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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:
burblife · 14/05/2019 09:56

She was rude to talk about you with others. In my school it would be a perfectly reasonable thing to ask. As you are new to the school, I would ask them how they would like you to communicate messages or send things in in future.

Our school have a stash of envelopes on the desk (for dinner money, charity money etc) and a box for things to be sent up to class/medications to be stored etc. One of the older children collects the box (after medications are removed) and takes it round the classrooms at break time.

It's a very simple system then there is no extra work involved for the receptionist.

MissingInActionYouSay · 14/05/2019 09:57

All these people saying " this is not the receptionists job" well let me tell you that it does not work that way. In a school, it's a whole group effort for everything and quite normal to have to be flexible. This bun sale is very likely a fundraising event and as such it's up to the whole team of staff to make fundraising a success- especially in the current economic climate for schools! Also, manners cost nothing, the receptionist could have easily asked an older child to run the errand or passed the money over during break or lunch n the staff room.

If it was a forgotten packed lunch, would she be within her rights to pass that along? NO. Same principle.

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 09:58

Scarbados
She didn't even look at me to see the money in the envelope that I had. She looked down at her book and then when I was stood away from her she looked up at other people and stood complaing about me

OP posts:
PurpleFlower1983 · 14/05/2019 09:59

I work in a primary school and forgotten items are always delivered or left at reception for older children to collect.

helterskelter3 · 14/05/2019 10:00

She was extremely rude. Even if she didn’t have time to do it, it costs her nothing to be courteous in denying the request. I would definitely complain about that. She’s tried to humiliate you to make herself feel important.

boobirdblue · 14/05/2019 10:00

@letsgohooray I think you can understand and you are just being deliberately inflammatory. Are you the school receptionist?

CremeEgg2019 · 14/05/2019 10:00

I don’t know much about it but surely this is the type of thing under their remit? Otherwise what do they do?

Hahahahahaha. No.

EmeraldShamrock · 14/05/2019 10:00

Did DS get his money eventually. I would complain OP or ask about their policy, poor kid, it is hard starting a new school, She was very rude.
I think the head would like to know.

ICantFindAFreeNickName2 · 14/05/2019 10:01

At our school we have several items a day dropped off, we just get them to the class when we have time.

As your child is new to the school, we would be even more accommodating, as there is so much to remember when you start at a new school.
The one thing that makes life so much easier, is if parents label (name & class) any items that they are dropping off, especially money. You can guarantee that if a parents gives me loose change for a child, the phone will ring or I will have a sick child to deal with, before I have had time to write down the child's name & what the money is for.

SarahTancredi · 14/05/2019 10:03

boo

There are 400 kids in dds school.

Reception often very busy.

There are also the usual hoverers in the playground who pounce in teachers leaving them stood with kids in the line til way past the bell has gone.

There are also plenty who you see running down the path as you are on hour way home that will have to ge signed in.

So no I woukdnt be surprised if it was more than 20 parents who forgot money tbh

boobirdblue · 14/05/2019 10:06

@SarahTancredi my children attended similar schools and if on the odd occasion they forgot something, I never queued behind 20 others.

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 10:08

I was the only one in there apart from some parents standing aside. Theres was no big rush or mounts of people

OP posts:
Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 10:08

There was about 2 parents there. Not a big deal anymore. Is there a way to delete this post?

OP posts:
PenelopeFlintstone · 14/05/2019 10:10

Hi OP
No, you can't delete posts but you can hide it from your self.
The receptionist was a dick, btw. Of course it's her job.

Wurlysurly · 14/05/2019 10:10

She was rude!

I've asked school receptionist to pass money on before, never been a problem.

Original poster
Avalaura · 14/05/2019 10:10

Haha lol

OP posts:
SarahTancredi · 14/05/2019 10:10

Well they arent all there at once are they.

But between 8.15 and probably about 10 it's not unlikely that they are Tied up with multiple parents and phone calls . One would assume theud deal with it all once things quieted down so yes at that point there would be a build up of stuff to drop off. They arent going to be running it down themselves every 30 seconds are they

EmeraldShamrock · 14/05/2019 10:11

I woukdnt be surprised if it was more than 20 parents who forgot money tbh
I doubt it. I have never stood behind 20 parents, 2 max I can remember.
Unfortunately every time I've had to over kill with niceness dealing with the cranky school receptionist.

SammySamSam09 · 14/05/2019 10:11

This is so weird.
I've never known a school to refuse money before Grin

holliethehousewife · 14/05/2019 10:15

I can't see why your request was unreasonable? Maybe she was just having a bad day and it's a chance to rise above it and be extra kind to her anyway Smile

Boulezvous · 14/05/2019 10:15

Seems a bit of an imposition to expect school reception to do that at the busiest time of day. You just need a couple of people in each class to ask them and it would be a total distraction.

Life's too short - forget it.

Jellycat1 · 14/05/2019 10:15

Yanbu. Particularly as you're new. All she had to do was say 'sorry we don't do that here' or something along those lines.
@Prequelle that's hilarious. Hope you remembered them this morning Smile

Isitweekendyet · 14/05/2019 10:16

Only on mumsnet is this rude.

It would have taken her five minutes to run to his class and give to his teacher. This doesn’t happen daily and there wasn’t a queue of twenty mums. It’s a little bit of common decency.

If this was an office and you were dropping something off for your partner then everyone would be up in arms they were ‘too busy’ to run something through, add a school into the equation and everyone goes hysterical.

Did he get his money op? I remember how important things like this were at that age, I vividly recall my mum forgetting money for a charity Fete in year two and wandering round the hall being really upset I couldn’t buy anything - it’s funny what you remember!

EmeraldShamrock · 14/05/2019 10:17

There are also the usual hoverers in the playground who pounce in teachers leaving them stood with kids in the line til way past the bell has gone
Omg my bestest pet hate ever. Thankfully parents are not allowed in the seniors yard.
One mum used to pounce on the teacher every morning for 4 years, it became a running joke.
I doubt teacher saw the funny side.

scarbados · 14/05/2019 10:19

@Avalaura

In that case, she was rude.