Aibu regarding bad spelling & grammar in DD's report?

[ItWentInMyEye]

As the title suggests, my DD received her school report last week and it is littered with bad spelling and poor grammar. I'm quite annoyed as A) my daughter's teacher is capable of these things and B) that the Deputy Head has supposedly signed it off! (Implying she has read and approved it, however the signature looks printed to me) So aibu to comment on these things in a polite way on the form I have to return tomorrow? I've put it off because I'm torn between looking like an arsehole and the fact that a teacher should -in my eyes at least- be able to spell and write sentences correctly. Help!!!

How could I phrase it without causing offence? I really don't want to upset anyone.

This year my son's school sent a letter home saying they had been busy with Estyn inspectors so reports wouldn't be proof read so could we please excuse any spelling errors etc...could it be something like that?

YABU, I'm just amazed that the teachers commenting have said they'd be fine with it. Reports seem to entail an awful lot of work these days. My DD's was far more detailed than I felt it needed to be and there were a few spelling mistakes etc but I figured when having to produce 25 of these that this will happen. Wouldn't even occur to me to ask for a rewrite.

We haven't had anything like that, and also my DS attends the same school and his is absolutely perfect.

Something like 'I really liked the report- especially this and that (hopefully there will be something you can mention here). I just wanted to let you know the spell check wasn't working and some errors have been printed. Little OP has had a lovely year in your class, have a lovely holiday'

The teacher will look when she gets the chance.

I really am not asking for a rewrite! Can't stress that enough, just I honestly think they need to check them more thoroughly. The Deputy who signed it off doesn't do any teaching, so I'd have thought she'd have been able to spend the time checking properly.

Pearlman- isn't really a good enough standard when it's the only report parents get in a year.
I don't see why you're cross at the concept that reports should have more thorough checking before being sent out to parents.

In general I have no problem mentioning (I hope nicely) that there are mistakes they could try not to make in the future, largely because I want them to understand she isn't going to get great examples at home since my own education in grammar was seriously lacking, so she needs them to be modeling. They are all she has! But I never do so with school reports.

So many people I know have children at schools where the reports are built out of set phrases from some sort of database. So I am reluctant to do anything that would weight the decision of the head teacher towards implementing such a system.

I think you can bring this up with the school in a positive and constructive way. It is sloppy and if someone checked them, he/she did a poor job.

How could I phrase it without causing offence? I really don't want to upset anyone.

You couldn't not cause offence. And you would upset someone.

If you don't want it corrected then really all that can be achieved is making the teacher feel bad. I don't see any good coming from it.

Fair comment, I know they're overworked really. I suppose it all boils down to me being concerned that all of the mistakes weren't spotted straight away by the two teachers, when at least 6 of us noticed them. It looks like parents think I'm bu but teachers don't! So still not sure what to do

Good point BoomBoomsCousin. I hadn't thought of that.

YANBU. It's shocking that teachers and parents are happy with such a lazy attitude. It screams out that being accurate really isn't important. Would you be happy if a doctor or pharmacist couldn't be arsed to check a drug prescription? Or if a retailer couldn't be arsed to give you the right change? Or if the benefits adviser couldn't be arsed to make sure they got your NI number right? Well guess what all those kids in that teacher's class are going to grow up and get jobs. Many of those jobs will need to be done accurately.

It is up to you OP. Ours are all checked by Headteacher. I'm still waiting to find out if the last class have all passed. First one was fine. Last one has three of us writing it!
Up without love the name.
They are all written at home.
Op Sometimes after a hard day teaching, late parents, a meeting, struggling through traffic, cooking for the family and then writing reports we do make mistakes. I was just about falling asleep writing one lot. However typos and computer changes can't always be helped. The grammar is a worry. If you are going to ask do itv quickly while it is still on the system and easy to change.

Leave it alone. You hardly think that some teacher thinks that "atop" spells "stop", do you? And "color" is, as pps have said, a perfect legitimate spelling of "colour" - probably the teacher typed "colour" and the spellcheck amended it.
The fact that it then went out doesn't mean that nobody noticed, but that if they did, they did not consider it a "STOP PRESS!" moment.
You will upset people for a very weak reason and will certainly be no better liked for it. And that may affect the way people deal with your children. It shouldn't, but it might.

Which is the last thing I want. My mum is a teacher though and was really surprised at the many errors, and suggested I mention it. However, this is aibu and I'm totally willing to accept my fate!

I finds it bizarre that a desire for correct SPAG in the teaching system is viewed as fussiness by many parents! It's nice to see that the teachers who have responded would be happy to take feedback on board.

I teach at uni and am responsible for proofreading my own feedback to students. I'd be mortified to make errors like that. Similarly I'd expect my students not to submit work with sloppy errors such as those described by the OP. And no I do not work in a language/literary field, but accurate use of the English language is necessary if you want to be the amen seriously as a professional. I'm confused as to why, If students and those in other professional roles have to maintain standards of SPAG in reports and documents, the teaching profession, responsible for education on these issues is so often excused?

As a teacher I don't think it's acceptable that reports are going out with the number of errors you're suggesting. One or two clear typos is one thing, but, as a pp said, we are trying to instil in children that writing accurately is important, so should be setting a good example. It's very easy to make small mistakes / typos, but surely that's why they're proof read? I know teachers are insanely busy, but this is a really important part of the job, and should be prioritised.

And some of the reasons given for not raising it

Your daughter will move on to a different class so the harms already done (sod all of the other kids that may have to suffer poor SPAG teaching in future if this is representative!)
Don't cause a fuss because teachers may treat you child differently (because spitefulness is acceptable in this profession?!?)

I find these reasons astonishing - if either of them are even remote possibilities then parents and teachers should be ashamed.