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Original poster

Feeling annoyed about school and need to rant!

363 replies

november90 · 06/10/2021 18:54

I'm sure most will read this and think I'm being unreasonable... maybe I am but I just need to vent!
My son is 4 and just started reception. Like most his age, suffered a lot due to the lockdowns etc and is having some difficulty adjusting to school. He is finding his uniform very difficult to wear as he doesn't feel comfy. It's mainly the pants. I put his issues with certain textures on his nursery transition form, i mentioned it on the pre school meeting, the home visit and also the phonics meeting 2 weeks ago. I just want assurance he's ok to wear his shorts which they have always told me he is. Anyway, dropped him off today and the teacher was really abrupt with me about wearing his pe shorts and not joggers... they way them to go into school wearing both at the same time. I felt so embarrassed and also annoyed.... why tell me one minute he's ok tk wear shorts but the next she wants the joggers and shorts?!
Also, the reading book annoys me. I made ds feel so proud about himself last week for doing a reading session everyday and he watched me fill the book out and when it got send home after being reviewed not so much a sticker or well done comment! Completely blank!
I've spoke to my family about this who say I'm expecting too much from school... but I just feel sad that we're like 6 weeks into school and o feel so distant from it all!
Anyone else have a new school child and feel the same? I know teachers are stressed and restricted due to Covid, but as a parent I'm finding it hard!

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BoredZelda · 06/10/2021 22:56

The teacher has probably already identified the students ffs.

No need for the diaries then.

Reading diaries literally have a sentence in them, if that. Often it’s just the page number so it doesn’t take long to read to check what they read

With such scant information, they are essentially useless.

Forgetting, whereas the diary coming out of the bag every day is a reminder.

You forget your kid needs to do some reading? Stick a post it on the fridge if you really need a reminder. The rest of us are having to fill these things out needlessly because you forget.

ChloeCrocodile · 06/10/2021 22:57

You need to fill in a piece of paper in order to read to your kid, but we have odd ideas?

You can't seem grasp that some people find a regular reminder helpful. That is certainly odd in my experience.

Hercisback · 06/10/2021 22:58

Don't fill it in then

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Benjispruce4 · 06/10/2021 22:58

The big deal about reading is so that you know the importance of helping your child, not for a ‘Well done’ or sticker. The reward is that your child learns. I listen to children read and change their books as a TA in Y1. I try to tick to acknowledge and answer any questions but I have 30 books to get through . You will be very disappointed if your expectations remain so high.

Hulkynothunky · 06/10/2021 22:59

@BoredZelda

The teacher has probably already identified the students ffs.

No need for the diaries then.

Reading diaries literally have a sentence in them, if that. Often it’s just the page number so it doesn’t take long to read to check what they read

With such scant information, they are essentially useless.

Forgetting, whereas the diary coming out of the bag every day is a reminder.

You forget your kid needs to do some reading? Stick a post it on the fridge if you really need a reminder. The rest of us are having to fill these things out needlessly because you forget.

It's a sentence. No hardship to fill it out. If you have such an issue with it just tell the teacher you are opting out. If you believe it's pointless why are you even doing it?
AwFeebs · 06/10/2021 22:59

True @toocold54 I hope those children that only read with the TA are given house points too. Smile

BoredZelda · 06/10/2021 22:59

I agree with you but attendance is a massive issue in British schools, we have one of the lowest school attendance rates in the developed world. Attendance certificates are not the way to solve that problem but it is a big problem and it’s one that needs addressed.

Agreed. Big problem that will never be solved by certificates, but would probably be solved by targeting families in crisis, like the ones who don’t read to their kids. Attendance awards have been around forever, will they ever realise it won’t make a difference and just penalises kids like mine who miss school for medical reasons, and encourages kids to go to school with bugs they should really keep at home.

toocold54 · 06/10/2021 22:59

With such scant information, they are essentially useless.

So if you’ve got 10mins to read with the pupils in class you’re going to spend the entire time trying to work out what page they read last night or you could look in their reading diary and know the page number within a few seconds leaving more time to hear the child read which will benefit them more.

BoredZelda · 06/10/2021 23:02

It's a sentence. No hardship to fill it out. If you have such an issue with it just tell the teacher you are opting out. If you believe it's pointless why are you even doing it?

I already said I didn’t do it. We didn’t even read the reading book. Found much more interesting things for her to read. Nobody ever mentioned it to her or to us.

toocold54 · 06/10/2021 23:02

Agreed. Big problem that will never be solved by certificates, but would probably be solved by targeting families in crisis, like the ones who don’t read to their kids.

How would you know what families don’t read to their kids unless you have a reading diary?

You say reading diaries are pointless yet you’ve made the point of why they can be so useful.

Pumperthepumper · 06/10/2021 23:03

@BoredZelda

I agree with you but attendance is a massive issue in British schools, we have one of the lowest school attendance rates in the developed world. Attendance certificates are not the way to solve that problem but it is a big problem and it’s one that needs addressed.

