Year 7 Parents Evening - Unavailable slots for core subjects

[User32243535]

Sorry, but this might turn into a bit of a rant.

DC (Y7) attends what is meant to be a well respected grammar school. But at the moment, I am struggling to comprehend how they have developed such a lousy system for arranging parents evening appointments.

DC is our eldest child so we were not acquainted with this system before and didn't see it coming. Basically, we received a report and then according to the report, we were advised (via dc taking a sheet around to their teachers and booking a time slot) to arrange a meeting with the necessary teachers.

DC is a scatter brain and this hasn't helped with making the arrangements but on eventually contacting their teachers for Maths and English. dc was informed that there were no available slots left. Sorry, but Maths and English are core subjects and we care about our dc's education, I am fuming that we are not able to discuss these subjects with the relevant teachers (parents evening is held on just one evening).

DC doesn't have huge difficulties in these areas but reading the report there are one or two areas for improvement and I think it is important to discuss these two subjects in particular.

Anyone else experienced similar? The system of arranging slots on a piece of paper seems outdated from the outset. I e-mailed the head teacher regarding my concerns about dc not securing appointments a few days ago and I haven't received a response and I'm not able to discuss with anyone as the school office is now closed (dc has just informed me of the situation, which I believed would be resolved today.) Quite frankly not impressed with the schools communication either right now in regard to replying to my e-mail. Grrrrh...just so frustrated!

Wow you know the exact organisation of every school in the country,I'm impressed.

As I said going by the other thread there is a huge range and some do. One of my dc's do too. Can I finish with a rather patronising passive aggressive capice too?

And vice versa Cauli.

Toomanytealights
And yet you've still not outlined to me what they may have cut to offer additional parents' evenings, nor have you given any contextual information about the nature of schools which manage to have a guaranteed spot system.

I have already told you that in a previous school of 450-500 pupils with no staff doubled up core subjects staff could see everyone but that's simply not possible in my current school which is 9/10 form entry.

I am not assuming people who would like a 5 slot are in the minority. What I am saying is that most parents are entirely reasonable individuals who understand there's no such thing as a perfect system and so they'd call up and say'Hi teacher, we didn't get to see you. Any chance of an update' and then the teacher (who also knows it's not perfect) says 'sure well... here's your update'.

What most reasonable people don't do is suggest that teachers drop voluntary activities outside of directed time or cancel enrichment days (which wouldn't work anyway because if the pupils weren't on enrichment then they'd be in normal lessosn) or cancel trips (again additional hours are not directed time) because some people think they should have a 5 min face to face with teacher. Most reasonable people (parents abd teachers) make the most of the system and don't mope about how not getting a 5 min slot once a year is somehow a sign that schools don't wabt partnership, nor do reasonable people selectivly take educational meta-analysis and present it as 'leading research says parents' evenings are proven to be important'

@Toomanytealights I didn't say every school in the country, I said any school I knew of 'of my ken' 😕
Another misquote....

noble. I wish we had been in your school. There weren't even enough slots for priority slots at one school's parents' evening. I was told to email a core subject teacher. No reply. It's a school not keen on email contact (or possibly any contact) unless your child behaves badly, then they'll contact you very quickly. Communication didn't seem to be a problem when they needed extra cash.

Astronotus
That sounds to me like a school that's simply crap at communucation on multiple levels.
I do get why some limiting/guidelines in direct contact might be appropriate (r.g. one school i worked in didn't have guidelines and the culture was 'child emails ypu 10pm thr day before homework is due saying they are stuck' you don't reply so mum emails the next morning saying theur child couldn't do their homework because the teacher had failed to provide support. What's worse is there were quite a few staff who would have the app set to their phones and would reply. SLT were like chocolate teapots on this and just said it's up to individual staff ti decide what contact they want and the timeframe of their choice)
My current school suggests 2 working days for a reply to email and if anyone calls reception take a name, message and preferable call back times (within reason). It works well and anyone who is totally unreasonable gets bumped to SLT and they tell them in no uncertain terms that they will not be given the time of day unless they are polite and reasonable.

DC (Y7) attends what is meant to be a well respected grammar school. But at the moment, I am struggling to comprehend how they have developed such a lousy system for arranging parents evening appointments
Why would they be more likely to have developed a good system for arranging parents' eve in a well respected grammar school than in another type of school?