To think banning stuff from schools is stupid

[SparklesAndUnicorns]

I like to think I'm quite a 'progressive' parent and I like my children to express themselves how they feel most comfortable, they tend to pick and wear what they want over the weekends and I do let them ocassionally change their hair colours with semi permanent safe dyes.
I agree with school uniform but my daughters school doesn't even allow hair bows, she went in with a few braids and bows in the other day and came home with a messy ponytail in and told me the teacher had taken them out. Teacher explained it's against school rules to have more than one bow in their hair. Aibu to think rules like no nail varnish, no hair accessories and no hair dye is just ridiculous rules? How is this going to effect their learning? She is only 6 and I really don't understand the reasoning. Surely if it's a bullying thing then this is down to parenting your child to accept that everyone is different, I can't see how it's a health and safety issue like piercings would be, I do agree to remove earrings on PE days as I can understand that one, but the others seem strange to me. Would love to know others feelings and opinions on this

Then you have a very narrow experience. Hercule is just fine in defending a teacher's right to a lunch break, or not to have to run out of school classes. Many of us do so out of choice but it is not a child's right to have a teacher at their beck and call. In some schools the availability of "catch up" means that students aren't giving their full focus in the lesson when content is being delivered.

Work load is the reason we are losing staff in their droves, almost all staff are at full allocation, and get a limited amount of PPA time for what it seems like is a never ending set of curriculum changes and OFSTED expectations. I can see why some heads may have made lunch time (as its unpaid) non contact.

I've never encountered any of the time off listed above.

I have however encountered many parents who think that they should be able to dictate the rules, which ones should be enforced or not, and often which ones need to apply for other children but not their own.

They never seem to take into account that rules may have been made down to experience of staff. But these threads always attract the same types of poster too, always with an anecdotal tale, which is out of most people's experience.

They never seem to take into account that rules may have been made down to experience of staff. But these threads always attract the same types of poster too, always with an anecdotal tale, which is out of most people's experience

With regards to inane rules which the thread was about. I deliver sport in various education settings so certainly in that respect I have direct experience of a variety of institutions.

Incidentally when I’m coaching it frees up the staff for non-contact time . I don’t get paid for it, I volunteer through a sheer love of it. Which rather makes a mockery of the “you’re destroying the education system” jibes from someone who isn’t even in education

"inane rules" yes because someone elses will resemble yours exactly.

You think they are inane ? You get others on board to have them changed, its actually very easy. Don't just expect exemptions for your child.

JacquesHammer
I thought it might be the case that one was private.

The endless hours is a culture in some schools and it does place an unnecessary burden on staff.

It used to really annoy me when I spent a huge amount of time and effort refining what I did in class to reduce endless revision classes for students (I'm in the camp that endless intervention and booster classes is bad for student stress levels and if we get it right in class then there is no need for that culture) and then some colleagues would spend hours and hours moaning about how many hours extra they were doing 1-1s etc. What then was frustrating is that occasionally a few of my students would say 'Mrs blah is doing revision every night when are you doing it?' and my reply would be 'you're all working hard in class, as am I, you're all on track to meet or exceed your targets so why would I burden you and me with additional lessons?'

I'm always free to help if there's questions and things, but I disagreed with the poster up thread (sorry it may not have been you in hindsight) who suggested that if there's not enough progress in class then staff should be making themselves available. Personally, the first port of call should be asking 'is what I'm doing in class working for those students?' I do find the staff running endless boosters (other than in schools with a terrible culture) tend to be the less effective teachers in the classroom.
I should probably run away for saying that in case MN teachers hate on me

Fuck me a PE coach.

Gosh yeah its so similar to delivering a hard GCSE.

And to be clear, I have never said to no to a request for extra help which was delivered respectfully, by a child who tried their best the first time, or who recognises that they didn’t. Never. I have given up break times, after school, half-terms, Easter breaks.

But it is a request, with the acknowledgment that I can say no.

You think they are inane ? You get others on board to have them changed, its actually very easy. Don't just expect exemptions for your child

None of the inane rules are in my child’s school. We picked very carefully to ensure her school fit with our thoughts on education.

Inane rules like - in one school I visited, their school policy is children don’t do PE if they don’t have the regulation kit. However they don’t take into consideration issues with supply, kit getting lost, people putting in the wrong ones, timetable changes etc etc

My rules are simple - wear what you want, but for contact safety equipment is a must. Don’t have it? You can still participate but not in anything that’s a risk.

I mean wearing a black t-shirt instead of a blue for one lesson can’t matter less.

