School report

[parentonarant]

I received my child's school report today - she hasn't been back in school since 20th March. General report all fine. But to my amazement, we have been categorised in a separate section headed "engagement in home learning". We have been given "room for improvement", despite completing all but two pieces of work, and logging on daily to upload the set work, constant stream of positive encouraging feedback from her teacher and being set extra work in one area due to her doing so well with it. I am absolutely fuming, what on earth is the school thinking that this is fair, appropriate or helpful to grade us like this! My child is key stage 1 so couldn't have worked independently. Unfortunately I have juggled working from home and caring for a 2 year old at the same time as her school work. I did my absolute utmost with her home learning and now feel totally deflated. I'm furious with the school, think it's totally unfair and feel like this is an absolute kick in the teeth to parents who have done their absolute best in a really difficult situation.

I've already sent in an email to the school but am considering a formal complaint.

@Hiddennameforever

*"My child’s report was shitty too much, she is in year 4.
She is a clever girl- loves school, loved her teacher-
teacher put how much well she is thriving and improved, working very hard putting extra effort in everything, huge improvements etc.
And then she has Significantly below age related expectations in EACH subject.
I just can’t believe why they contraindicated the report.
If she so rubbish in everything, why put all these excellent comments and then mark her down as bottom of the class????????" *

It sounds like your daughter is doing everything she can control right! Even if she IS below age related expectations (my child is too, but also got lovely comments about how she's doing well, because she is!).
My child is clever, but she's also autistic and as a result has complex needs around that, despite being clever.
It is not a rubbish report, it sounds like they are saying she's working hard.

Err it was the government that closed school to all children except the vulnerable and key workers children
I wish I could stop reading this! Our school did not offer my vulnerable child a place and found reasons for the vast majority of key workers children not to be allocated places too. They’ve been shit! I have very few positive things to say about the way they handled lock down, but at least they haven’t graded our attempts at home schooling as ‘room for improvement’ (or graded them at all). I think that might have tipped me over the edge tbh. I have done my absolute best during this time. Dd has not engaged in any work at all this half term Due to mental health issues and her efforts were patchy during the first half term. To be told you haven’t done enough when you have done your absolute best, yes they do deserve a complaint, because if that comment has gone to parents who Like us, are already struggling beyond belief, the consequences could be dire. (Please don’t worry about us though, we have now reached the top of the very long waiting list, that we have been on for months and months and months and finally our dd is in the system for some support).

Get a grip. It's a KS1 school report. Everyone knows they're pretty much bollocks anyway - and that's coming from a KS1 teacher.
Most teachers write 4 or 5 "original" reports, and then just copy/paste everyone elses. Or recycle from previous years.
"Okay, little Johnny is a lot like little Fred from last year... copy/paste."

Honestly, if you were to put in a formal complaint over this, you'll be the laughing stock of the staffroom for the next 5 years, and nothing you said, from here on in, will ever be taken seriously.

Just... save yourself the aggro.

Honestly, if you were to put in a formal complaint over this, you'll be the laughing stock of the staffroom for the next 5 years, and nothing you said, from here on in, will ever be taken seriously
In this instance, I’d rather be ‘that parent’ than the headteacher who thought it sensible and helpful to grade parents on their homeschooling efforts, without knowing what had gone on in that household everyday since March! Because let’s face it, the grade for a home schooled child in KS1 is not about what the child has done it is about what the parent has done to support the child through the learning, eg providing equipment, copies of worksheets, paper, pencils, internet connection to actually see the work. No 5 year old is going to have done any of that themselves.

I imagine the majority of children from the most disadvantaged households will also be requiring improvement. The same comment will no doubt have been put on older children’s reports. Imagine you are an 11 year old and have tried your best, against the odds to try and do some School work, when no one around you cares about Your education. And you read that you could have tried harder. How would you feel? Hardly going to do wonders for your mental health is it?

I think you’re right to be upset. They’re basically making a comment about parents homeschooling capabilities without knowing everyone’s individual circumstances. The actual grade also seems unfair to me too.

