Is this normal?

[Roberts551]

My daughter has just started at reception after being at the preschool there and we’ve had a few issues with the class she was in. We asked if she can move and were told no. The communication in general has been terrible, things like them being late when they came for the teacher house visit, the wrong teacher coming, we weren’t given the information to order lunches, Pe days and just in general it’s a bit of a shambles. The teachers are quite rude and defensive and don’t seem to know anything. They even changed the pick up time and haven’t communicated it to parents. Now the head has left and they haven’t announced it, someone on the committee said they thought there had been an email but there hasn’t.

I know schools are underfunded and teachers underpaid but should we be worried? The teacher has left after just six months, and it seems bizarre it’s so sudden and they haven’t announced it. Is this how primary schools are? It seems so shambolic I hope it’s because their mind is on teaching the kids but I fear that’s not the case.

Normally Reception seems more chaotic communication wise than nursery but your post is raising a lot of red flags. If I were being honest if it was my child I'd be putting her name in the waiting lists for other schools and looking to move her ASAP before everyone else has the same idea and there's a mass exodus.

It sounds like the school is going through a rather turbulent time and usually if a head leaves and staff follow it suggests the school is having difficulties.

This isn't normal for reception, unless we were lucky last year. Your DD will be there for the next 7 years and if you're not happy now, I'd look to move before friendships start to form etc.

No, it's not normal. Standard notice period for a head teacher is a whole term, for a start.

So something is wrong, and perhaps they can't tell you (because confidentiality means they can't tell you if the head has had a heart attack). If it's something very sudden, and the deputy is suddenly having to take over, and switch staffing around to free themself up for head-duties, I can understand why it might be shambolic - but hopefully it might resolve reasonably soon.

Now the head has left and they haven’t announced it

The head has left in the few days since your child started?

The teacher has left after just six months

Is this your child’s class teacher?

I would say there aren’t many schools in the country where this has happened in the first week; this sounds very unusual! Give the school a chance to get back on their feet.

Thanks for the thought, it’s the head who has left. In the few days since term started. She had only joined six months ago. They sent a newsletter out today with other staffing changes from over the summer but no mention of this. I heard it because a friend is involved in the school pta.

Was this a temporary head? What’s it’s ofsted status? Sounds like a school with no leadership and poor governance. I would want to move asap. This is not what a well run school should be. Communication to parents is vital.

When DC are in nurseries, seeing DC at home isn’t really necessary. The teachers talk to the nursery staff and observe Dc at nursery. Takes far les time!

I heard it because a friend is involved in the school pta

Gossip

Noone has any clue about it. Is the HT present or absent currently?

It was a permanent head she joined in Jan with much fanfare. The old head seemed unpopular but she had got the school up from needs improvement to Good. The head hasn’t been seen this term, I suspect it’s true because the assistant head is now acting head on the website but they haven’t said anything.

That’s very very poor. Not letting parents know is inexcusable! If she’s not around this term, no doubt she resigned with the appropriate notice. Her contract would have expired on 31 August.

I’m always slightly bemused why people don’t like a head who tries to improve a school.