With my primary school expectations?

[nocherrybakewell]

DS started primary school this year - and i'm just not sure if i'm expecting too much.

He seems very content so obviously I'm delighted about that but I have a number of concerns:

1. Class teacher seems to only be there very intermittently. I realise anything could be going on but parents have never been communicated with about this. This is surely disruptive for children and whilst I'm sure it can't be helped - I'm just not sure what is reasonable to expect.

1. homework is very haphazard - policy is set but rarely adhered to. Quality of homework is awful - from unclear instructions, impossible tasks, poorly photocopied materials to not enough or far too much.

1. Communications from the school are unclear and leave everyone with more questions than they answer. Every single communication contains at least one error that could be easily rectified if someone just did a simple check.

I don't have too many options for schools near where I live so feel kinda stuck. I want to go and speak to the principal but don't want to create a bad atmosphere. How can educators teach children how to read and write when they do it so poorly themselves?

Is this reception child has started? If it is then homework etc is alot to ask! Esp after not even a first term. Do you have an online portal to communicate through such as tapestry/dojo or similar?
How do you know the teacher is only there intermittently?
I think your expectations of what your child should be doing is very high if it is reception but also get why spelling/grammar in correspondence might urk you, but tbh the teachers are probably too busy dealing with a class of 39 very small children!

The homework wouldn’t bother me but the SPAG errors would, as would the lack of teacher. Not really sure what you could do about it, though.

We are in NI so class is P1 but equivalent to reception. Homework seems to be a thing here - it isn't onerous - things like colouring etc.

Homework and communications wise - the (careless?) mistakes are what I'm struggling with.
I completely accept that mistakes happen and we are all human but this seems beyond ridiculous. Nobody seems to check anything.

My child tells me the teacher isn't in and we don't see her at drop-off or pick up. There are only 20 in the class.

Maybe I should just relax about it all but I really worry that if they can't get this basic stuff right - what will they be like when things get more serious?

YADNBU, I’d be raising this with shcool.

It's common for communications from schools to be seen as lacking.

Especially compared to nurseries.
It's also very common for there to be spelling of other errors in emails and letters.

Primary schools are often very very thinly staffed. Quite frequently someone is doing the email to parents at 1 in the morning after their marking and writing the trip risk assessment.

Don't go in and complain about that. It annoys you but it doesn't impact your child's education.

Homework - at this age homework is usually reading and (maybe) spellings. I'd do what you can and show willing but if there's too much just do what you think is reasonable,

The homework is probably linked to the reason the class teacher is not in much. This could be anything from he/she is seriously ill but still trying to make it on to he/she is deputy head when not in the class and the rest of the time is a job share or other teachers covering.

Either way the school don't have to tell you and they certainly won't pass out medical information.

How often is the class teacher not in? Could it be a job share situation? Who takes the class when he/she is not in?

Mistakes aren't good. But there may not be someone to check things.

I think one of the big problems with schools comms is it isn't really someone's core job. They are either a teacher, who is emailing or sorting a letter as part of a myriad of other things, or they work in the office. People think the office persons main aim is parental comms so they should be good at it, but it actually isn't the main bit of thier role. They might be a finance person or a premises person or be admissions, first aid and clubs person. Then comms is stuck on the end.

It is frustrating though.

If it helps OP I used to worry about similar stuff. I later realised things with SPAG errors were done by a teacher with dyslexia or a TA who was working super hard and brilliant with the kids but not great at grammar. I think the progress your child makes is the best way to determine whether or not you need to speak to school. If the child is happy, enjoying school and making progress then I would say nothing.

There's obviously something serious going on with the teacher which is trickling down. I'm in NI too and the teacher does most of the communications and obviously sets the homework so if there's something going on that means patchy coverage on the homework and admin side too.

Are you friendly with any mums who have older children in the school? I'd be much more forgiving if it's a specific issue in that class than if it's schoolwide.

I don't know who takes the class when the teacher isn't in - I think that's my point - should the school be telling me this? Given the scale of it already and if the problem is going to remain ongoing - some level of discussion/communication is needed on a long term solution.

The number of queries every communication generates because of misinformation (eg. wrong dates for school closures etc) means they then have to field a significant number of phone calls as parents seek clarification - surely this resource would be better used QAing original comms to make sure it is correct?

I'm just venting really but I do have serious concerns about the quality of education my DS has ahead - I realise the pressures schools are under so that is why I am questioning whether to raise these issues.

The school does not have to tell you who takes the class when the teacher is not in.

If the class was a job share situation - ie Mrs X teaches on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday and Mrs Y teaches Thursday and Friday then normally this is made clear on staff lists/ at meet the teacher evenings/parents evenings etc.

If the teacher has a long term illness (which seems most likely) then cover for the class may well be short term - so they move teachers around within the school and only bring in external paid supply if they have to.

They don't have to inform you about this anymore than a nursery who has workers off sick has to inform parents that it is moving person A to the preschool room just for today.

Dd is in year 1, in reception there were some optional term long homework projects and just reading practice for homework. Honestly I was glad it wasn't more its really young to worry about homework

This is actually a tricky situation as the school may not be in a position to tell you. If it involves ill health, it is personal and not predictable. Therefore, the cover might vary depending on the day/supply.

Basically, you either have to trust that the head is competent and finding the best available solution or she is not. I understand with the comms errors your brain is thinking not!

You might get a platitude saying ' aware that some people are concerned about the teaching arrangement in class, please rest assured this is being carefully managed and your children are well looked after'

My sons school once did an email a bit like that, and it also said,'Our most experienced TA is in class for continuity, and Mrs X in year Y is monitoring progress' which was helpful to hear.

Personally I am of the "just speak to the school informally and politely" frame of mind if you have a concern. What's the worst that can happen?

Ok so I do understand the teacher thing, we had similar and although the kids were absolutely fine I just wanted to know who I should be going to with questions or if anything was wrong so I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know arrangements for this