pre school interview - am I over reacting??

[tanzie]

I took DD2 to her interview for pre-school where she will go from September (age 3 and 7 months - this is pre-school and not reception!). She is a cheery, sunny little thing, and was only a little bit fazed by being talked to (at?) by a strange woman in an office. The headmistress started off by asking her her name, how old she was (3 last week), if she could draw a number 3 (she could), how old her sister was, her sister's teacher's name, if she could count to ten, what she liked doing at playgroup. She answered all the questions really fluently and in sentences (and counted to 10 in French too for good measure - no idea she could do that!), sang "Twinkle Twinkle" fairly tunefully. I was so proud of her, and all the headmistress said at the end was "She can't say her Ls. You'll have to keep an eye on that in case it develops into a speech defect!" She didn't thank my daughter or say she had been good or anything positive. DD1 could barely string three words together at 3 (and also couldn't pronounce her Ls), but was cheered through the interview by the previous head. I don't see the point of interviewing such young children, personally, but if you are going to do so, make it a positive experience!

tanzie, this would really annoy me - I would have hoped that any teacher would know that praise and encouragement is what children react to best. My SIL is a bit the same with her ds - I commented on how good his writing is (he's 6), and all she said was "don't tell him that, I'm always telling him he needs to write better, if you tell him he's good, he won't try". That is so alien to me.

Hope it's not a reflection of the school in general, although I guess you must be happy with it, as you already have one dd there.

Oh, and your dd sounds brilliant to me

I do like the school, but the headmistress got on my tits - she was terribly syrupy, but not very pleasant with it. So syrupy she talked to DD as if she was a bit thick - I know she's only three, but!
eg "Now can you draw me a number three? Oh yes, you can. It's a curly one, isn't it. Yes. That's right it is." I wanted to puke...

I'm amazed you didn't smack her one. (the headmistress, not your dd, natch). Sounds appalling, and your poor dd, doing so well

tanzie, poor you - try to imagine Joyce Grenfell doing her and see if that can make you see the funny side?...STUPID woman!

Your DD2 sounds like a darling and will obviously be completely fine.

How are you doing with the nanny from hell btw?

Tanzie, don't send her there. What a witch, how unkind, no you're not over reacting. Oh no, you are the woman with the nanny from hell who microwaves stuff too? Hope that one's resolved at least.

Tanzie - DS is over 4 and can't write ANY number... letr alone count to 10... he could not show any less interest.... IGNORE the woman.... maybe write a letter of complaint ?

Are you sure you want to send her there?

www - nanny from hell has gone on matl
So that is one less problem. I DO want to send DD2 to the school - it's a very good one and the teachers are lovely. I just don't think much of the headmistress, but I know a lot of the other mums feel the same. She is quite new, and I think is trying to "assert her influence". She replaced a much loved woman who had been there over 20 years, so has a hard act to follow. I told the playgroup leader (playgroup attached to the school) about the interview and the playgroup leader told me not to worry, DD2 had done very well in her i/v.

it is so sad that interview 3 year olds tanzie i hope it goes okay for her there

Nanny from hell disappeared on Friday. Neither of the children were sorry to see her go (DD1 cries if someone comes to stay for the weekend and leaves usually, so I think that says it all). She has not given birth yet, to my knowledge, but she refused to give me a contact phone number for her anyway.

It's 6 months till DD2 starts school so I'll se how the school goes. I know the teacher she will have, and the assistants and they are all lovely and have ben there years. Ditto the Reception teachers, and she will only be doing up to Reception before we move on...sniff...anyone got any news of good schools in Lambeth/Kennington area they'd like to pass on?!

I'm reading this thread in amazement. I can't believe they do pre school interviews and that children can fail them. How can you fail a pre school interview? My dd went to spend a morning at her pre school this time last year and all the teachers were worried about was settling her in to make sure she would enjoy being there. Having said that i wonder whether she may have settled in a little too much. I asked how she was getting on last week and was told she had some wonderful ideas for how to change the nursery to do more 'interesting' things! Her teacher also asked how long dd had been a qualified ballet teacher as she had had them all doing position 1& 2 in the playground. LOL

the only way i'd send my child there is if that head has NOTHING to do with the 'day to day running' and only holds the 'purse strings'!!

As once she's started you'll find it hard to move her if it doesn't work out.
I am unhappy about the school my 3 sons attend and IF it were 'easy' to change schools- i would....the head at their school is probably the twin sister of your head teacher!!!!! However another day slips into a week then a month....and they are STILL there!!!

Sometimes i feel i am 'abusing' my children by sending them somewhere that 'doesn't care'

Think carefully!

There are two other English language schools nearby. One of which has had a mass exodus from Nursery/Kindergarten into DD's school for a variety of reasons (one reason we did not choose it is that they have no running water and nowhere for the children to wash their hands, and another is that it is on two sites separated by a main road which the children have to cross during the day). Other school is Montessori which showed no interest when I wanted to send DD1 there, and which has the worst behaved children I've ever seen. Claims to be English language but has almost no native English speakers amongst the children and no native English speaking teachers. Also claims to be French/English bilingual and isn't. Children seem to do as they please and they learn at their own pace - eg if they are lazy and don't want to learn, they needn't. DD1 went to a Montessori Nursery in London which was very different. Local schools don't teach them to read and write until they are six so both would be very disadvantaged when we go back to UK in a few years.

clairabelle- pre-school interviews are a joke, My son passed one when he was just over 2. SO they failed to spot that he was severely autistic then. Hmmmmm.