Do you find it easy to talk to your child's school senior management team?

[Twiglett]

I have this impression that many of us find it difficult to actually talk to heads without turning into mumbling small children scuffing our trainers in the dirt.

Am I right?

I don't find it hard. I am getting more and more assertive as I get older.

The same with policepersons!

I don't but dh does.

i barged in there once, in tears, despite the protestations of her secretary. the head listened, and I believe now we have a slightly more no-nonsense relationship

The head in thier old school was an evil witch with no interpersonal skills at all. I get on well with the head of their current school but I know other parents find her a bit difficult to talk to - i think she is actually a bit shy.

No problems at all so far, during the interview process. And I don't anticipate there being any problems in future. I'm not in awe of the headmistress. She seems like a competent, sensible person and the school is very well run and organised.

I don't - primary school has the sort of Head who hangs around at the beginning and end of the day and initiates conversations, and I've not had occasion to talk to secondary school Head, except to offer him a mince pie.

There have, however, been teachers I've had more trouble with, largely because they're extremely empathetic types and I'm not (and I feel 40 is too old to have someone else expressing sympathy over a cut knee). I await the Mumsnet Fashion Police hauling me in for attending a parents' night in shorts ...

Not now that I'm a governor, but I think I've just popped up onto his radar, so he will now listen to me. He is a fairly approachable guy, generally, but I do feel that embarrassment talking to teachers as well.