Agreed. Big problem that will never be solved by certificates, but would probably be solved by targeting families in crisis, like the ones who don’t read to their kids. Attendance awards have been around forever, will they ever realise it won’t make a difference and just penalises kids like mine who miss school for medical reasons, and encourages kids to go to school with bugs they should really keep at home.

The main reason for poor attendance is poverty. If your family can’t buy food or school uniform (don’t start me on uniform) then actually getting into school is almost impossible. And there’s no sign that’s going to change any time soon.
Nat6999 · 06/10/2021 23:03

When ds was in reception it was the TA who checked reading diaries & put new reading books in book bags. I get where you are coming from with sensory issues with clothing, ds hated the feel of sweatshirts, the cuffs & neck made him itch, I sent him in a school fleece until the headmaster removed them from the uniform list, from then on he only wore a polo shirt unless being forced in to a sweatshirt for school photos.

Pumperthepumper · 06/10/2021 23:04

@toocold54

Agreed. Big problem that will never be solved by certificates, but would probably be solved by targeting families in crisis, like the ones who don’t read to their kids.

How would you know what families don’t read to their kids unless you have a reading diary?

You say reading diaries are pointless yet you’ve made the point of why they can be so useful.

So many people on here have said to @BoredZelda ‘don’t fill it out then’ when Zebra has said they read to their kid. So I think we can agree the diary has flaws.
BoredZelda · 06/10/2021 23:04

So if you’ve got 10mins to read with the pupils in class you’re going to spend the entire time trying to work out what page they read last night or you could look in their reading diary and know the page number within a few seconds leaving more time to hear the child read which will benefit them more.

Nope. I’m going to open the book and ask the kid to read it. It doesn’t matter what page they read last night. They can read any of the pages, they are essentially the same. Or, if you really want to know, you can ask them. Flipping through a book to find your place is an excellent skill for kids to learn.

Hulkynothunky · 06/10/2021 23:05

@BoredZelda

It's a sentence. No hardship to fill it out. If you have such an issue with it just tell the teacher you are opting out. If you believe it's pointless why are you even doing it?

I already said I didn’t do it. We didn’t even read the reading book. Found much more interesting things for her to read. Nobody ever mentioned it to her or to us.

Actually you complained about filling out the log as people can't remember to do the reading and should use a post it note instead.

So what you are now saying is it literally doesn't impact on you whether these logs are used or not.

BoredZelda · 06/10/2021 23:05

So many people on here have said to @BoredZelda ‘don’t fill it out then’ when Zebra has said they read to their kid. So I think we can agree the diary has flaws.

And despite all their excellent reading and diary filling skills, they were unable to read my comment that I never did fill it out. 😆

toocold54 · 06/10/2021 23:06

So I think we can agree the diary has flaws.

Everything has flaws. Parents are busy and it’s an extra thing they have to do. But the pros outweigh the cons and taking a few extra seconds of parents time when it’s beneficial to their child is always a good thing.

toocold54 · 06/10/2021 23:07

Flipping through a book to find your place is an excellent skill for kids to learn.

I love how you think that would take so little time GrinGrin

Pumperthepumper · 06/10/2021 23:07

@BoredZelda

So many people on here have said to @BoredZelda ‘don’t fill it out then’ when Zebra has said they read to their kid. So I think we can agree the diary has flaws.

And despite all their excellent reading and diary filling skills, they were unable to read my comment that I never did fill it out. 😆

Oh no! Your kid will have been marked as a ‘no-reading-at-home’ kid! Still, I wouldn’t worry, nothing happens with that information anyway.
Benjispruce4 · 06/10/2021 23:07

Thing is, young children mostly can’t remove where they read to. I find diaries help me do my job as I know how often they are reading and what difficulties they may be having. Some children are more confident readers at home etc

Pumperthepumper · 06/10/2021 23:08

@Benjispruce4

Thing is, young children mostly can’t remove where they read to. I find diaries help me do my job as I know how often they are reading and what difficulties they may be having. Some children are more confident readers at home etc
If they don’t remember where they read to then what difference does it make where they start?
Benjispruce4 · 06/10/2021 23:09

*remember
Also it’s just a communication tool between home and school. If that benefits the child it’s all good.

Hulkynothunky · 06/10/2021 23:09

I think we can agree the diary has flaws.

Of course. Not everything works for everybody. The fact remains the log will be helpful to some people, just not all. Like I said earlier it's one strategy of many that should be used - not the only strategy. If we only went with strategies that had a 100 percent success rate then I think we can agree we wouldn't have many strategies to deploy

Benjispruce4 · 06/10/2021 23:10

Do you work in school @Pumperthepumper?

Pumperthepumper · 06/10/2021 23:10

@Benjispruce4

Do you work in school *@Pumperthepumper*?
Yes.