Non-reply to email

[DorothyL]

Now before you ask - I am a teacher myself and understand that teachers are busy.
But just in general - if you didn't receive a reply, what would you do? Write again, how soon? Go higher up? Leave it?

When did you email?

I never get answers to my infrequent emails to DD's school. I send again two or three days later and cc the Head's PA and the receptionist, that usually works.

2 days ago

I'd give it a couple more - 2 isn't a longtime to wait for a teacher.

give it a while longer... I think two days is too short a time to expect an answer. ( I think our guidance is two weeks) but I do think you should have had an aknowledgement

At DD's school teachers are meant to reply within 48 hours. They normally do if it is 'urgent' but sometimes take longer, especially if they need to go back and look at books or something.
Unless urgent I'd give it until the end of the week maybe?

Manners would suggest you should have at least been sent an acknowledgement by now. It doesn't take long to write to say 'Thanks, will get back to you'.

Maybe give it a couple more days then follow up on Friday if you still haven't heard.

I have just got home from school after year 6 open evening and spent last night marking yr13 coursework - 2 days is not that long unless it was urgent

I would wait a working week and then contact them again.
I am still waiting for a response to an email I sent 2 weeks ago and the only comment I get from the receptionist is that she did pass email on (we have to email the office) and I'm making her feel like a liar with my constant (twice) badgering.

DS's school say 5 days to respond. Or in reality, 5 days before I ring up and complain that they haven't responded to my email within 5 days. Somehow a lot of my emails get "overlooked".

I'm a teacher and always try to reply within 24hours. However, I'm also part time but check my emails daily. Some part timers might not so I would hang on a couple of days. Staff might also be ill and unable to check.

Whether business or private, I wait a week before chasing up an email.

As for emails to teachers, I've found most reply within a day or two, I wouldn't expect any quicker.

If I don't get a reply to my chaser within a week, i.e. 2 weeks after the original email, then I send copies to HOD which usually does the trick. But it's only happened twice.

3-4 days is reasonable, depending on the issue.

We have a school policy of replying to emails within 48 hours.

I have told my form parents that I will reply same day or early next day (although stressed the school policy). If they leave me a voice mail, I will get back to them within four hours, even if it is only a holding email.

If emotions are high, it's a good idea not to reply instantly but to allow a cooling off period - so no immediate contact.

If the teacher needs to gather information from other people, then a holding email is appropriate.

If it's something relatively routine, I'd get my child to ask if they got the email. If child didn't need to know about it, id chase after a week. But it's really unusual not to get a reply within a couple of days at our school.