Please help me get some perspective on whether our school is normal or not.

[gladbag]

Ds is in Reception. It's a great school in many ways - outstanding in everything from ofsted last term, good results, lovely Reception Class teacher....but....things have been niggling at me about how side-lined I feel parents are.

Could you help me decide whether I should feel righteously indignant, or whether I should get over myself because it's actually normal for a Primary School.

1. Do Reception children get picked up and dropped off in the playground so that you rarely see inside the classroom?

Yes or No

1. Does your school allow parent helpers/volunteers of any description in classes or on trips?

Yes or No

2. If you dropped off a 4 year old mid-morning after a hospital appointment, would you be able to walk them to their classroom, if the child wanted you to?
Yes or No

3. If you wrote a letter or emailed the Head about what you felt was an important issue, would you expect some sort of reply, even if it was just 'We got your letter, thank you blah de blah'
Yes or No

I'd be interested to see what happens else where. Thank you.

[ScummyMummy]

1 yes
2 yes
3 yes
4 yes

[TotalChaos]

1. We take them into and out of the classroom foyer so see inside every day.

2. Not sure.

3. No, the secretary walks them.

4. Not happened would expect an acknowledgment as matter of courtesy.

[stirfry]

1- yes
2- yes
3- no
4- yes

[brokenrecord]

1. Yes

2. Yes but you might not know it.
3. No - they would discourage you from disturbing the lesson.
4. Yes, probably but our head is very techie and prefers email to phone calls or personal visits.

HTH

I've renumbered them I've realised, assuming that your second 1 is a 2 IYSWIM

[frogs]

DD2 in Reception.

1. Yes

2. Yes
3. No, unless the child was massively upset.
4. Yes

[plus3]

1. Yes, at the beginning, but now are encouraged to let the children go in on their own (from the playground)
   2)Yes
   3)yes
   4)yes

[cory]

Yes, after the first few weeks. Helps the class to settle down and teaches the children independence.

Yes.

No, probably not. They'd be taken in by a member of staff.

Yes, I would.

[cory]

Our school did have problems with parents who refused to let the teacher take the children into the classroom but insisted on staying to help them take their coats off etc. This made it difficult for other small children to cope in the crush of adults round the classroom door.

[mankyscotslass]

1. yes, after first week. They now line up and go in with teacher.

2. Yes

3. No, the receptionist takes them.

4.yes

[cory]

I think the MN verdict would have to be that your school is entirely normal, gladbags.

Except that the Head clearly slipped up about your message. But those things can happen. They're only human.

[gladbag]

Thank you so much - fast responses.

That has really helped - so the going in with the teacher, and being walked down by the secretary is perfectly normal. That's good to know.

But not allowing any parent volunteers is unusual, and not getting a reply to a letter is as well. I shall focus my indignation on those issues then (or maybe just let it all drop and focus my energies on something else).... thank you!

[compo]

1. No we take ours into the classroom in the morning and in the pm they are released one by one from the classroom

2. yes

3. yes

4. yes

[KatieScarlett2833]

Yes
Occasionally
No
Yes

[freshprincess]

1. yes

2. I think ours is PTA mums but I don't get involved so not sure
3. not happened but wouldn't think it unusual
4. not happened, but would expect a reply as a matter of courtesy.

[cory]

As for the volunteers, schools do expect them to be CRB checked these days though.

[wannaBe]

1. yes.

2. Yes but they all have to be crb checked.
3. No.
4. I would expect an acknowledgement, but having said that I know how many emails our head receives on a daily basis and she would spend her time acknowledging if she acknowledged them all.

[robinpud]

1. No- drop of at classroom door

1 Yes- CRB checked though wherever possible
3 YEs
4YES. Our Head would phone you on receipt and invite you in asap.

[Posey]

1. No

2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes

[coppertop]

1. No. We take them into the classroom in the mornings.

2. They usually have their own helpers for trips. Some parents have helped out in classes but usually they would need a CRB check.

3. No. The parent drops them off at the main entrance. A Reception child would be taken to their classroom by a member of staff.

4. Yes.

[smugmumofboys]

1. Yes

2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes

[luckylady74]

1Yes
2No
3Yes
4Yes

[luckylady74]

2 parent helpers were stopped at our school - on the grape vine this was said to be because some helpers were shharing information about the children - officially it was because they had lots of trainee ta and stuff so didn't need any.

[dilbertina]

no
yes
yes
yes

[nooka]

Yes, but the classroom opens onto the playground so you can see in if you want to
Yes, in general, but not sure about reception (they don't do trips yet)
Probably, but in general they get picked up from reception or walked to the classroom by the administrator
I've not written to the Headmaster, but would expect a response if I did

[dilbertina]

We get asked to help with various things...if helping reading in classroom etc CRB check is needed. But for things like "welly walks" or walking up to church for harvest festival etc they just want extra adults and just try to rope a few in no CRB check done, all is closely supervised anyway it's just a matter of more hands to prevent leaps in front of cars, into huge puddles etc.