Have you ever written to or contacted Head Teacher of secondary school?

[roisin]

If so, how old are your children and how often have you contacted them?

I generally start with a phone call to the form tutor or Head of Year and they sort it. Do you need the Head?

I'm a governor and see the HT a lot but have never spoken to her directly about their issues. They are 16 and 14.

I have had one major issue which I dealt with via tutor and a Deputy.

HTs are more like executive officers nowadays and it is are there isn't someone else tasked to deal with matters but, despite that, most heads are very encouraging of involved parents. So, if you feel it needs to go to the HT then do so as you will be redirected if that's more appropriate.

Yes. A couple of times I've sent him an email. Usually deal with the relevant deputy or head of year though. The Head holds a monthly drop in clinic, I've never been but friends have.

Monthly drop in clinic sounds like a great idea. I wish we had that.

The boys are 13 and 15. In first 3 yrs I wrote 2 or 3 praise/thank you letters to whole staff via HT, with chocs! New HT came 2 yrs ago, seems very unpopular and has made a string of - IMO - bad decisions. And yes, they are definitely her decisions and the communication needs to be with her.

In the past year I have written to her twice about particular issues; without any positive outcome in either case. But I feel she needs to know how strongly people disagree with her. I assume she is aware of the feelings of staff and students, but there is no obvious route for communication with parents.

I would go through the govenors.

When I think about it I have written, but that was just a 'thank you' after they left.

Depends on the size of the school. Parents who march in demanding to see our Head are given short shrift and make do with someone else. Parents who ring and request an appointment get one.

Given your situation, I would say write to Chair of Governors - or write to HT and cc Chair.

If I have had a problem I have contacted the teacher involved, the form tutor or the head of year or house. I once did contact the associate head (2nd in command) but that was about a very serious and urgent matter.

I did have occasion to instigate the formal complaint procedure which was dealt with by a deputy head (they have 4).

I have written to Heads but thank you type letters.

definitely go via the governors

Governors for your problem, as described. Look at complaints policy. Ours is on the website.

By the way, I think the new Ofsted framework looks for some sort of Parent Forum, or at least a system which involves parents in direct feedback. That would be worth enquiring about when you think the time is right, as it sounds like there is nothing at all like that available to you currently (even in a different format).

I have, but not about problems.
We too have a group where parents meet with a member of the SMT 2 or 3 times a term - if you can't make the group you are encouraged to e-mail in queries / complaints / suggestions / moans, and the parents that do attend are often used as a sounding board for general school issues (obviously not issues with individual pupils). HT sometimes pops hi head round the door an thanks us for coming in and supporting the school in this way, but very much has an open door policy if you needed to see him about things.

OTOH, as my dd's school, HT does not welcome parents opinions (lets start with it becoming an academy.....). I've not had a direct problem I need to talk to her about (I've had reason to contact a couple of individual departments on different occasions), but I@d heard very negative comments from people who have had reason to.

Have written to the HT via e-mail before we started at the secondary school about a discipline issue, and this was dealt with swiftly. Any issues relating to children are dealt with through form tutor and/or head of year. We don't have a drop in clinic, but a member of the school management ALWAYS attends the PTA meetings to talk about one specific issue and is open to discussing any other topics which may arise.

DD is Y9, have had personal contact once, as a result of questions I asked at the parents meetings about their Academy conversion and SEN provision, as the SEN provision (and the G&T provision) is excellent there, and I was looking for reassurance that the level of SEN help would not drop on conversion, and how they would deal with complaints bearing in mind the DfE's current 'lead time' on complaints of that nature.

I didn't get a satisfactory answer.

Why not join the Governing Body? You then get to know what is happening.

Dd1s head is v approachable and is often wandering round talking to students( even still teaches)

Roisin I've heard things from staff at your DS school which haven't been that positive.

Roisin - just realised I've name changed & you probably don't recognise me. Think Hay-on-Wye/Stratford!

Go with the governors route. I'm an ex chair of Govs of a junior school & was surprised how often parents didn't use this route but instead moaned in the playground. Not saying this is your situation OP, but do feel governors will be able to help. Check out the school's complaints procedure.

Dd's school has a head's clinic once a month, have used it once and got a v speedy resolution to something the HOY had been dithering about.

Hi HaitchJay! Will pm you!