Why are teachers/schools not more frank about the lack of resources to the parents?

[hlhhghyh]

Long time on MN and very often teachers write posts about lack of school resources and if only the parents knew. However, my AIBU is why arent the teachers more up front? In our primary, there trust basically refuse to release fund for TAs unless a kid has an ECHP and get the additional funding. So most classes dont have TAs because parents dont want to engage with going through the formal routes or it takes time. However, almost every class has at least a couple of kids who are seriously disrupting the class and/or bullying.

In practice, that means every time a parent complains about the disruption and push the school to do change things and bring an additional person into the classroom - it starts of with a sympathetic nod but usually ends with a push back.

Now I know that mainly it's because the trust dont want to release the funds, but being fobbed off with well we gave a kid a sensory pen, or maybe the other kids could be empathetic is just annoying. Why dont the teachers (or even the school) admit that yes this is an issue but we just dont have the cash. You arent wrong but there aint the money. Instead I feel like they gazlight the parents while then complaining that if only the parents knew.....

How could we? That would be gross misconduct. We would be sacked and possibly brought before the GTC(S) and lose the ability to teach ever again.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get an EHCP currently?!
Why on earth would school staff share with parents that paucity of funds is why there is a shortage of support staff and/or resources when it's bloody obvious it's due to paucity of funds?!

I do get that. However, it just puts parents in such an antagonistic relationship with the school. We complain, they try to placate and makes us go away....parents get pissed off, kids suffer.....

I know the lack of funding but instead it feels like we as the parents are making up just how disruptive things are in the classroom. Essentially the message is - it's not that bad....which makes other parents feel not listened to and like their kids are lying to them. Whereas in reality - I assume the teachers know that it is that bad but cant do anything about it because there isnt the money.

Yes there should be honesty, just as there should be in the NHS. So when some hospitals stop providing certain treatments or won't provide new ones, patients should be told it's down to lack of resources. So schools simply need a state the same.

I don't know about schools, but it seems to be a standard senior management tactic everywhere. They just want to gaslight customers. It's bizarre.

I haven't had much to do with my doctor for a couple of years, yay, but mine was always honest about lack of funds.

I don't know what the deal is with schools because I don't have kids.

Customer service across large organisations do it all the time. And of course it's the frontline staff who are expected to provide ridiculous gaslighting explanations. I don't understand it either.

You seem to know already

As does everyone

Well I don't know whether in this particular school and class that is indeed the issue of whether am being too sensitive or my child is in the wrong etc. It makes me question my sanity to be honest.

I think it's unusual for classes not to have a TA? Or am I deluded?

It would breach confidentiality to tell parents the disruptive kid in the class needs a TA but they don’t have the money for one.

as a parent to SEN kids I can tell you they tell the parents of the child. My disruptive child was illegally off rolled after the school sought additional funding but the LA said no. My non disruptive SEN child I was told they focus on the disruptive kids for support and there was no way they would find the money to support her.

it’s a fucking joke really. As with the right support my kid could attend school but the LA won’t fund it and can’t find a school that can meet need with the funding they are prepared to give. I had to quit work, my relationship broke down so I’m a single parent. Now I have no choice but to survive on UC. My SEN son still gets some support out of school which is VERY expensive per hour for what it is but it’s a couple hours here and there not enough for me to work, plus’s I’m expected to attend with him and act as 1:1. Also not enough of an education to give him a decent chance at life and while I don’t know the future it looks far more likely he will need support into adulthood at cost to the tax payers that he may not have needed if he could get qualifications and more job choice to suit his needs. Anyway that tangent of a rant is basically to say my family costs the tax payer significantly more in benefits than my sons education would. Also stops me being a tax payer. And stops me paying into my pension or paying off my mortgage etc etc so I will cost in benefits in old age too when I would not have had I been able to work now while my son got his education.

it’s just stupid how families get into this situation. I’m not alone here I know many who experience the same I’ve met in support groups. Stupid use of public funds

It’s not a “need” for children to have hours and hours of dedicated individualized attention in a government-funded classroom. Hire a private tutor is that’s what you’re looking for. You’re taking the bus and expecting limousine treatment.

Blimey, it is for some children.

Some children need significant 1:1 intervention.

Unless there is a drastic change within 3 years most schools will be deficit. If school A is up front about their financial situation then parents will send them to school B or C. This is will make the situation worse for school A and at a time when there is a falling birth day and numerous school cloures would put school A at risk of closure.

And it’s not affordable anymore!

It’s not just about having an EHCP to get funds for a ta though, schools are just significantly underfunded, many truly don’t even have the money to buy things like glue sticks beyond the initial allocation, let alone staff, a lot of our schools locally are shedding posts to try to stay afloat. It’s not helped that schools, like the NHS, have these ridiculous situations where they can only buy supplies from specified and incredibly expensive suppliers