Email etiquette

[PersephonePitstop]

Had a meeting with DD's HOY on Friday about her lack of progress and she agreed to keep in touch with me by email.

I'd emailed her once before, out of hours, about her GCSE choices as it had to be answered soon and I leave for work very early. I felt bad when she answered immediately.

She emailed me on Satuday night about some homework DD hadn't done and whilst I passed on the message to DD straight away I feel uncomfortable answering her at the weekend but then not answering her feels rude too. I'm not sure what to do for the best.

I'm a public sector employee who used to be plagued by emails and texts by a previous manger whilst I was off duty and I don't want to encourage the HOY to be replying to me on a Sunday, she should be enjoying her weekend!

Teachings not like that. The teachers I know have to work part of their weekends to keep on top of the work load

Teachers are usually too busy teaching during the day to respond to emails so a lot of this is done after school.

When I'm working in the evening I have my email open and wouldn't think twice about responding to a parent straight away. It gets it out of the way.

She probably replied to your email because she was working anyway, so another email is hardly spoiling her weekend.

As long as you don't EXPECT her to reply at the weekend, if she emails you, it is fine to reply immediately. If she is working anyway it is probably easier to sort it out then - if not, then wait till Monday.

Thank you, I did reply.

I think it's because I've had so many years of my family time being interrupted, I'm reluctant to do it to anyone else.

I rarely get time during the day to respond to emails, so you're likely to get an email from me at about midnight. In my start of year information to parents I tell them they will get a response within two working days (it's usually the same day, but we say two working days because it used to be one, but some parents would email us at 5pm, we don't see it until late at night or the next morning, would need to discuss it with people during the day, then not get time to sit and respond until late the following evening).

Like teachers, many parents work, so I would expect to get emails from them in the evening or on a weekend when they can. I'll respond if I'm online and working anyway, otherwise just like all of my other emails, I'll respond when I am next working.

Although, I did have one parent come in and abuse me because an email went through to them at about 1am, which they didn't see until the next morning, and they came in and went off because apparently I should be emailing them during working hours so they can respond straight away lol.