Am I being unreasonable (10?) - what appears to be a school partnership with business

[WideWebWitch]

Oh dear, I probably am and maybe I should just roll over and shut up but this has really got on my nerves today and I'd appreciate people's opinions.

All children at ds's school were sent home with an envelope today. On the front of the envelope it says "to parents, please return this form by xxx, from the headteacher." Inside was a letter from the school saying something like "we don't particularly endorse this company but have been asked to distribute information on their behalf - this may be of interest to you and benefit to your children etc etc" The company is a study company, providing Maths, English and other extra tuition. The letter, on school headed paper, also says "we would appreciate it if you would return the slip to your child's class teacher no later than xxx this week
(all this asterisked bit underlined) and "please return the reply slip even if you are NOT interested so that the school is aware that you have seen this leaflet".

Now, is it just me or is this outrageous? The school is passing on a leaflet from a profit making organisation. The "reply slip" and I use the quotation marks deliberately, asks for my name, address, postcode, phone no, child's age, date, school name and my signature!!! And the school are asking me to fill it in even if I'm not interested so they can send it back to this company. Who, I assume, are in business to make a profit. The school also accompanied this with a leaflet on "your child's targets", presumably to make us all worry about whether our child/ren were able to meet these without the help of xxx student study company as detailed in the sales leaflet sent out.

Since our school is a state school with no money I'm aware that they may have been paid for this. In which case, I think they should tell us and we (parents) can decide whether we are happy with it as a fundraising method. If they haven't been paid then what are they doing spending school time and resources on passsing on sales literature from a business? The school are always trying to raise funds and yet they clearly spent time and effort on this covering letter (on school headed paper!) and the whole thing. IMO this time and money could have been better spent. This is junk mail via my child!!

So my questions are:

• Am I right to be unhappy at this school/business partnership and approach to me with what is, in effect, junk mail? Would you be?
• What should I do?
• What are dept of education guidelines on this kind of thing?
• Is anyone else getting these?

Any and all opinions appreciated. TIA.

I did too Twinkie and we didn't get a certificate! That would have been the final nail in the coffin!

OK I wrote a letter complaining, asking how this decision was reached and asking if the school has a policy on business involvement etc etc and have just spoken to the head and a parent governor. Found out the school got a poxy £100!! The company did provide everything, even the wording of the letter supposedly from the head. The governers will be informed of my disapproval apparently and the policy on business involvement will be sent to me. As the governor I spoke to pointed out, they're targetting the wrong school too - very poor catchment area so they'll be unlikely to get any business from it. But the principle of the matter is still important I think. I don't think they'll do it again withiout consulting parents. Poor head (made a v dodgy decision though imo) sounded weary, I think he'd rather the statef funded his school better too and that none of this scratching about for funds was necessary.

www - we had this from my son's nursery - the manager told me about the commission for returned slips, but after I read it I binned it. (Even though I'm on the PA and am always looking for fund-raising ideas!)

I didn't return mine, but to be honest if I'd known the school got commission from it I probably would have. If the company are stupid enough to pay commission for a child who would be completely unable to access their service then so be it.

I feel foolish for admitting to this but I filled the form in and made an appointment to see one of their reps. I explained to one of the telesales staff (definitely right about the hard sell) that my son has a statement of special needs for which he receives 1:1 help 12.5 hrs a week in school. He also has private tuition at home once a week. I thought if the school had recommended this company that the work would be more tailored to his needs. I also thought that the school was singling out children with special needs and children in general that are struggling with english and maths. How wrong was I . They recommended that the whole family be present when the rep arrived I explained ds2 was 3 and can be very lively the rep said that was fine.
The rep arrived at our house half an hour late all sweaty and breathless, he would have been more suited to selling windows than education. He kept going on about the power of television and how this wonderful video he had could transform the way children absorb information. He set up some tests for my ds to do which he couldn't understand as the rep didn't explain himself clearly. As for the video it was like watching Carol Vordeman circa 80's with an Australian accent. My ds1 kept saying this is boring and the rep looked very cross with him my dh and I was trying not to laugh, and ds2 was jumping in front of the tv and shouting out I want Thomas on. The rep couldn't get away quick enough he agreed that my ds wasn't ready to start the programme yet but left a promo copy of the video along with his business card both of which went in the bin as soon as he left.
What a waste of an hour. I was really annoyed at the time that I had been sucked into thinking that it would really benefit my son. Next time I receive anything from the school like this again it will go straight in the bin.

I can only think that the school think that they will benefit if all the kids get private tuition as well, therefore their test marks will be higher. Does that sound feasible? Do they get more funding for better results?

We got one of these letters last year. It went straight in the bin.

you should become a governor ww - keep your eye on things

The thing that worries me is that the school has broken your trust. It has sold it's most precious asset for a mere 100 pounds (and take off the cost of the letterhead and it's less) and has parents doubting it's word.

It also preys on children's desire to do the right thing and please their teacher by taking the form back. How are we supposed to explain to our children that they should do what the teacher says, when they abuse this trust like this.