Gosh yeah its so similar to delivering a hard GCSE

Please feel free to quote where I said it was

I'm always free to help if there's questions and things, but I disagreed with the poster up thread (sorry it may not have been you in hindsight) who suggested that if there's not enough progress in class then staff should be making themselves available

Not me. I made the point that if a child wasn’t understanding something in class then it’s helpful to be able to speak to a teacher to try and sort out where the issue is.

I also don’t expect a teacher to be always available, providing they sometimes are.

I was pointing out that your understanding and experience is limited.

There are schools with bad rules, challenge them the proper way instead of blaming the poor sods on the front line.

I was pointing out that your understanding and experience is limited

Well that depends. I work in a massive range of schools and demographics.

There are schools with bad rules, challenge them the proper way instead of blaming the poor sods on the front line

You keep saying that. I don’t challenge the rules. Not my circus, not my monkeys. But IME there’s a correlation between the level of rules in the school and the behaviour of the kids.

JacquesHammer
That's cool. I agree with you then. I took it that loads of extra availability should be the norm (and in some places that's the expectation which is madness).

You can work in a wide range of schools, coaching sport doesn't give you any real idea about what day to day curriculum delivery is like, or what behaviour is really like. Or what impacts these things.

You can work in a wide range of schools, coaching sport doesn't give you any real idea about what day to day curriculum delivery is like, or what behaviour is really like. Or what impacts these things.

Or that the behaviour of children out on a field with a football is rarely a reflection of their behaviour in P3 French?

As for giving up breaks and dinners. No I don’t. I mean I have two set days a week, Monday and Thursday where I stay in my room all lunch and break, pupils are welcome to come and see me for anything at all in that time. The rest of the week then no. I eat my lunch in peace, probably whilst scanning MN or online shopping. If a pupil absolutely desperately needed to me I would obviously make the exception but this is rare

I think 2 days a week where children can come to you is completely fair. And just incase for the avoidance of doubt I don't think for one second endless hours of free tutoring as standard should be acceptable. I just think children should be able to go to their teachers if they need to and having an open door policy a couple of afternoons a week, sounds great.

It's just a minefield in knowing the right school to choose. Some people say go off OFSTED results, some say look how the children interact. My uncle who is a head, says look at how the children leave the school at the end of the day, if they are like raging bulls, don't choose that school (he is a bit old school though ) just a minefield.

Problem is with an open door policy is that it has to fit around twilight meetings, twilight inset, parents evenings, open evenings and what ever other responsibilities you have.

It isn't always possible to fit it in when kids want it.

My uncle who is a head, says look at how the children leave the school at the end of the day, if they are like raging bulls, don't choose that school (he is a bit old school though ) just a minefield.

I'm probably of a similar view. If the students are wandering and chatting, some on bikes/scooters, they're lively, carrying their kit etc then it's probably a good school. I also think it's worth looking at staff on duty too. If staff on duty are in high vis on every bus, all along the street then that's more of a concern than a few members of staff on the gates in their normal coats.

And my door was always open. That isn’t the issue here. The issue is the entitlement.

Problem is with an open door policy is that it has to fit around twilight meetings, twilight inset, parents evenings, open evenings and what ever other responsibilities you have.

isn't always possible to fit it in when kids want it.

Yeah which is great that a PP has that 2 days a week where they stay in their room all lunch and break , where children can come and see them over anything. Great stuff IMO

I also think it's worth looking at staff on duty too. If staff on duty are in high vis on every bus, all along the street then that's more of a concern than a few members of staff on the gates in their normal coats.
Thanks for the advice, I had never thought of that, I will definitely look at that as well.

bourbonbiccy

And what about teachers who can’t do that? I have worked with teachers who are Muslim, who pray at lunch. I have worked with teachers who pump milk at lunch. I have worked with diabetic teachers who need to inject insulin at lunch. I have worked with teachers who need to leave the site at lunch to deal with things at home.

None of those things are any business of a parent (or child) who wants to know why their child can’t see a member of staff at lunch time.

Have some respect.

That depends on your timetable though doesn't it.

Most staff offer some time, some find it difficult to offer any though

That depends on your timetable though doesn't it.

Of course it would depend on your timetable and how you already allocate your time.

If I was a teacher on full allocation I would be very protective of my lunchtime, especially in a secondary where you'll get very few frees, most days you'll teach all of the lessons.

If I was a teacher on full allocation I would be very protective of my lunchtime, especially in a secondary where you'll get very few frees, most days you'll teach all of the lessons.

I think it is a great thing if a teacher is willing to sacrifice a lunch or 2, to help support students if they are struggling. They are quite clearly missing something in lesson time and might just need that little extra help.