Grrr, lack of notice AGAIN

[DreamTeamGirl]

So SO irritated at DS' school again- only 2 days back!!

Its a lovely school, teachers are ace, premises fab, lovely head etc, but their notice of events is terrible

Today we have a flyer saying they need all parents to attend a brief meeting at 2.45 next Wednesday to explain the new school year routines and what will be taught and how.

Obviously I want to go so I can support DS' learnign, but at this notice in the middle of the day its just impossible. I am running a training event which already has 23 people signed up to come to, so no way I can chnge it at thsi notice.

It infuriates me. They all work- can they just drop everything to go to their kid's school with just 8 days notice? GRRRRRRRRR

OK, rant over. Would it be reasonable to ask if they can do another one maybe 1 week after the first which gives me a chance to rearrange my appoitnments, or would I be better to make a private appointmnet to talk to his teacher to get all this info?

And are all schools this rubbish at advising parents of events?

No advice, I'm afraid, but lots of sympathy!!

DD has just gone into year 1 at a fantastic school, and I've been happy with every single aspect of her education, with this one exception - they are rubbish at giving notice about this kind of thing. Really annoying if you work/have other commitments.

We were given a questionnaire last year about the school's communication with parents, and this was the one negative thing that I fed back to them. I'm sure that other parents must have said the same. We'll just have to see if there is any improvement this year.

Might be pushing your luck to ask them to do another one, unless you can band together with other parents in the same situation - but you could casually mention to the teacher that you're unable to attend the meeting at such short notice, and ask how best to catch up with whatever you might miss?

Well, I'm a teacher and can't rearrange anything, so being summoned in the school day would piss me off. There are a few meetings arranged for just after school, but they are optional extras really.

I completely understand your frustration, and I am a teacher whose child attends the same school.

In my school the teachers are expected to host a similar session and I stamped my foot until others I work with agreed that this coming Monday was inadequate notice. We're doing ours in a fortnight at 09.10 in the hope that those parents who drop children off before going into work can make it and that others might have enough notice to arrange a later start.

If I were in your position I'd have a word with the teacher and explain that you'd love to come but need more notice. At the same time you could try to arrange a time for her to pass on the crucial information.

I would ask for the information to be put in writing or for the meeting to be in the early evening.
The more parents that request an information evening then the message may start to get through.

I always say 'Fine, can I bring the 30 members of my class too?' if things are set in the school day.

But why do it in the school day? We have a new parents information evening (secondary), and it starts at 7pm.

Thanks all
Our school seems to have very low numbers of working parents- we dont even fill the (excellent) before and after school clubs, so I think they dont realise how hard it can be for some of us

I willa sk for the information in writing and mention AGAIN that I need more notice of things. I hate complaining to them, cos they are SO nice and such a good school, but things like this give me so much unnecessary stress ....

PS Goblin , have they ever taken you up on that?
PPS SEMummy, can you come and work at our school??

DTG, I don't think you'll actually be making a complaint though - you're making a request/suggestion.

Chances are no-one else who wants to go but has other engagements will ever have asked if there's an alternative. If you raise it then they have an opportunity to think differently about it. Schools are funny places; they are so used to having to change practice on the say so of politicians that they seem to cling to the safety net of pointless routines in order to compensate.

Suggest an event calendar to be issued each January - Every month until December with all known events marked on it - the PTA might help with it!

Schools know they have to schedule parent evenings, parent info evenings, fairs, discos, nativity plays etc.....many are just crap at setting dates in a timely manner.

Change their minds about it - offer to produce the calendar for them then pin the Head to a wall and make him/her decide on key dates.

It worked for me!

I'm glad I'm not alone. My children attend a brilliant primary -brilliant except that they seem to see it as a badge of honour to give as little notice as possible for anything. Even big things like the Xmas concert or end of year show only get 2 weeks maximum notice. Sometimes less. Events that don't need tickets frequently get less than 7 days notice.

When I raised this issue with the parent governor I was told 'well, you choose to work'! :(

Other schools in the area do the year planner thing. Our school? Nope.

I have missed more concerts, events and meetings than I have attended over the years (my oldest child is now at secondary school).:(

Was discussing this very issue today. What is so difficult about issuing a notice on last day of summer term with key dates for autumn term? 2 or 3 days notice to prepare a "Tudors" outfit is pushing things a bit (and I don't even work!). You wouldn't get away with such a lack of planning in business and it's not as if these dates are a surprise - just not communucated in timely manner to parents. Glad it's not just our school!