How many of you get letters like this from your school?

[Eglu]

As part of a larger newsletter we today got this list of bullet points.

A reminder that the school day starts at 8.55am and finishes at 3.00pm. It is important that children arrive at school on time and prepared for their day.

It is also important that they come dressed for the weather, which at present means warm waterproof jackets, shoes/boots and hats/gloves.

They should also have indoor shoes - please check that your childs gym shoes still fit/or are not worn through.

It goes on about school bag, and gym kit.

The first bit is fine, I know every school has children who are late and is a problem they need to deal with.

But we regularly get letters home stating that children are not being dressed appropriately for the weather. Why do parents need telling this?

Because, sadly, some parents need reminding.

Presumerably some kids turn up inadequately dressed

I get reminded weekly of school times and requests for cash

Because they drop off and pick up in the car and never spend an hour a day outside so they don't realise that a trendy jacket is crap for outside play

Why do they need telling this? Because some parents have daft ideas about what is appropriate clothing... maybe some struggle to afford it, maybe some children lose it so regularly parents give up, maybe some don't think about it or organise themselves in the morning to send it all in. Some parents don't understand the value of being outside to children so it just isn't a priority for them.

Yes we regularly get letters like this and they are needed, sadly. Dd1 saw a little girl in a dress coat like hers on the way to school. Dd1 is not allowed to wear this jacket to school as it is very flimsy, unlined and has no hood. Poor wee girl must have been frozen and would have gotten soaked through on her way home, when it started raining. Judging by the mum, looks were more important than warmth and practicality

Yup, some parents need reminding.

Lots of kids in school playground with light fashion jackets on.

And several girls came to school in the snow in December with ballet pumps on.

The parents who drive their kids to school, then drive them sleves to work or home and never actually spend 30 mins in a playground. Some of them forget that its COLD in Winter and its windy and it rains.

Our local school sees both that type of family and the other end, the kids who show up at school in walking boots or wellies and full waterproofs having walked 2 miles. and are too hot in class as they are wearing a thermal vest coz its cold at home.

Very few parents drive to our school, so not an excuse here.

I know that people don't dress their DC appropriately. On the first day of term last week I saw one gilr walking to school with ankle socks on. She walks around 1 mile to school, she must have been freezing. :(

I know the ballet pump one too. That happens here too.

We had two children without coats during the heavy snow before Christmas

Parents dressed appropriately but don't think their dc need to be!

My DS went into school today all dressed for the cold weather, came out this afternoon minus his bloody school fleece! That is the 3rd one that has vanished. And yes they are all named!

So may children turn up to school without coats or appropriate footwear. Then when the teacher wants to do an outside activity they can't.

The infant school I work at sends out such letters.

Timekeeping seems to be a real problem for some parents. Our class opens at8:40 for an 8:50 register start. If they arrive after 8:50 it is a late mark, even if name not yet reached. We have regular groups who are late and need reminders.

In the cold weather before Christmas with all the snow we had several children coming in napproprte shoes, no warm cot, no gloves, etc. As we try to take the children outside for play in all weathers we need them to bring warm outer layers and sensible shoes. And we sent out reminders about bringing Something to change in to if coming in wellies.

We do speak to parents individually but general letters can help too.

I know it sounds like a daft thing for school to have to say but sadly some parents really do need reminding. I have seen children in plastic "dressing up" high heels, I've seen 5 year olds wearing makeup with the mother saying they(the 5 yo) wont leave the house without lipstick and eye makeup! I've seen children with no coats on a cold and rainy days. I've even seen girls crying because their legs are so cold having gone to school wearing a short skirt and ankle socks this was during a windy, very cold week. It had been windy and cold for a few days so it wasnt a freak sudden weather change.

We've just sent out the time keeping one

The timekeeping is 2 or 3 families regularly at our school. I don't think our school has the guts to speak to parents directly. There is a boy in DS1s class who has rarely been on time since he started school 3 years ago. The best part is his Mum always talks about how early he gets up in the morning.

I received a virtually identical letter today from dd's school funnily enough Eglu

The thinking behind the bit about appropriate clothing was that a faction of parents had apparently complained about their dc being out in the playground during lunch time (1 and a half hours here) during the extremely cold snap just before Christmas when we had temps of -5 and -7 and there was thick snow and ice on the ground.

The issue was debated and it was decided that all dc (unless suffering from a cold or recovering from an illness) should go out as a matter of course but only for 50 mins on really cold days. It was then followed by the reminder about appropriate clothing and checking the daily weather forecast in advance - presumably to pre-empt any further complaints ...

Some parents are crap frankly and need spoonfeeding information. We have parents who are;

Regularly late (and more annoying offer no explanation and don't seem bothered at all)

Don't dress their children appropriately

Never have PE kit in school

Send lunch boxes full of rubbish - and I mean rubbish; I don't hold with the 'lunch box police' but seem children don't have one healthy item in the lunch, and some have yesterday's leftovers with todays shoved in on top.

Many of them do all four on one day [weary]

Stillchuckingit I can't believe that some parents complained about their DC going outside. Fresh air is good for children.

I have to confess. I was a rather stupid parent that forgot to buy the kids tracksuit bottoms for PE when we moved from a warm climate. I'm surprised the EA didn't just have a quiet word. The kids were dressed inappropriately for 1 or 2 weeks I did feel rather stupid

I know - it's madness Eglu -esp from UK perspective. But in fairness there are many Italian and Spanish parents at dd's school who are horrified by climatic conditions here(northern Europe) ... they start piling on the cashmere during the first week of September!!

I wish our primary would send out more letters about clothes. Instead, they just keep the children indoors at the slightest drop of the temperature/hint of damp, because half of them aren't dressed for anything other than going straight from the car to the classroom.

Bloody trendy coats, my arse! I bought dd a lovely Trespass coat when she was in Year 2 - fleece lined and waterproof - the warmest driest coat I could find. But it didn't stop the judgey teachers saying to her that it was too flimsey wasn't suitable for cold weather and her Mum should send her in something more appropriate. She laughed as did her pals - she told me the teacher just thought it looked like a thin raincoat and they all knew better.

I know there are genuine cases of neglect but sometimes in schools, the teachers seem to spend their lives looking for poor parenting - or at least that's what it feels like given some of the ridiculous comments that have come my way.