Am I being difficult or should the school be able to co-ordinate these events better?

[lisbey]

DS1 is in Junior school, DS2 yr2 in the connected infants.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a letter from the juniors giving me 6 days notice of a meeting with the junior school head regarding DS2 starting there in Sept. I wrote back to explain I was very sorry, I couldn't go, but I was already committed to numeracy trail with DS2 in the infants at the exact time and date.

Yesterday, I got a letter inviting me to another meeting, this coming Weds at 9:15, but on the same day I am also expected to attend DS1s presentation assembly at 2:30. Apart from the short notice making it difficult to get time off work anyway, to go to both, I will arrive at work c. 11am and then have to leave again by 1:30 to get to the assembly.

People at work say they do it deliberately, because they don't really want us to turn up, but they have to run these events for their ofstead scores. Both events in the same school on the same day and they must know that some parents will have children involved in both.

well, if it's different times but same day, I would think it was convenient, rather then 2 separate days. But I curse our school sometyimes for giving such short notice that I kkcan't arrange anything at work

I don't think YAB entirely U. But I do agree that many parents would find two events on consecutive days inconvenient. School can't please all of the customers parents all of the time.

You know, people who talk about the fact that teachers have so many weeks holiday per year and only work 9-3 have OBVIOUSLY never ever worked in education.

During term time I was regularly in school at 8, and wouldn't leave till 5. Then I would take work home to continue at home. Every weekend involved marking, planning or report writing, depending on the time of year. Of course, there would be no option of taking a half-day off to go and see a child's presentation assembly or help with a numeracy trail.

Holidays, ah yes, those 13 weeks holiday per year... Those 13 weeks during which you plan, prepare, take displays down, reback the boards... The holidays which are fixed so that you can never take a cheap holiday as every holiday doubles in price during school holidays.

Don't get me wrong - Yes, I have 13 weeks holiday a year. Yes, if I desperately need to, I can leave at 3:30 occasionally. However, my standard retort to anyone complaining about how easy teachers have it is 'Ok, then, YOU do it!' Funnily enough, everyone always finds an excuse.

As for 'Would it help if teachers remembered that the parents are actually their customers....? In every other job you have to arrange things to suit your customer....' That's fine, but you try suiting 30, 60 or 90 customers simultaneously. It's not possible!

Oh Galena did you not see the wink? Teachers are soooo easily wound up on that subject, a bit defensive perhaps?

Every female in my family except me is a teacher, I know it's hard work and not 9-3, although my collegues would consider 8-5 a short day and also take work home at weekends.

Actually, the fact that teachers can't easily take time off to be at their children's schools is one of the things that make me when the school ask me to be there so often and at short notice. You'd think they undersatnd..

Lisbey - it's not just you, lollyhop2girls also implied teachers don't know what it's like to work a full day... To be honest, it gets very boring after a while.

I can't answer about the short notice. We always tried to give as much notice as possible. However, sometimes meetings/assemblies are not meant to be a BIG thing, and so are arranged quickly and we realise many parents can't make them.

Sorry - not really grumpy, just tired, and can hear my cherub screaming so must go!

well, i don't think you're being entirely U.

dd's last school rarely gave a decent amount of notice, and often scheduled the big, special assemblies at around 11.30. This included all the christmas shows. apparently, the kids were too tired to do even one shaw after school time, and too excited to do one first thing in the morning.

however, when it came to fund raisers, where the school made money, those same kids could be there til 7 pm at night.

i know there will never be an easy answer, but some schools don't appear to have realised that there are more families where both parents work, and that failing to allow for this is disadvantaging those kids.

where dd is now for 'big' meetings, will have one in the eve, followed by the same meeting the next am. this seems quite practical.

incidentally, the sec. school i worked at, checked diaries with 7 primaries before scheduling the 'new parents' meetings, and again gave 2 opportunities for parents, with dates announced several months in advance.

so, for big things, it can, and should, be done. although i disagree wholeheartedly with the comments made by your work colleagues - at worst, the school is just a little short sighted & lax in planning - i doubt if they have the energy to deliberately sabotage their own meetings.

to answer the 2nd Q - which is more improtant - phone up & ask 'is this worth losing my job over?'

Do you really think they squeezed you in Wednesday morning just to piss you off?