Wow, you got a report? And feedback during lockdown? I’d have loved that for my children. Especially the one in year 10.

@zingally
Amazing, thanks so much for your input. Slightly concerned that as a teacher and professional you can't see why this is a. Wrong and b. A problem. I couldn't give a monkeys if I'm the "laughing stock of the staff room" as you so professionally put it, because the school is in the wrong here and the right thing to do it challenge it. I have absolutely zero concern about not being taken seriously ever again, because I am perfectly well aware that if and when I raise another issue with the school, the school, it's governing body and the local education authority are actually duty bound to investigate and respond in a professional manner. Did I mention I also work for the local education authority and have a relatively senior role in resolving conflict between parents and schools? Oh no, I didn't. So thanks for the warning but no.... I won't worry about being the laughing stock.

@zingally I'm guessing when mistakes happen at your school your advice is always just save yourself the aggro. It's really about saving the school the aggro tho isn't it? I don't think I want to do that, cheers.

@Maryann1975 I think we are on the same wavelength. I'd rather be that parent too, if it's the right thing to do

None of the teachers I work with would think this would be a good idea,for various reasons. Tbh, I can't imagine our head even considering this, but then again we have kids that are barely being fed and looked at, much less homeschooled.

It's literally a grade for parents, how much effort,time ,resources and skill they have they put into it. Completely irrelevant to the child or their performance this school year.

It's stupid,ridiculous and pointless. I probably wouldn't complain thought, mainly because it wouldn't be worth any more of my time, but I completely understand why other parents might.

Honestly, if you were to put in a formal complaint over this, you'll be the laughing stock of the staffroom for the next 5 years, and nothing you said, from here on in, will ever be taken seriously.

No she wouldn't. Unless the school and staff are crap .

@JellyBabiesSaveLives you should request a report from the school. The DFE guidance was very clear that these should have been issued this year, and schools do have a statutory obligation to provide one.

No she wouldn't. Unless the school and staff are crap
Going straight to a formal complaint is the sort of thing that would get eye rolls most places I've worked because 99% of the time when someone goes 'I'm furious about this and want to write straight to the head/governors/LA/call ofsted', it's over an small issue and the person is just trying to show they mean business.

By all means I'd be calling the head to complain and give my feedback as a parent in the OP's situation, but a formal complaint for this is just someone trying to throw their weight around because they're annoyed they/their child didn't get the highest grade. From reading the OP's comments, I highly doubt this would be an issue for her if the school had given her/her child the grade they wanted.

(I think the comments for home study in lockdown were a stupid idea by the way).

@LolaSmiles it's not about getting the grade I "wanted". It's about having worked continuously for 13 weeks - and submitting every single piece of work bar 3, and having a "grading" that is described as not having completed the work. It's about what's right, and what's completely inaccurate, not what I wanted!!!!

My Yr10 DD's report is just a series of number grades for effort and achievement. No comments at all, not even a "Keep up the good work and see you in Sept" from her form teacher.
She has worked really hard to keep on top of her work these last few months and, unlike her friends, has done everything she's been set. I would have liked some recognition of this - I think it would have been a mental boost for all the times she's been hard at work on a live lessons which they've missed because they've been sitting in the park.

I wouldn't really spend much time worrying about a KS1 report.

Our school reports were so brief this year they really weren't worth the teachers writing - half a side of a4 with all subjects as 'expected to meet targets' or something (my kids are in top sets so that is kind of a given - we had parents evening week before lockdown and they were exceeding targets in English ) and a small paragraph about their general attitude
I'm amazed schools covered the hone learning to be honest
Most secondaries haven't done reports at all

Thirtyrock39
Many secondary schools don't do written reports anyway. Often it's a progress update 3 times a year with attitude and attainment scores.
If they've already reported to parents through the year pre lockdown then there's no need to do another round of reports home, and those that did typically just used the same attainment as the last report before lockdown and then gave a 'good' attitude score unless there's been substantial issues.

submitting every single piece of work bar 3, and having a "grading" that is described as not having completed the work. It's about what's right, and what's completely inaccurate, not what I wanted!!!!
Based on your OP the report said there was 'room for improvement'.
If there's missing work then there is room for improvement.
'room for improvement' doesn't say you haven't done any work.

