Should I be concerned about DD's school?

[hillbilly]

DD is in Yr1 (state school) and I feel that there is a lack of communication between the school and parents. I would really like to know for example what the goals for the term are, what they are learning so that I can compliment this at home. I would also like to know her timetable, which I don't.

Friday's literacy homework was not given because they had "run out of paper" - WTF?????? Yes the teacher apologised but I thought it a bit poor.

I do know that another local school issues booklets with with the weekly and termly goals in it along with all relevant info about Yr1. They have a homework book rather than worksheets which makes sense to me.

There is a meeting tomorrow for parent's of Yr1 so before that I want to know other people's experiences.

Am I expecting too much?

DD2 is in Year 1. We get a weekly newsletter for the whole school, which is general stuff about special events, achievements to be celebrated etc. We also had a class newsletter a week or so into term, with some information about the Year 1 curriculum. So I know what topics they are covering, when they do PE and French and that they are jolly keen that we read to them every night.

Judging by past experience (DD1 is in Year 4 at the same school), we will get some information about DD2's individual learning goals at parents' evening. But that isn't till the middle of the year. We don't have homework books, or indeed homework sheets. They don't give much homework in Year 1 anyway, just daily reading and occasional spelling lists.

"Running out of paper" does sound a bit lame. Even if they did have a stationery crisis, I wouldn't have thought they'd want to let on to the parents!

you have a year 1 meeting...well thats communication in itself!

School newsletter every Monday

Booklet each half term, with child's literacy/numeracy goals and class topics

We also get a school newsletter but every 2 weeks only. We also had a Yr 1 letter at the end of the first week but it had no info about curriculum, just about PE and homework.

My issue with the school has always been about communication, but I'm starting to worry about what DD is actually learning now too.

I think it depends on the school. Some are good at communicating with home, some aren't.

The dds' primary school was atrocious at it. Worst thing was that they sent out bi-lingual letters (one side in English, one side in Welsh) which would often give slightly different information (eg Welsh would say Thursday, English would say Friday)

I don't know if there are set standards for home-school information / communication, but there should be, in my opinion...

I don't see what use your DD's timetable would be to you? Surely you just need to know what themes etc they will be studying? Her teacher will know the goals etc and whether your DD is meeting them....what do you want to do with this information on a weekly basis? It sounds a bit OTT to me.

presumably they will tell you at the meeting? It's only a week and a half into term!

ANd be thankful not to have homework - a weekend off is always a good thing!

My DD3 is in Year 1 too. We have whole-school newsletters emailed from the Head once a week, a homework book from the class teacher once a week (short numeracy or literacy activity, plus a few spellings), a home reading diary filled in by parent/class teacher/TA/volunteer reading helper and information about KS1 goals, topics etc. on the school website. Information about a child's individual progress and targets is obviously given at parents' evenings. I think that's the right amount of information for us, personally. I don't want to know the minutiae of her timetable, but do want to know overall targets for her year. IME, how much information parents are given depends very much on the Head and class teacher. Our Head took on board feedback in parents' questionnaires a year ago about communication, and now sends out a short newsletter weekly instead of termly. Some class teachers update their class area of the school website every couple of weeks and some every 6 months.

My dd is in Y1, at the start of term we had a reception and KS1 parents info evening, the teachers went through what is expected from children and parents, what kind of things they get up to, what homework expectations are and also gave out sheets with the full years curriculum showing what they would be covering in each area over each half term, also other letters, news letter and a copy of the alphabet in the style they will be writing by the end of Y1 (hopefully) as the school does cursive script.
The school also has a weekly newsletter for general school news and events and the school also operates an open door policy for all teachers and the head teacher so any time you can come in and speak to class teacher and arrange an appointment to sit down if it is more then a quick question.
It is early days in term yet and if you are having an info meeting then they are communicating with you and you more then likely will get all these things then, if not just ask the teacher, we don't get a 'timetable' for the class but every morning on the white board in class they have que cards for the children telling them what 'lessons' they are having that day so they know what is coming, a quick glance at that tells me what dd will be up to and I can talk to her about what she has been up to, helps to know for example they have done ICT so I can ask her what they did on the computers rather then just asking her what she did today and getting 'can't remember' or 'nothing' or her best 'lots of things'.
If you don't get what you want communicated in the meeting just make an appointment to see the teacher and get it then.

That's why I am posting TPL, to get the general consensus. I'd like to know their goals so that I can help her at home. I'd like to know her timetable because she does not always remember what lessons she has had and if I know then I can talk to her about them.

I'd be grateful if I did know the term theme, but we have not been told.

Dragonfly - yes it's great that there is a meeting but when a parent asked if we would be able to ask questions she was told "maybe".

i'd ask them anyway!!

but dont forget to put our hand up first!

Seeker we are in week 3 of term so I think perhaps the meeting should have been sooner.

Hopefully I'll get all the info I need tomorrow at the meeting!

you're joking hillbilly right????
worrying about french literacy homework for your 5 yr old??
thinking the school should have held a meeting already??
Seriously,.. read the helicopter parent thread and calm down.

Ingles2 - she does not do french literacy. Don't you want to know what your kids are learning?

I'm anything but a helicopter parent. FWIW, I don't see the need for a meeting - I would be very happy with a termly newsletter outlining the theme and goals for the term.

The school's last OFSTED report was not that great and although I am absolutely sure things have been addressed since then, I think they should be more forthcoming in reassuring parents that they are on the ball.

It's a great community school and DD is very happy, I just feel they fall down with their communication.

Apologies.. Friday's literacy not French literacy..
Of course I want to know what my dc are learning this term... I do know ... I received a letter on Friday from the heads of year telling me what the topics are..
You are having a meeting instead of a letter... what more would you like?
half an hour a week of dissecting everything you dd has done?
I stand by what I said... unless your dd has SN's that required a immediate meeting.. your school is on track and you need to calm down.

I hope they are on track - I only worry when I hear other schools are more informative

Well, you'll find out tomorrow.. personally I'd be happier with an hour of the teachers time than a homework diary, but thats just me,

sorry, dreadful punctuation.

I'd love it if our teacher had scheduled a meeting so I think your school is doing quite well. It takes them all a couple of weeks to get settled in so I think the timing is fine.

I'm pleased to see that the general feeling is that I am concerned unnecessarily.

Just to point out that a few weeks ago there was a thread complaining that there wasn't enough notice (largely for working parents) before the start of term info meeting, lots of people on that thread said that they wished the school gave them 3 weeks notice so they could arrange things so they could be there, your school has given plenty of notice and held the meeting in week three, the schools can not win.