That's a bold title right there, isn't it?!
I was quite tempted to title it "True Confessions of a Home Ed Virgin Aged 32 3/4", but was concerned I may get sued by Sue Townsend's people.
By that alternative title you'll gather what we decided to do regards Littlest and his lack of school, not to mention my lack of choice (eg-attendance at shit school or criminal record/massive fine/made out to be a crap mother) of what school he went to.
I got some lovely comments from you guys online, so thank you very much, and I did indeed find out who runs our local council.
Luckily, it was Labour, who are my preferred party anyway and who are clearly after any vote they can get (owing to politics in this country turning into a Democracy version of X Factor).
Bless them, I messaged their Facebook page on a Sunday, not thinking I'd hear for days, if at all. Give them their due, I received a messaged within an hour, saying they'd look into it and suggesting they were as baffled as me.
Down to them, suddenly the Reading Admissions team changed tack. Gone were the threats of court and the "get your kid to our choice or else" conversations. These were replaced with soothing words of consolation and understanding.
I told them though that, politely, he would not be taking a place at the school 9/10 parents we had spoken to would choose not to send their pet Guinea Pig, let alone their child, and had investigated educating him at home.
No arguments were forthcoming this time, thank the Lord.
So, with my trusty laptop (yet not trusty net connection- bloody TalkTalk, but that's another post to come soon), I researched Home Ed, the Nation Curriculum, our rights and responsibilities, and anything else I could think of.
The Net is great for newbie home educators, its a vast tank of knowledge waiting to be sourced, both for me as "Mum and Teacher" (as opposed to my usual tag of "Mum and Nurse, Doctor and Consultant") and for Littlest too. There are hundreds of websites with age and curriculum appropriate material on them for Year 2, and some of these are already known to Littlest as he used them at the old school last year.
Basically, we can set the pace and style, as long as knowledge gets in his noggin. And, unlike other kids, he doesn't have to share me as a teacher or his source material. If he is unwell, we can do quiet games. If its warm enough we can, as we did on Friday, go on a nature walk. He didn't even realise he was learning doing that.
It has been a bit scary at times- the first day was a nightmare of him being a cheeky sod and telling me I'm not his teacher, I'm Mummy so he can be a bugger as he's not at school. But all I did was fire up my net again and ask for advice from those in the know with Home Ed who suggested rather than sitting down and talking at him, to go and do practical number work with sums in the shops instead. He took far more in that way than he did with it on a page.
We have been playing Boggle and Junior Scrabble which are great fun ways to promote spelling and looking at words which will add up to the biggest score. We even made a full Box Trolls costume from old cardboard boxes- not something he would have done at school due to time and material constraints.
Its not going to all be easy, of course, but compared to what we have been through the last few months, its definitely less stress.
Feel free to say hi if you Home Ed too x :)
We're off to do art ourselves.
Showing posts with label Schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Schools. Show all posts
Monday, 29 September 2014
Monday, 22 September 2014
....But Then, It Got Even Worse
After the last post, I felt I should update a little.
Finally, after I wrote the post, I got a response from the Diocese about the fact they were, frankly, taking the piss.
You'll remember from the last post that I felt I'd been constantly misled over when our Appeal Pack had been sent. Well, I was right to feel that way. As, despite telling me for weeks, over and over again,that the paperwork was with those who needed it, they lied. They lied and lied time and again, as, actually, they didn't send it to the diocese until the 11th September.
I asked the woman I spoke to if she understood that the school had failed in its duty of care and had, deliberately I felt, misled me to think the Diocese was holding the appeal up. She told me, in a patronising way, that it was only a "minor issue" not worthy of concern!
Really!
For her maybe, but for us it was ridiculous. It was a major concern. And quite rightly so considering the amount of time that elapsed between handing the papers in and them receiving them was over 2 months.
Again, considering all schools appeals should be done and dusted within 30 school days, it was beyond a joke.
I told her that, seeing as they seemed to care little for protocol, I would be forced to seek Legal Advice to ensure Littlest's educational needs and rights were met.
After hearing more crap, and by this point losing the will to live, I put the phone down. I can't be bothered to hear people if they clearly have no interest in being fair, and frankly, at this point, it felt like the whole appeal was a farce and a foregone conclusion.
At this point, I knew we'd fail the appeal. It wasn't being run for Littlest's benefit, it wasn't being run for the benefit of these countless other displaced, educationless kids. It was being run for the school to get their own way, regardless of the consequences.
This was further reinforced when, after finishing the call at midday, I went to pick Mini up from school.
I went from being a part of a "gang" who had invited me out to have a drink later in the week, to being ignored. I sat alone. To be honest, this bothers me not a bit, I'd rather have mates who are true and want to be friends as they like you, not so they can morph you into singing the school's praises, and not being negative (like when I asked for advice about appeals and was told off and threatened with expulsion from the group).
As I sat there, one of the lying toad secretaries came out with a letter. Elder had asked to speak to the Head to ask why her staff had misled us over the appeal documents, but had not got a call back. So, when paper was shoved in my hand I thought it was to do with that. I didn't have my glasses on, so when she asked me to open it (despite it being addressed to both Elder and I) and sign a note to say I had received it, I declined. She kept on at me, but I firmly, but politely, told her I couldn't read it as I didn't have my specs!
It was, suddenly, a date for Friday to have the appeal, at the school.
So, after being told in the morning they couldn't hear it sooner, and wouldn't move it nearer, suddenly they could do both. I couldn't help thinking it was down to me saying I'd have to take legal advice.