Even this reply says it all. It's about being annoyed you didn't get what you think you should for lockdown. For all the talk that you're just objecting to having any comments on lockdown learning, it's abundantly clear that had the report said 'utterly wonderful' then we wouldn't have a thread about how wrong it is to comment on lockdown learning in the report.

I think it's a bad decision to refer to lockdown learning in the reports, but all this talk of having emailed the head and also wanting a formal complaint, that people disagreeing mustn't know what a formal complaint is etc is throwing your toys out the pram. You've sent an email with your thoughts and it doesn't need anything else.

@LolaSmiles but you haven't seen my daughter's report. I have. It states:

"Room for improvement:

Has engaged with home learning but has not completed many of the tasks set or only some subjects have been attempted."

So YES it does suggest she hasn't done most of the work, NO it isn't accurate or fair, and NO it is not about me wanting a particular grade.

@LolaSmiles throwing toys out of the pram - really? Is this the best way you can articulate yourself? If you have to resort to childish silly comments like this then clearly you haven't got the skills to make your point.!

By all means I'd be calling the head to complain and give my feedback as a parent in the OP's situation

I actually agree with this and you're right formal complaint/governors/LEA/Ofsted is too much, but a chat with the head is definitely needed. Mainly because grading home learning, particularly in primary is not a good one.

I got a bit annoyed at the sneering tone of that poster so just rolled with it.

sheepplayhideandseek
Ok so with that descriptor, which would have been useful in the OP, it's really not accurate and it's totally reasonable to raise concerns (which I've already said countless times in this thread).

It's still not a formal complaint issue. Yes, going to formal complaint for a situation that's a 'speak to the head/drop them an email' is a toys out the pram moment. It's not childish to point this out.

It's like situations where someone could go to a shop and return a faulty item at the desk, but some customers love to feel big and important so storm in demanding to speak to a manager. Demanding to see a manager is nothing about returning a faulty item and everything about them wanting to throw their weight around. Of course people who point this out are met with faux naïve claims that 'clearly people think we should accept faulty goods/poor service' to try and distract from the fact that people have challenged the silly demanding to see a manager and have said it's totally reasonable to do a return.

We see the same in schools. There's totally reasonable parents who call up or drop us emails about situations or need to raise concerns and they get dealt with. Then there's the minority who think demanding a meeting with the head / formal complaints/ going to Ofsted (or the Mumsnet favourite of going to the local newspaper) will make staff take them seriously. It doesn't. It's the school version of demanding to speak to a manager. Naturally, those parents also claim that anyone thinking their approach is silly is a teacher worshipper and think schools should never be challenged (when nobody has said that).

What are you going to do as your child goes through school and into secondary, fire off formal complaints for everything you disagree with or don't like?

@LolaSmiles yeah, I work for the local authority in the area of parent / school disputes and ensuring that local authority run schools are acting appropriately and in accordance with law, statutory guidance etc. I've done it many, many years.

So I am not really needing or wanting advice on how to resolve a school dispute but thanks anyway for your input.

ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble
Cross posted with you.

You're right. Grading home learning was a stupid decision as a whole school strategy.

We see it all the time in schools, the parents who speak to the most appropriate person about concerns or complaints tend to get a quick resolution and the people who want to prove they mean business / are absolutely furious over something small end up being the ones who repeatedly end up complaining and it becomes a running joke.

I work for the local authority in the area of parent / school disputes and ensuring that local authority run schools are acting appropriately and in accordance with law, statutory guidance etc. I've done it many, many years.
So I am not really needing or wanting advice on how to resolve a school dispute but thanks anyway for your input

So the point of a thread on AIBU was what exactly? After all you are totally right and don't need anyone's input. Nobody else knows about formal complaints and nobody else knows about schools as much as you.

It was one of those 'pat me on the back and everyone tell me I should formally complain' threads then, wasn't it?