....... to expect primary school to post application form; school secretary insists I collect it in person.

[BatteriesNotIncluded]

Are school secretaries notoriously 'formidable' or is this unusual?

When I satarted researching about primary schhols in 2005, I went into the school on the off chance and requested some literature. She expressed her horror that I had just 'walked in off the street' to ask for a form. She was quite rude and stated that 'things arent done like that' at this school, said I should return after June 2007.

Anyway we attend the attached church, but dont live locally, so a friend offered to collect a form when she collected her daughter from the school.

But NOOOOO, school secretary says they 'dont do things like that' at that school as they prefer to 'deal with the parents directly'. Ive just called the school and after being asked my name, where I live, child's name, date of birth, whether I attend the adjoining church and my address, school sec says that she cant post the application form to me as they prefer to deal with parents IN PERSON!

Am I missing something? Why would this be?

As I said, I dont live up the road from the school. I also have a new baby and school obviously closed on Sundays when I go to church. Im frustrated by this,but dont want to rile the sec by trying to insist she posts the forms, or by complaining to the Head. She has my details and I dont want her to 'earmark' my application in any way.

Dont want to stoke the old church school debate; just want opinions on whether this is unusual?

TIA. x

rusty - it sounds like you work so hard. i wish you worked at our school!

I don't!

(Not because of you I hasten to add, but because the general situation there sounds appalling)

agreed. what is the real shame is that the middle class kids like mine, who already have a life full of advantages, are being whipped out of there faster than you can say 'rich poor divide' whilst the kids who really need a well run school are left languishing in a shite school with lazy staff too bust patting each other on the back to notice that whilst all around us the SATS results are improving, ours are falling and the kids are leaving school in year 6 some of them not even able to read! never mind have a violin brought into them!

I think you're doing the right thing in leaving! As you say though, it's sad for those who don't have any alternative.

As an aside to this debate, I've just remembered that you can apply for schools in our borough online.

ah but 1)voluntary aided schools seem to often have their own separate form (as in this instance

and 2)the online system may not be reliable. Schools have advised me against applying online(!)

i loved the bit about the parents as customers

of course the school is there for the children but i sort of think that parents are 'customers' in that they pay taxes and therefore the wages - i think weve moved on from the age where we doff our caps to people in 'authority' - if a school is helpful to parents then they get support from the parents, so it goes both ways

i think the dh's govener's friend sounds a tad arrogant!

No, the parents are not the customers, the children are the customers, even if they don't pay the bill themselves. And it's the children as a whole which are the schools first priority, not any individual child, still less its parents.

My point exactly newgirl - it's hardly radical, is it!
However just found out I missed getting elected by 2 votes so won't have the chance to put 'parent power' into operation!