So glad DS2 is leaving primary this year. And that is really sad.

[IrianofWay]

13 years at the same school with 3 children. DS2 is in Yr 6 and spending his last few weeks there.

I had always loved the atmosphere of the school, really nurturing and friendly. Even when the school was in special measures 8 years ago it was a lovely place to be. My older two left with good SATs - and were in a pretty good place from which to start secondary school.

New HT last September. I think she thinks of herself as a new broom but the problem is the things she is sweeping up are some of the things that made the school special. And it's causing conflict with some parents - the leavers celebrations have been changed with no consultation, and then irritable letters sent out when parents were less than happy with it. The Yr6 performance was cancelled because not enough parents returned their reply slips in time.

This all culminated in a total fiasco on Monday. The sports day was always held in the local park - two minutes from school - quite low key but fun. For some reason this year it was split into three -FS, KS2 and KS1. But even with half the number of pupils the KS2 one was extended out to the entire day. it was to be held in one of the secondary schools on their playing fields. This is a good 20 minutes walk away. I got there about an hour into it knowing I couldn't be there all day and I was supposed to be working. Within 5 minutes we had to make a run for the sports hall as the heaven's opened. Cue havoc with milling wet kids and wet parents. The decision was made to let the kids dry off in the hall and eat their lunches and then they would be walked back to school when the rain stopped. Not ideal but possibly the best solution. Some of the parents 'weren't happy' with this and I witnessed parents yelling at teachers, abusing and swearing at them, in full hearing of their children. It was utterly shocking - teachers some of whom I have known for years being subjected to abuse for something out of their control.

DS2 was dreading leaving primary last year. Now he can't wait.

Something has gone horribly wrong and I think it is such a shame.

TBH, it sounds like the parents are the problem.

I suspect it's a bit of both. But I am the most laidback of parents and even I have been a bit pissed off with some of the things that have been happening.

TBH, it sounds like the parents are the problem.

That's what I thought.

I think people tend to resist change.

DC's school had a new HT this year as well. She has tightened up on uniform and punctuality and introduced initiatives to increase cross school friendships. Rationally I don't disagree with any of these. But I still find myself cross that things are changing!

I am sure you are right redsky. I am just not invested enough in the school anymore to comfortably accomodate so many changes. It is a very different school to the one we knew.

Good God. Those yelling parents behaved appallingly. How utterly horrible for the teachers. I feel very sorry for them.

Parents swearing at teachers? In the presence of their children? And the problem is with whom?

Poor old Headteacher!

The parents are part of the reason I am so disillusioned. It's all turned to shit - I just don't know why. The head isn't great though in the way she has tackled things. Put a lot of people's backs up.

IrianofWay:

Look - you've had your time at this school. Hold on to your good memories and positive feelings toward the staff you liked/ admired and otherwise let it go.

You're moving on to a new place - and I'd focus on that and the new opporutnities for your DS2 and try not to worry too much about the old primary and changes there.

I've had all sorts of people approach me this year to speak at this or that consultation/ talk to the new HT/ talk to the subject Heads - and I've been very calm and said the issue for us was the 11+. We've got our results now and really we're just marking time.

If we could go on holiday in term time still we'd have left in early July - which suits us as a family with my brother teaching in the US system (they break up in June and he's back to work early August).

I'm focusing on summer plans and seem to have acquired a new hobby (filling in forms for the new secondary school!). Due to a house move, DD2 is at her new primary and we couldn't be happier with it.

Enjoy your summer Irian and I hope the 'negative' aspects of the end of your time at with this school will subside over the summer and you're only left with happy, positive memories of that time.

Thanks past! That is what I will have to do. And look forward to not having to do the school run down narrow Victorian terraced streets with no parking and too much traffic!

"I'm focusing on summer plans and seem to have acquired a new hobby (filling in forms for the new secondary school!). " Yep. That is my latest hobby too

I know how frustrating it can be.Our school is lovely tiny and has always been ofsted outstanding, but they are all so crap at admin, honestly they couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.This week we had sports day at 1pm starting with flat races, and I timed my lunchbreak so I could see them and then they didn't start til 2.Another time they 'chased' me for a weeks lunch money, and when I logged on to my account it was £10.50 in credit because DD1 had been sick for a week earlier in the term!