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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School reception was rude to me

315 replies

Avalaura · 14/05/2019 09:08

Do I have the right to be angry?
My son moved school and today I forgot to give him some money for a stall were they will be selling buns. So i went to recpetion to see if anyone could give the money to him because they always did at the other school. And she just said " I haven't got time for that I'm afraid I've got other things to do " and then when I walked away she said to other people in the corridor that she has other things to do not bother with that. Then I waited for the reception door to open because it's a lock one. Then she said the other woman that she said she could take it up for her but she can't bother with silly things like that. Im so angry should I complain?

OP posts:
Youngandfree · 14/05/2019 09:32

Just thinking 🤔 maybe she got her back up because she thinks you were rude and assuming to ask her?? If the last school was obliging then maybe your tone was too assuming/demanding for her and she was saying no out of principle?? I’m now waiting for the secretary to post her version 😂 “aibu to say no to this parent??”

TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 09:32

This is a particularly stressful week for primary schools
because it is y6 SATs. All the staff will be feeling the pressure because it will get transmitted to everyone somehow. For example, TAs may be being co-opted from classes to act as scribes & invigilators. There may be extra admin for office staff.

So you may have caught them on a bad day. Or it could just be not school policy. When you've found your feet a bit ask another parent how they do things there.

Kanin · 14/05/2019 09:32

They could have simply said no, but it sounds like they then wasted time by having a bit of a whinge about your request.

SarahTancredi · 14/05/2019 09:32

No at dds school they are escorted to the reception area by a staff member. They clukdbt go by themselves as the door is one of those code lcal obesitthe high release button on the other side

If its sats week and the kids are in the hall then they would have to be escorted round the outside of the building to the playground gates which are also chained/code locked.

Not quite so simple. Disruptive and takes a member of staff out the classroom

SD1978 · 14/05/2019 09:32

I don't hugely see the issue- at out school- the reception rings up the classroom and the child would come down and pick it up. Slightly annoying- maybe. A need to keep going on about it, no. Maybe this happens a lot, did they give the money to your son?

EmeraldShamrock · 14/05/2019 09:33

I agree it should be part of her job, As I said up thread ours can be a wagon. I always ask her to phone up for DD , My nephew attended the school years earlier, he forgot his lunch, my sister dropped up his packed lunch, she never passed it on, she said she forgot. He never forgot lunch again, if you are any way rude to her, she is vindictive.
It is the reason I bride her frosty soul.

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 09:33

Yellow876 I should do. Always lived in Leeds never had a problem of rudeness til now

OP posts:
frenchonion · 14/05/2019 09:34

Our receptionist is an angel! I try my very best but with 3 kids and a busy life sometimes things get forgotten, and I've never ever been made to feel bad about it. Receptionist usually nips it into the classroom or catches a passing pupil to deliver the item. It's par for the course of working FOH in a school, delivering forgotten belongings etc. I know because I've done it, in a comp, where it's considerably trickier (but not hard!!) to track down a pupil. It's just part of pastoral care. I've also lent pupils a small fortune in lunch money/bus fares etc. and depending on the pupil half the time didn't get it back. You weren't unreasonable asking for money to be passed on, she was grumpy and should have helped.

Youngandfree · 14/05/2019 09:34

At my child's school items brought in late eg lunch boxes etc are sent down to class with the children selected to take registers to the office

Do they still do this? All schools I know do it on the computer now

vintanner · 14/05/2019 09:34

YANBU
A receptionist should never be rude, ever, busy or not. She needs further training on her customer service.

It is their job and if it wasn't for you and your child (and all the others) at the school, they wouldn't have a job.

I am speaking from experience on both sides of the fence.

lmusic87 · 14/05/2019 09:35

Its a really big week in most schools, you should have just put it in an envelope clearly labelled and not just got stroppy.

IAmTheChosenOne · 14/05/2019 09:36

thanks to all who were on my side

An actual 'lol'

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 09:37

I asked politely and she was rude. And I heard her talking about me to strangers when I was waiting for the door to be unlocked. That is it.

OP posts:
Marmablade · 14/05/2019 09:37

If it's SATS week and everyone is too stressed out then perhaps the bun stall should have been postponed until afterwards? If the buns are a treat for SATS children then maybe it should be just for them. If an event has been planned during a busy time people shouldn't lose their manners.

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 09:38

When she said she doesn't have time for that I just said alright thanks and walked away

OP posts:
Sirzy · 14/05/2019 09:38

Was it in a clearly marked envelope or where you just trying to hand random cash at the busiest time of day?

yellow876 · 14/05/2019 09:38

Avalaura - haha! I'm not far from you, but I can't say where otherwise it'll be outing and I've used this username for personal stuff. She is the one in the wrong love. No need for her to be rude. Flowers

Cuppaand2biscuits · 14/05/2019 09:38

If you are new to the school, I'm assuming she would know that having gone through paperwork with you, then I would have been much kinder and more polite to explain that at this school we are unable to pass forgotten items to pupils.
Perhaps on this first offence she could have let you off and passed it on.
She sounds a bit bonkers if I'm honest. Its not the way receptionists should speak to parents.
Ours is rude, she would take the money to pass on but she would let you know she wasn't happy about doing it.

BlackcurrantJamontoast · 14/05/2019 09:38

It is KS2 SATS, they will be chasing missing children and possibly helping to invalidate. They dont have time.

Fionadragon · 14/05/2019 09:39

Where does op say she got stroppy?

BlackcurrantJamontoast · 14/05/2019 09:39

Inviligate

Prequelle · 14/05/2019 09:39

Even if it wasn't in a 'clearly marked envelope' it would take seconds to tell OP to put it in one.

Yokohamajojo · 14/05/2019 09:40

Our school would happily do that and wouldn't be rude about it

minisoksmakehardwork · 14/05/2019 09:40

It's SATS week. Schools are ultra busy. Chalk it up to experience and don't let it bother you for future. But try to remember to put it in his bag the night before next time.

Youngandfree · 14/05/2019 09:40

Does you school really let parents go wandering around the school after bell has gone in order to interrupt classes and drop off random belongings??
In those kind of cases yes, I once forgot to give my DD a drink for a sports event so I was let back in no problem. But... we are in Ireland and also a very small rural school. So very laid back! In the school I work in then you have to sign in and out. Or they will call said child to meet you on the intercom if necessary.

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