to think that this really isn't the way to behave when talking to parents

[stillenacht]

aaarrrrghghghgh!!!!!!

will post in a mo when calmed down

Background: Had a meeting with DSs headteacher today regarding DSs Ed Psych report. DS is in mainstream state year 5 , lovely boy just struggles academically. We were wondering if he was dyslexic so we paid for the Ed Psych report privately.

Well what a flippin joke the meeting with the Head was - he kept looking out of the window for someone he was expecting , he answered 2 phone calls while we were in the room and chatted for a good few minutes with them (heard of an ansafone?) , and left his door open so we could hear all the kids and parents outside his door who were going on a residential trip and towards the end (well i guessed it was the end because of this) hee started shutting the blinds in his room telling us he didn't want to throw us out but.... we had this arranged for a week - DH had to leave work early and cancel his after school tuition he does, i had to get my mum to babysit (she had to leave work early to get to ours)..i felt totally grrrrrr

Even as a lowly part time teacher if i was with a parent i would not answer my phone or be looking out of the window....

Unbelievable

we arranged the meeting a week ago (and upset)

that is awful

did he contribute anything useful to the discussion?

v unprofessional

i think i'd email him saying that you were upset that he seemed very distracted during your meeting and you would like to arrange another when he was less pressed for time as you still have issues you would like resolved/deiscussed.

i'd be pretty angry as well.

nope, not really only that he will speak to the class teacher about moving DS around a little more so he isn't always stuck on the low achievers table

We asked for more home school communication to tell us roughly what DS was doing week to week (day to day would be nicer) We do this everyflipinday at our school for various kids.

To that the reaction was well you get a school weekly newsletter (Y'know the type of newsletter that tells you the under 8s netball team lost 17-3) reeeeeeallly appropriate to my DSs learning outcomes.

GAH!!!!

This is an 'outstanding' school btw according to OFSTED

I am

DH is speechless

He was on the phone to two parents for over an hour today at school about peripatetic music provision not something as important as a bloody Ed Psych report.

Feel as if the school are just coasting along - nice intake of kids, fairly affluent parents, wait-for-retirement head....aarrrgh!

bump for cornsilk and anyone else..

AIBU?

Found it now! What did he say about the Ed Psych report?

No, YANBU, his behaviour was totally inappropriate. Agree with what Mamazon says - always useful to have a written record too, in case of future problems!

NICHTS NADA

Unbelievable - we tried to keep bringing it around to that but he just said how pleased we should be with the progress he has made within the last year (I think he has jumped from a 2a at end of year 4 to 3b now) I just said i wasn't happy then and i am not happy with a 3b at the end of year 5.

This school is a very high achieving primary with very very low rate of free school meals, very affluent area (we don't live in that bit tho ), very stockbroker belt, most parents educated to higher degree level...quite an easy intake for the primary imo with very supportive parents and a strong PTA... As i said to the Head its not hard to motivate the bright ones is it?

Stillnacht - I feel your pain
I am having a similar problem with my ds's school. Its awful I agree

its just so frustrating.

We are supportive parents who haven't screamed and ahouted for the last 4 years even though things have been getting steadily worse..as teachers we know how bloody annoying full on parents are and we didn't want to piss the staff/school off..but i am KICKING myself now and WISHED we had kicked off about all of this in year 1 and 2 when the problems became more apparant.

Iirc you are planning to move him to an independent school in Sept. Is there any chance you can move him to start after half term? The head sounds like a complete waste of space imo.

Have you found a suitable alternative school? Some private schools are better than others at offering support, although most of them charge extra for it.

thanks MollieO

We are appalled at the Heads conduct personally. I said to DH - if that was a private school that wouldn't have happened

Actually DH said to me as we walked to the car (background - we are desperately trying to save for the private ed and will have to remortgage about 40 grand to cover the fees years 6-11 we have managed to save about 14grand so far) - "If you want to send him after Christmas i am in full agreement with you" (DH is very very worried about the money and wanted to leave it till end of year 6 state)

The school we are looking at is within the 11plus area so that most of its intake will be like our DS who have either failed 11plus or not taken it due to lower ability - it isn't a massively 'academic' school and i know from a friend whose DD goes there that there is good support for those with learning diffs.

thanks everyone for your support with this

That is important. The senior school attached to ds's is non-selective but very supportive and does well with the pupils it has (most of the brighter ones having left at 11 for grammar or selective independent). The whole school from nursery through to sixth form is inclusive and supportive and the children thrive.

Thanks MollieO - are you in the garden (ahem ) of England too?