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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

Home School Agreement anyone?

29 replies

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 16:56

I have just been emptying out the book bags from school and found a Home School Agreement in dd's bag. Have just read it through and it appears to be a series of pledges/ promises that the school make and in turn the parents and child have to sign to say that they will make certain pledges also. I assume it is for us to sign and return (the head and dd's teacher have already signed), but just wondered if anyone else has had such a thing from their school. Also, what happens if we don't sign - there are a few points I disagree with on the document, and also can dd (aged 4) really be expected to understand and keep to her side of it? dh says we should just draft our own version (he is a lawyer ) but joking aside, it does seem rather a heavy handed approach by the school, doesn't it?

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misspinkcat · 10/01/2007 16:57

no just leave it
theres no point to them imo

Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:01

many schools have them. They can be very helpful in setting out just wjhat the school expects from the child/ family, and what the child/family can expect from the school.

My children are in Primary and they already know that they are expected to be kind and helpful to other people in school, for example.

I don't think that making expectations explicit is a bad thing.

It may seem heavy handed, but the behaviosr of some families has to be seem to be believed, and a pre signed agreement can be helpful in some circumstances.

whatkatydidntdo · 10/01/2007 17:05

All my childrens schools have them, I think its basically to remind parents what is expected of them. Ie in terms of children getting to school on time, not taking time off and encouraging homework etc.

Can I ask what are the points you object to?

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 17:13

That is a good point martianbishop, but I'm not sure I like the idea that by signing I am agreeing to the school's terms IYSWIM. There is no covering letter with the document, which I think is wrong. Some of the terms are so trivial but it annoys me that the school can't even be bothered to say why were are being asked to sign it.

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Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:20

Well, if you can't agree to the schools request,because you disagree on school rules it might be better to look for a school who's ethos and rules you share (not being nasty, but is it wise to send your children to a school if you can't support the schools rules?)

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 17:24

whatkatydidntdo, reading through what the school have signed to undertake they have already broken their part of the agreement as far as my ds is concerned (although I haven't had a copy of this for him to sign yet). The pupil's agreement is fairly straightforward, so much so that I'm not sure why it need's signing tbh. I can understand that certain parents may not do some of the things laid out in the parents agreement, but surely that is for discussion with the individual families?

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Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:27

It is a way of making expectations clear. Simple as that really. And both sides should keep to the agreement.

It has been very helpful where I work where parents and childen have simply ignored specific schools rules.

Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:40

this might be of interest bagpuss30

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 17:44

martianbishop, I worded that badly, sorry, it isn't the rules that I disagree with at all, just the way in which this is being presented to me as a parent. I don't what to be antagonistic btw, just have never seen anything like this before and I wasn't sure why there was a need for such a document to be in place .

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Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:50

In part, schools are encouraged to do this by the DFES.

There are lots of things not the same as in 1979 Like my primary teacher SIL being called a 'fucking cunt' by one of the children in her class!

I think that making expectation understood, on both sides can only be a good thing. I'm sure that your expecations are almost exactly the same as the school (if not identiacal), but this is, sadly not true for all parents. And in addition if the school falls short in what they should be providing, it gives parents a good framework of what their child's rights are.

I have been encouraged to make the aims of my lessons clear to my students. i think that this is a good thing and helps their understandingof exactly what is going on in my lessons...this was never done when I was in school!

making rules and expectation clear can only help don't you think?

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 17:53

A letter from the school outlining the things in that link might have made it a bit clearer in the first place MB, thanks

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Blandmum · 10/01/2007 17:55

Agree. Ours goes out in the Homework diary, with an explanation attached.

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 18:03

for your SIL, MB. Yes, of course it is a good thing but there seems to be so much burocracy these days - my kids are only 4 and 6!! Our school's communication is poor at the best of times, I suppose that by doing this they are trying to make it clearer.

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Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 18:05

Sorry, am such a slow typist that I keep crossing posts (also trying to cook for, and feed three children at the same time doesn't help).

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dinny · 10/01/2007 18:05

agree it can nly be a good thing. esp for parents who aren't perhaps as conscientious as others....

Blandmum · 10/01/2007 18:08

And also if schools are not keeping up their end of the bargin. I think that it is a real attempt (in most cases) to create an effective realtionship between parents/ carers and school for the benfit of the child. If parents are not confident in dealing with schools, it can be a real help to know exacly what they can expect from the school and in turn what they need to do 'for' the school IYSWIM

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 10/01/2007 18:14

We have them - they are pretty standard in secondary but now becoming more common in primary too.

I'm thinking of broaching the subject in the school I'm now working in. They don't have one at the moment and there are some parents who would definitely benefit. I've had my eyes opened since working here

That said - the parents who'd benefit are the ones who wouldn't even open the bag to read the damn letter.

bundle · 10/01/2007 18:17

we have them, i think they're a good idea to show commitment and partnership in helping a child to learn

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 18:19

dinny, that's my point, I am conscientious, and without the information which martianbishop has provided, the point of the document has been a little lost on me.

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beckybrastraps · 10/01/2007 18:21

I have referred to them when talking to parents.It is handy as a reminder of basic expectations. I also know of parents who have used them when complaining about homework not being set/marked. SO it does cut both ways.

Blandmum · 10/01/2007 18:22

But can you imagine how difficult it would be for the school to identify the non-conciencious parents and target them? Or for that matter, that such parents would not then accuse the school of singling them out or harrassing them? Or being biased against their children?

At least this way, the school can say that they are being open handed in the whole area of parental communication.

Caligula · 10/01/2007 18:25

I think the problem with them is:

a) they are so asinine that no-one could possibly disagree with them - apple-pie and motherhood, really

b) as saggar says, the people who need them don't open the bags

c) they reduce all parents to the level of the yobbo parents in b)

It's very much a crossing t's and dotting i's thing, isn't it, I can't imagine it makes yobbo parents behave any better than they would have done.

I'd like to have on my one "parents agree not to smoke right outside the school gate" and "parents will not bring their pit-bull-looking dogs into the playground, or indeed, wait with them right outside the school gate so they can jump up on kids coming out."

Put a bit of meat on them, that's what I say.

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 10/01/2007 18:27

Ha! you've met the parents at my school then Caligula?

Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 18:29

Yes, I agree, mb. Not saying that they shouldn't have sent it to me btw.

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Original poster

Bagpuss30 · 10/01/2007 18:31

lol, Caligula, yes, lets get down to the nitty gritty...

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