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Problems at new school - advice needed please

12 replies

Albert · 31/01/2006 19:26

DS has just started at his new school, we're in Brazil and it's bilingual English/Portuguese. There are, however, some problems already and I'm not sure what to do.
A meeting was scheduled for last Friday night and when I rang to check the time I was told it had be cancelled but no-one had bothered to call me.
Yesterday I went to pay the fees and questioned that they were lower than expected, turns out that they forget he was taking music classes despite it being clearly indicated on his forms.
Today I went to pay the fees to be told that not only had they not calculated the amount wrong, they had not taken into account the fact that he would have lunch there and lessons in the afternoon, so I was given another price.
I went to pick him up and was told that the price had gone up 6.9% and they had forgotten to tell me!
Today he had no music class despite it being reconfirmed that he would have them daily.
I also discovered that it is a Ba'hai school, not that I really have a problem with that but why are they hiding it, I only found out by word-of-mouth from a new teacher.
TBH I cannot afford the increased fees and despite having bought his uniform and paid a deposit which I will use I am thinking of takin DS out of the school already. The fees are totally unegotiable and I can see no way round it. He can start in a new school, much neared home next week, not bilingual but that is not a problem because he is fluent in Portuguese.
What should I do? MN great advice needed! DH is furious about all this but no help what-so-ever!

OP posts:
Albert · 31/01/2006 19:45

Please, anyone?

OP posts:
champs · 31/01/2006 19:50

hi have no real advice (sorry) but didn't want you to feel ignored.

It sounds like maybe this isn't the school for ds, can you get the deposit back? Is the sch that's nearer to you nice? have you visited?

you may be able to sell the uniform to someone at the school.

katymac · 31/01/2006 19:51

Albert - If you are unhappy - then moving him must be an option

However you have put a lot of time & effort into starting this school - can you give it a week or two to see if it works out? Or would that commit you to the whole terms/years fees?

(I'm off to bed soon so I'll look back tomorrow - sorry)

Albert · 31/01/2006 19:58

If I move him I lose the deposit but if he stays longer than this week I have to commit myself to the full term. Not sure if I can sell the uniform but guess he can wear it anyway as it's shorts and tee shirt type things (albeit with special emblem) I have checked out the other school and TBH it was a toss up between the two schools in the end (I visited quite a few). I'm just a little afraid of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. And was wondering how it would effect DS (obviously he hasn't had time to develope great friends yet which might be a blessing)

OP posts:
Earlybird · 31/01/2006 20:04

Do you know any mothers/fathers of children at either school? I know you've just moved there, but a chat to other parents may give you more of a feel for the schools "under the surface".

Must say the chopping/changing/inconsistencies of the current school would make me uneasy. They sound disorganised, and a bit flaky.

lars · 31/01/2006 20:11

I would write a letter to the school explaining how you have been mislead over payments and no longer wish to continue.

I think if this is how they work, then what else will crop up. I think they have mislead you and that is not good surely they should have a complete break down of figres before you signed up. This sounds like a money grabbing school to me. larsxx

champs · 31/01/2006 20:15

agree, it would be better to change school now than later i would guess.

have you talked it over with ds?

Passionflower · 31/01/2006 20:17

TBH I really wouldn't like DD's to be at a school that treats the students and parents with such a lack of regard.

If they have increased the fees without having the courtesy to infrom you already what is there to stop them doing this again once your DS has settled in?

The lack of communication and organisation would drive me nuts.

jenkel · 31/01/2006 20:39

Lack of organisation would worry me a little. What is your general feeling for the school, if you have any other concerns however minor and based on the problems that you have already experienced I would pull him out.

SqueakyCat · 31/01/2006 22:14

Is it just Brazil? Are you confident that the other school will be better organised? Many yrs ago DH spent a yr in Brazil, and said it took him months to get his head round the lack of organisation and he never really got used to it. Isn't your DH Brazilian? If so, does he / his family feel that this is unacceptable?

I see no reason not to move DS if the schl is flakey, but it'd be awful if the other schl were just as bad. Is DS as confident in portugese as in english? is he happy to be taught in Portugese? will you be able to maintain his english language at home?

Good luck.

Albert · 01/02/2006 11:19

I had a long chat with the staff this morning and have arranged a further meeting on Friday. I have also negociated a reduction in costs (so much for non-negiable - I have discovered that everything is negociable in Brazil)and received an apology from them (ooo what a pushy cow I am!) TBH I feel much happier. DS is very happy there and the school has a very good reputation so I am loath to take him out. I think, being new, we slipped through the net, not good I know but I get the feeling that this won't happen again - at least not to us. Yes, Brazil is very unorganised in all aspects as far as I can see but DH being Brazilian just accepts this, I, however, am going crazy! Let's see what happens this afternoon when I go to collect him. I have given the school until the end of the week to get their act together.

OP posts:
mszebra · 01/02/2006 21:26

pssssttt... get your DH to deal with school in the future, maybe?!

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