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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

should I write a letter to head about teacher?

32 replies

meatloaf · 11/07/2013 22:41

DD's YR teacher has been amazing. we could not have got a better teacher. she's enthusiastic, consistent, fair, firm, nurturing, great at communicating to both us and DD. she is amazing and has helped dd learn and settle into school life.

I am thinking of writing to head to say how wonderful the (nqt) teacher is. is this generally done or will they think I am mental? or should i write to the head of the infants?

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neolara · 11/07/2013 22:42

Yes. Write. Definitely.

sonlypuppyfat · 11/07/2013 22:44

I would it would be a lovely thing to do everyone is always quick to complaine but never to praise well done.

HumphreyCobbler · 11/07/2013 22:44

Please write! I can assure you that it will be very much appreciated by the head and the teacher involved.

It can sometimes feel that parents only ever comment on what goes wrong, it is SO lovely when you feel appreciated.

ExitPursuedByABear · 11/07/2013 22:47

Write that letter

numbum · 11/07/2013 22:49

Do it!! I've sent a letter to the HT about one teacher over the years. He called her in to her office and said a parent had contacted him about her. She said she panicked but then cried when she saw what I'd written about her.

Parents are so quick to complain but not so quick to praise

Helovesmehelovesmenot · 11/07/2013 22:51

When my DD was 13 she was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and she had a helper who managed to get her through her GCSE exams with a B in English, I and my DD were so grateful and practically loved this woman that we wrote her a letter and sent a copy to the head she wrote a letter back saying it was worth the 36 years of effort she had put in to helping kids to read etc when she got that letter and it made her cry, she was given a special mention by the head in the year end assembly and my letter appears on the school website for all to see. Please write to them so many parents write stupid letters to school about how their kids are left out or hard done to it will make a nice ending to a term I would say, and well done to that teacher for being truly great!

mintyneb · 11/07/2013 22:53

My DD had a teacher like that last year. I gave her a hand written letter thanking her for all she had done. She told me later that it had made her cry.

DD has had yet another fantastic teacher this year (yr 1) and I will be putting pen to paper once again.

People so rarely seem to get praised for doing good these days that I always make sure I say a proper thank you when appropriate

kerala · 11/07/2013 22:59

My mother wrote to the head of dds school recently to say how impressed she was by the behaviour of all the children at a school event and this was down to the hard work of all staff etc ( she is retired teacher) head thrilled and read email out in full school assembly

CitrusyOne · 12/07/2013 08:46

I was totally expecting to open this thread to find a moan and a whinge about a teacher, which is the case so often.

Please, if you feel strongly definitely DO write. It won't outweigh ALL of the moaning us teachers deal with but it will remind us why we do the job!

youcouldnevermakeitup · 12/07/2013 09:34

If you google 'awards for teachers', then I think you will see Pearson, amongst several companies, make awards. Obviously it will need to be more specific, but maybe many of the other parents feel the same and you could put something together. We've just 'escaped' from a school where the teacher 'ignored' my child but I have been delighted with his teacher (a NQT) this year and I will be writing a letter of appreciation.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 12/07/2013 09:37

If she was a teacher of many years standing I probably wouldn't do it as it may seem patronising but for an NQT I think it's a good idea. Let the head know just how pleased you are with her as she'll still be an unknown quantity to the senior staff.

educatingarti · 12/07/2013 09:42

Yes- write - definitely! Mention specifics. Specific thank yous and praise can be few and far between for any teacher.

oohaveabanana · 12/07/2013 09:43

I've done this before - ds had an amazing NQT, and I wrote to her and the head saying how impressed I'd been - I know she really appreciated it.

I also wrote a letter saying how impressed I was with children's behaviour at a specific event, which I know got read out in assembly.

Agree with others that given how often teachers get parental complaints, a few thank yous must make a nice change!

noblegiraffe · 12/07/2013 09:44

If you could email the head and copy in the teacher, that would be nice, so that she can keep a copy for her file.

Picturepuncture · 12/07/2013 09:47

Please write the letter! Also, it doesn't matter how experienced the teacher is, a letter to your boss saying how amazing you are is ALWAYS appreciated.

Particularly at the moment with all the moves towards performance related pay...

Biscuitsneeded · 12/07/2013 09:48

Do it! Teachers are always falling foul of parents, children, senior leadership, Ofsted etc. Just one letter of appreciation can make all the difference to morale!

NoComet · 12/07/2013 09:58

Do it, being an NQT is very stressful. If you Email copy it to the teacher and the head of governors too.

GobHoblin · 12/07/2013 12:06

Do it! I wrote to my daughters reception teacher last year to thank her for going over and above. She was very touched. I have also emailed the head, praising pupils representing their school at an event, which was well received & read out in assembly apparently. Great for morale.

OrlaNuttin · 12/07/2013 12:14

Please do it - how lovely of you to think of it.

To anyone thinking of doing these - please, please do it. I can't tell you how much it will mean to the teacher individually and (if you copy both the teacher and the head in on it), it may help support the teacher's performance management targets, which of course - thanks to Gove - may influence pay.

OrlaNuttin · 12/07/2013 12:15

Also, it's not only NQTs who should be recognised if they are doing an excellent job. More senior teachers can often get forgotten about, as the less experienced staff are (hopefully!) being supported and nutured.

Catmint · 12/07/2013 12:22

Another one saying do it. I wrote to the managing dire toe of dd's nursery when she left to praise the care that she had had. I was specific about particular things that had been done that had a positive impact.

The staff were sent a copy by the md and were all in floods of tears that someone had recognised their going the extra mile, consistency, flexibility etc.

It made me very happy.

Catmint · 12/07/2013 12:23

Director not dire toe!

goingmadinthecountry · 12/07/2013 13:05

I've done it on a couple of occasions. Please do - I can assure you it will mean far more than any present on earth.

Periwinkle007 · 12/07/2013 13:07

I have done so for my daughter's teacher and TAs and have also managed to mention the crossing lady, the gate ladies and those who help with reading! well you might as well make sure everyone gets the praise they deserve if you are going to do it.

GW297 · 12/07/2013 23:22

Absolutely!

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