How many Mums are dissatisfied with their DCs primary school?

[CrosswordAddict]

There seem to be a lot of dissatisfied Mums on MN and primary schools seem to be particularly disappointing. Any strong views? And if so, how can Mnetters become a force for change/improvement?

IME, TA jobs which are 1:1 support are easier to come by than the general class support ones. The only problem is, the funding stays with the child and as something like dyslexia isn't tested until 7yrs at the earliest, that often means each job will only last 3 or 4 years. Also, whilst most children with dyslexia would really benefit from 1:1 support, very few would get it.

These days I think most 1:1 support is for things like ASD.

I do feel happy with it all. I also went back to studying and took a masters in social work. It was really interesting and added another string to my bow but I'm happy where I am for now.

Good luck with it if you do decide to take the plunge. I do think TA funding will be drastically cut in the next few years which may make jobs hard to come by. Luckily, mine is permanent.

Zepherine, if I work f/t as a TA I still earn less than I would teaching 2 days a week.

But then, I no longer need to be in school at 7.45 (now 8.30) or leave at 5.45-6pm (now 4pm).
I no longer need to spend hours planning or assessing. My class teacher will spend most of this week doing APP whereas I can spend it with my children.

Ironically, I probably have more job satisfaction now than I ever did. Teaching can be so rlentless, frustrating and emotionally draining. Now, I just get the best bits. Though, I am very conscious that I am only able to do this because my DH earns enough to support us.

relentless

betty, thankyou for your thought provoking posts. i'm off to bed. head spinning, though.

Mrz I am not saying that teachers should be cut at all. I am not criticising anyone but rather standing back in sheer admiration because I could not work without that level of support. I don't think it is about a difference of ethos at all. But an acceptance that some schools have different needs. Most teachers of both secotors but children first. However there is a need to be a realist and accept that is is not desirable to have teachers speding hours and hours doing things that they are probably not very good at. The times that is freed up allows me to be a better teacher - and heaven forbid to have time with my own family.

I know quite a few teachers who have husbands who earn high salaries who become TAs. It is something I considered after my second child.

I am in the most part very happy with dd's school, there are the odd hiccups mostly because dd doesn't fit the stereotypical image of an ASD child with a statement and the school sometimes need pointing in the right direction. But we have a good relationship, the school appreciate my input and I make sure I offer suggestions rather than criticism and we both recognise that working in partnership is the best way to meet dd's needs.Dd is happy and making excellent progress so the school are obviously doing a lot right.

jenandberry I'm not sure why you would think I thought you did?

Mrz - Jenandberry answered you, thnking you were talking about her most recent post of Wed 23-Feb-11 19:42:43, but you were actually answering her post before that, of Wed 23-Feb-11 19:28:45. Hth!

thanks I was confused but it is early

I agree.

I consider it my responsibility to ensure my DC have a good education. School is only a part of that.

I want to know that the teachers and I are working together. I certainly wll not hand in at the door and collect them at 18.

The thing I have found with my local school is that you have got to push to get a better deal, yes I am a 'moaning mum' when it comes down to it.

On the very first page I got a bit annoyed at libbys post who seems to feel a childs lack of ability to talk is the parents fault, yes my daughter started school unable to communicate but that is not down to us as parents so I feel she needs to withdraw her assumption that every ones kids start school unable to speak due to the parents there are other factors Including Dysphraxia (Along with the other things that go with it) that stop a child speaking DD1 is effected by this.

The first year DD1 went to school she seemed to get shunned to the side, she could not do the work so the teacher pulled it off her, she was pushed onto a computer and she felt left out when told she could not join in with class projects - over time we had to complain and complain, the school felt they needed a diagnosis to teach.

Now half way through primary two I feel I have made Some progress but not enough to feel comfortable - teachers seem to be unwilling to include kids who have problems (Or at least here) More education for the teachers on Dysphraxia and other problems would be great, as some of the teachers I have came across feel pushing them to the side and teaching the kids who are able to do the work without much help is the way to go.

I found that things that wind me up are sometimes petty, but when I question myself I feel that the reason I get upset is because they are clearly a symptom of bigger things.

This year for example we have had problems because my DD1 was/is very unlucky to be in a class that has overall low attainment, with some children very behind. The teacher openly said their absolute priority were the children left behind and so my DD would have to bear with them. We were given suggestions of things to do at home with her etc..

