AIBU to send a snotty email to school?

[Dontbestupidagain]

My DD is in year 6 of a small school. She is very capable - greater depth in sats results and has a place at a very competitive grammar locally. The rest of her cohort are low ability and there is a high percentage of SEN. This hasn't been a problem generally and I have always felt the school have provided challenge for DD. Today however we had a conversation about what she had been doing at school. She said that in maths she went on the computer like always. I asked what she meant and it turns out that for the last three weeks she has been playing two maths games on the laptop as what the others are doing is too basic for her. She doesn't have a problem with this and has enjoyed it but she has had no teacher input or actual teaching herself. I'm pretty pissed off about this. I understand that she is more capable than the others but she has a right to be taught and stretched too. In my mind they should be setting her up for a strong start at secondary, plugging any gaps they feel she might have and building her confidence. Instead she has had nothing. I am going to write an email but just wanted to check that I'm not being over-zealous in my reaction. AIBU?

Exactly what @LostInNorfolk said

Wow. You're a delight aren't you?!?

No you shouldn't send the email. It's the end of term and as someone else said, your daughter is going to the grammar school in part due to them.

My sons not doing much now. However, given he has SEN and is low ability I guess it doesn't matter.

Yep, send the snotty email.

Oh please do, the Staff need a laugh at the end of term. Do you have other children in the school?

I would leave it, you would just leave a bad taste in the mouth and there is nothing to be gained at this late stage.

Given that your daughter appears to have a natural ability and has sailed through her SATS I wouldn’t say anything. My eldest was like this (didn’t do SATS as it was the year many schools boycotted) and had a crap teacher. It didn’t dampen his thirst for knowledge or learning or affect him in secondary school.
I’d expect actual learning in school to start dropping off now as they limp towards end of term.

Given that she got into a grammar they can’t have taught her that poorly- there’s 2 weeks left of school, don’t cause issue

But OP, perhaps don't go in all guns blazing. I'm not sure what you'd achieve, other than upsetting and causing trouble for the staff who have presumably helped get your daughter into her new school over the last 7 years. It's days until the end of year 6 and everyone is on their knees, you will just look petty and nasty.

In my mind they should be setting her up for a strong start at secondary,

In the teacher's mind, she needs to be preparing, and filling in any gaps for, the less able children who are likely to find the transition to secondary school much more challenging.
Your child has it made. She's heading for a challenging Grammar school, she's unlikely to lose any knowledge over the summer, and she's going to turn up to her new school with confidence.
That's not going to be the case for some of the other kids. Let the teacher focus on them for a while.

My son is year 6 and they've been doing fun stuff since SATs. Things like building electric cars, writing games in Python and writing their leavers performance (plus all the stage design, costumes etc).

Pretty much no maths or SPAG or science at all. I think it's great - broadens their education.

One of my children used to go to the school where I taught. I didn't teach the class but I sat through all the staff meetings where SAT tests were discussed and analyzed. I knew exactly the order of the class from top to bottom. However, the other parents of the class didn't know I had access to this information. Half of them would tell me in great delight that their child was top in everything. The other half were convinced their kids were completely failing. They were all wrong.

I'm only saying this because you seem very sure that you know the abilities and levels of this class. Bet you don't. Also- is she on Khan academy or something? This is still learning.

Lastly, I hope you wrote a thank you email for every one of the good weeks your daughter had a school since you are so quick to write a snotty one.

Oh please do, the Staff need a laugh at the end of term. Do you have other children in the school?

The countdown to the end of the term will be up in the staff room - or rather the countdown until they no longer have Dontbestupidagain as that parent. Crossing off each day.

If this isn't a reverse, I advise you to wind your neck in and get a grip.

I think at the end of year6 you look back on the overall school experience. Sounds as if your DD has been well supported & done well. I'd be thankful she is going forward confident & happy.

In my mind they should be setting her up for a strong start at secondary

Ok so I can assume that for the 6 weeks holiday you'll be doing daily lessons with her, to plug any gaps? Or is it only the last 3 weeks of the term that will set her up for a strong start at secondary school?

You are being over zealous.

Yet another thread that makes me glad I am not teacher. Christ knows how anyone who is puts up with this kind of thing.

I wouldn’t write anything, here’s why: once it’s in print, you can’t go back on this very well if you find out different to what you’re DD has implied (not suggesting she’s lying at all, but as another PP said, the “game” might be challenging); you need a direct response and a face to face chat with the teacher and then escalate with the head if need be.

Emails get “lost” and put aside.

Speak to someone directly.

Last week left at school...YABU to complain (different story if it were the beginning or middle of the year though) I'd just let it go, I'm sure she's worked very hard and deserves a bit of down time. She sounds bright and hardworking and I'm sure she'll blossom in secondary school.

Why? She's got into a good grammar school and done well in her SATS. What purpose would it serve exactly other than to demoralise staff and make it clear you think every other pupil is sub standard?

Ffs it's July

It's a few weeks before summer hols, she's got a place in Sept at a school you're happy with. Is this really annoying you that much? Let her relax a bit.

I'm a primary teacher. Once, just once, it would be nice to receive an email thanking us for getting a child to greater depth.

Send your email. It would be met with an eye roll, I can assure you.

Give your child a break. Our Year 6s look forward to this time of year all year. A chance to have the fun that has been pretty much completely squashed out of the curriculum.

You want to leave an email on a high note don't you? Don't be one of those parent's OP.

Im not in the UK anymore but given its the end of the school year the teachers will be shattered, plus they will have other stuff to sort out (paintings, artwork etc) and I imagine they will be working on end of year stuff such as plays and assemblies.

Give them a break, they have obviously your DD immensely to get where she is now.

My youngest has just finished Year 13 at a Grammar - I would say let your DD enjoy her last few weeks at primary because once she goes into Year 7 there will be work coming out of her ears and homework from day one! Sounds like the primary has served her very well indeed!