To think that on the whole...

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

schools have the best interests of children at heart and teachers are intelligent and reasonable people who genuinely do their very best for all their pupils?
Because it hasn't felt like that on Mumsnet for the past couple of weeks.
There has been a flood of posts from people who are outraged, disgusted, appalled and furious by one aspect or another of their children's education.
You would swear they were sending their children off to be educated by the childcatcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I always though parents and schools were meant to be a partnership and, frankly, I am gobsmacked by the suspicion, mistrust and downright hostility towards school displayed in some of the posts I've been reading lately.
I can't imagine how the teachers on here must feel at times.

I love my children's school.

I, and they, are very happy

I know what you mean though ...depressing at times, isn't it?

I read those threads with a slight feeling of "I hope that's not me they're talking about" - it hasn't been so far though. Phew.

< stands up and applauds Lady >

well fucking said

and I am not a teacher

I think the real problem is that some parents don't know how a school operates. Agree that it is a partnership between home and school, if anyone has a problem they should address it with their school. Also children do have a tendency to elaborate on what actually happens in school too.

Yes, but you read a lot of supportive stuff too. It balances it all out I think. I was a teacher.

Well said Lady, though I'd urge not to take it to heart too much, as folk will often come onto forums like these to vent, far more rarely to come on and praise good work and performance from their schools/teachers.

I usually need to take a wee step back when it comes to my son's nursery too, before I go off on one about things going wrong (e.g. sore bottom from not being cleaned properly when a baby, kids hitting and not being disciplined), as I've maybe had four or five occasions to complain about something when my son has been going there for three and a half years, three full days a week! Not bad going, I think!

I think it's too easy to get things out of proportion when it comes to our kids, we're all a bit paranoid about their health/wellbeing/nutrition/education, mainly due to the media, I think.

YANBU

I agree entirely. Although one of the teachers at DSs school does look like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!!!!
(He is the nicest teacher in the school too)

Digress.

DS started reception last week and he has had a few days of tears. Everyone has been great. And DD who is in yr 6 seems to be getting on better and better every term.

I have absolutely no complaints about either fo our schools.

oh calm down it's september.

There are always a spate of education based threads at this time of year. Children are starting new schools, new classes, meeting new teachers, lots of new problems and lots of new issues to post about.

It's not that surprising really. By Christmas everyone's settled down.

As in all things, people rarely think to make a post about the good stuff that happens in life, usually the bad stuff we need to vent.

It's the immoderate language that gets me though. Nobody's ever a bit peeved or mildly annoyed anymore. They're "furious" or "fuming" or "outraged".
Which is very understandable when, say, the school has badly mishandled a bullying incident, but less so when your child came home with a yellow-band book when she should have had a green.

imagine coming home with a blue banded book.
id be devestated.

sp!

It is soooo very serious. Reception being such an important year.
Not sure that Mensa looks at 4/5 year olds!

Well said Lady.

I'm putting you back on pink band MLB. Tell your mum to see me if she has a problem with it.

I find the opposite at my kids's school, in that its the teachers who are always moaning. When I arrive hot and sweating at the school gate, having peddled desperately to get there in time, and having been up since 5a.m. with small children, got kids off to school, gone on to work, cycled a 14 mile round trip and worked very hard for 6 hours in between, and now I've got another 5 hours to go before I'll even be able to sit down, I can't believe it when I'm met by a 22 yr old who has only been back at work 2 weeks after her 6 weeks off, saying how tired she is and what a rough time she's having. I don't doubt that teachers work hard, but why do they always moan so much, and if they don't like it why don't they leave and do something else?

at your children's teacher Allotmentmum. But in 10 years of collecting children from school I have NEVER encountered a whinging teacher at the classroom door. So IME they don't "always" moan so much.

lol @ motherlovebone . I'd be discusted

YANBU though, Lady. I do suspect it's the September thing though (am fairly new to MN though so this is a guess).

Apart from all the young robot teachers who have exactly the same spooky behaviour controls and vocab.

ssh, Hully, nobody's supposed to know about those.

But they're everywhere, and they have ZERO general knowledge.

DD3 has an adorable NQT this year. Not a robot at all. More like a Disney princess.

Allotmentmum, you like a good moan yourself. Why don't you just pack in your current lifestyle if it's so bad?

That's the other type.

My DS's school is a lovely place.