 and start of options etc.

I got an automatic acknowledgment. Then about 3 days later a reply from DCs deputy head of year confirming receipt and advising that the email had been forwarded to all subject teachers. A few more days I got a lovely reply from one teacher, confirming what stage DC was at with her subject, prep they could do now for next year etc. Which was great and really helpful.

However I have had no further reply from any if the other teachers. I sent another email to the main address, copying in deputy HOY, and also rang and left a message with the school office for someone to update me. But nothing.

I appreciate end of term is busy but if one has managed to reply surely the others could have? School have now broken up for the next fortnight, so I'm not now going to get a reply until mid April, if at all. Not really sure what to do next? And aibu to have expected more replies?

YABU (completely) whinging about teachers on sick leave. Goodness me, are you expecting they endanger their health?

UptheChimney, OP is neither whinging about it nor expecting them to endanger their health. She is expecting them, now that they are back, to acknowledge an email which their deputy head has asked them to reply to, within three weeks. What is unreasonable about that?

I didn't ring the school because my experience is its usually a bunfight on the evening and you never see any teacher at the booked time. I expected this eve to be much the same, and was sure we'd manage to see at least 2 of the 3 teachers we didn't have appts with.

Also I didn't have any direct contact details for the teachers concerned, I'd have had to phone the reception and leave a message. As it's all done on paper I doubt the receptionist could have arranged any appts without first checking with the teachers.

DC advises both sick teachers were back in school before end of term, but I'd have expected the deputy HOY to have told me if they were still off anyway. I'm not expecting them to come in if they're ill, but once they're back a reply, even if its just a I'll get back to you after Easter' would be better than nothing.

It's a,pretty average school. Not great, but we're in a grammar area and it's a non grammar school. So hobsons choice really. DC likes it, or at least likes the subjects which are setted, as there tends to be some learning going on there.

Jessica2point0
It's works well because we appreciate that it's so much easier to teach kids when their parents are fully informed and supportive.

There seems to be a lot more emphasis these days on parental involvement and co-operation between parents, children, teachers, schools. Good communication is a vital part of that and the OP's experience is unfortunate (i.e. lack of response to her e-mail).

OP, will the school give out teacher's e-mail addresses on request? My children's school has them on the website and I've almost always had a same day or next day response to an e-mail. The school's not perfect but the teachers are very responsive.

I think YABU to expect to see the teachers you DC hadn't made appointments with on the night in question. However, I do think you should receive replies from the teachers you have e-mailed.

I'm a primary school teacher and try to be as flexible as possible with the appointments that I offer. I try to see everyone on the same two evenings but make alternative appointments if required. Also, parents who forget to make appointments are welcome to come and see me at a different pre-arranged time.

I should point out though, that I only have to see 34 sets of parents. Secondary school teachers have many more than that so would find it hard to be so accommodating.

I've never been offered individual email addresses, just the main one. There's only that main email on the website too.

I'm a teacher, our parents Eve system is online and the last one I had no appointments but according to some here I should have sat in the hall until that time anyway missing my children's bedtime incase someone didn't make an appointment.

Fuck. That.

On the email point YANBU I'm one of the few teachers in my place that scrupulously checks my inbox several times throughout the day and it drives me potty that others aren't the same but still use bits of scrappy paper for messages.

I am beginning to think if you had spent half as much time before parents evening checking your child's progress on making appointments as you are spending justifying your attitude now, there wouldnt be an issue at all.

jessica2

The problem wasn't that the OP's child didn't get appointments with their teachers but that they didn't make the appointments.

Crucial difference.

SuburbanRhonda
That is a partial misrepresentation. The OP, or OP's dc, did make three appointments but saw only one teacher due to teacher sickness.

The main problem highlighted by the OP is the lack of responses she has received from a subsequent e-mail to the school. Just because her child didn't make all the necessary appointments (using the school's daft and convoluted system), does not mean that she deserves to be ignored for several weeks afterwards. There is no doubt that the school could improve its communication systems and the logistics of organising parents' evening appointments.