She wasn't that happy overall either due to lack of attention/stimulation and/or disruption in the class. The only lucky part is that she is incredibly motivated and hard working so kept herself going. She often complained of children scribbling all over her work.

In all this scenario, her books were often not changed for 4 weeks at a time. Yes she does read all sorts at home but she got demoralised every week when she put her books in her bag and then the teacher said "sorry it will have to wait until next week because I haven't got time for you this week". I could always tell this had happened as she had a long face at the school gate. It was not about the books themselves, but about the fact she had been put aside in favour of other children. A child of 5/6 does not really understand the intricacies of why this may happen and although we do try and explain it and she has come to terms with it, it was still not a nice thing for her to experience.

This has happened over and over again with lots of other stuff, and although petty in itself, it was to me a symptom that the teacher wasn't really giving our DD the time and tbh they admitted it anyway, so no big secret there.

Although we understand 100% the teacher's predicament, and actually think they are very good and experienced and have faith in them, we do think overall that they are overstretched in that scenario, and that our DD is not getting the educational experience she should be getting.

I went into an open class day the other day and found that in her draw there were piles and piles of coloured in sheets. I asked her what is this? She said "oh the teacher gives me these for something to do".

So are we happy? Not really. But we put up with it and we do plenty at home with her to make up for it.

We just hope that the whole class will eventually catch up and she will get a bit more input, but so far it's been a bit of a disappointment overall, if I am honest.

Thanks Feenie!

No problem - up since 6 with 5 year old and 3 cups of coffee, so was wired

I had my first lie in (twenty past eight [ ) and had just put the kettle on

emy72, why do you send your child to school given the situation you describe?

I agree with mrz that the Cambridge Primary Review was great, and those of you who remember Rose's webchat of last year can attest to the fact that his "developmental" justifications for most of his recommendations were that "it works fine for my granddaughter" or "it's more fair to poorer students." It seems to me that the previous Labour govmt took the view that social normalisation was more important in public education than individual attainment of experience and understanding. I would very much like to see the whole education model move toward more freedom and flexibility for professional teachers to be able to stay focused on the children and provide them what they need, which will vary greatly from one region and environment to the next.

However, as often mumsnet threads become topics of discussion here at home, my partner insists that there are not enough people in society who would make good teachers such that every students could be in a class of less than 24 with a person of quality who can think out the educational questions for themselves. In short, he suggests that we need the prescriptive standards because we'd have more of a mess if everyone were allowed to sort it out for themselves. I think he's overly cynical, but then I'm a bit of an optimist.

Zazi lots of people do not have a choice where there children go to school.

Twenty past eight sounds very civilised, mrz!

hey Jen, was just thinking that I'd rather keep dc at home rather than have them in an educational environment that sounds as pointless and negative as emy's dd's. Was curious as to her take, perhaps there are some advantages she could describe.

But some people can't afford to HE either. They are out working to pay the mortgage.
It's not always black and white.

I'm feeling very much for emy's dd, especially being demoralised about not being made time for and other children scribbling over her work. I agree with emy that these issues are about something more fundamental, and surely this situation doesn't actually work for anyone involved. I image the teacher herself is equally frustrated about not being able to give the dd time. I'm not trying to turn this into a "who can afford alternatives" debate, which is tedious and off topic, so can we not go there?

I have moved around quite a bit because of our jobs. My children have experienced posh boarding school to awful primary where bullying was rife, a high rate of staff absence, work never marked and teaching that focused on trying to bribe naughty kids to behave totally ignoring wel behaved or bright students.

We stayed put for 2 years, until my present job came along. We did discuss home ed and to be honest we did some home education in the holidays, weekends and evenings. We also became governors, helped out in the school and became part of a band of parents that helped improve the school. Both my children are very motivated at school and being at a failing school is part of that. They know they are lucky to be in good schools now and take advantage of every opportunity that is given to them. Of course I wish they could have learned that without all the grief and upset, but life is not easy and perfect.

We also discussed privately educating the children but it would have meant we could not have afforded any more children which we both wanted.

Zazi you did ask emy why she continues to send her child there, I suspect a lack of other options was a major factor.

hi jen, I didn't want to make any assumptions about emy's situation, hence the question.

here's a question for teachers . . .

Do you believe that the state schooling system should strive to meet the needs of all children, or do you believe that the best it can achieve is to meet the needs of most and that some are necessarily going to be sacrificed for the good of the many?