It also said the Head couldn't contact Elder as she was in a meeting from 3.15. Funny that, it seemed the misleading continued as she was happily walking round the playground from 3pm until when I left at 3.30.
I checked all the information I could get online, and actually the Oxford Diocese is very up to date with its site, so could see the appeal guidelines in black and white. If we or any party wanted to submit anything else it had to be done before the appeal, not during it. Any new information submitted would render the appeal adjourned.So, we updated our now two month old information, and waited.
On Friday, we went to the school. I had contacted Reading and Wokingham Councils to ask for advice. I was again told by Reading a place "may" be available for Littlest at the school in our catchment, the only one that is and one which I have heard horror story after horror story about. I didn't leave Kent to find a decent way of life and schooling to end up in the kind of school I'd moved to avoid. So, again, I declined. You'd think as a parent that would be that. Apparently not.
I felt less than confident, to be honest. Elder wasn't allowed in with me, as we had to bring Littlest. How they expected us not to when he has no school I will never know.
The school Head argued that, despite it being fine for places now, from next year it wouldn't be OK. Despite most schools taking in up to 90 pupils for each year group, this school takes 70, under "duress".
Sorry, but that's ridiculous. We live in a country bursting at the seams, everyone needs to do their bit to get bums on seats. But not this school.
They kept arguing a lack of space and how lunch times are a nightmare. They have to eat pack lunches in their classroom (what a shocker. I had to do this at both primary and secondary. So did Elder. And he left school in 1985). They have a field at the back of the school with a gate to it, but this is the councils (who lets them use it when they like). They have to use the church hall for certain things. The church hall that is literally a 1 minute walk from the school.
They made no mention of the waste of space swimming pool they have sitting there, costing money. Not many normal schools have one, and they manage it. There is several Leisure Centres in Reading, in fact, there's one a 5 minute coach trip away- far nearer than at their previous school. Where they swam in winter, for the record.
They didn't mention the wasted money on iPads. These things are a false economy in schools, they require costly apps, and they break easily.
Was I allowed to say this though? No.
When I did get the chance to ask questions, one I asked was why they moan so much about the free school meals initiative for lower school. After all, they were warned about it in advance, and every other school has to deal with it. But it was seen as asking a question relative to Littlest, as I said, surely, they could give parent's the option of taking children home for lunch, as I would happily do with Littlest. So they didn't answer it.
It was at this point that the Head- who isn't, apparently just Head at this school but at several others (no idea how that works, in fact, it clearly explains the lack of admin skills of the secretaries)- came out and said she had new information.
Now, it states very clearly all parties must see all evidence before the appeal. We hadn't seen this new information (I still haven't), and nor had the Chair or other two people on the committee. Nor had the clark. It was just waved in the air by the Head, and she read it in a way to discredit me.
Did they adjourn as per the appeal rules? No they didn't.
She stated as fact that she spoke to the admin at our old school who was surprised Littlest wasn't at school in September. I had told them, and they'd agreed, that there was no way we could carry on from September. She also stated that I had declined a definite place from July at the pit school I didn't want him to go to. She grinned when she did it and was allowed to make me out to be a liar.
It was basically game over from there- I had known it anyway from the phone call with the Diocese who seemed to not care for rules or Littlest. But this, and the lack of adjournment, sealed it for me.
We phoned our old school, and they denied saying anything that made out they expected him in school, so she lied. No wonder she didn't hand it in.
I got to make my case. I spoke about how much Littlest has gone through. How when he and Mini are at school together, when things do go wrong with him medically, she keeps calmer than adults do- she's been brought up around his health needs. How we didn't plan on moving at short notice, and had looked and looked for affordable property in Maidenhead. But I knew it fell on deaf ears. They questioned me about the crap school in our catchment and I said, yes, I had told Reading that wasn't the school for Littlest. I told them that Reading had never seen any of Littlest's medical evidence and have never asked to. I told them that when I contacted the school, before we moved as I was trying to find places for them, they had had a sharp intake of breath and said someone would call me back when I mentioned Littlest's health needs. No one ever contacted me back. It would be a logistical nightmare to get two children to two different schools every day twice a day. It was alright to assume you can drop them on the side of a busy road, but you physically have to walk them in, wait for them to line up, and then, hope the teacher doesn't need to speak to you. And what if one has an assembly, a school trip, sports day? What if Littlest is ill? What if its raining? The damp is a bad thing for him. No way will it work.
Oh and to make matters worse, when I said one would have to be late to school and come home early, the Head narrowed her eyes and told me she would not allow this to happen, that the Welfare Education authority would be informed. So, she'd create a problem and then grass me up to make matters worse. What a bitch!
I knew we'd lost. I knew.
I tried my best, tried to show Littlest is a special case. They didn't even conduct the appeal as if he has any special needs.
I was informed that a decision would take 5 days, but the Clark was very sure I'd hear sooner.
Well, she would be, considering it took just an hour to email me a fully typed three page document. I can't prove it but it was pretty clear it was already written and waiting. They fobbed us off.
Now, I'm told I do have a choice to not send him to the crap school, but if I make this choice, I will be sent to court and tried as a criminal, with people too lazy or non caring to send their child to school.
What type of choice is that?
The Head even suggested we moved again in the appeal! The only thing other than that was to pay handsomely for Breakfast and Afterschool club for Mini, for what will amount to 20 minutes. They wont pay for this though, I have to, at around £100 a week. All because they refuse to see Littlest has needs and should be with someone who, rightly or wrongly, has become a comforting caring when he becomes unwell at school.
So, readers, what do we do next? I am stumped. I feel like my entire right to make decisions for my son have been revoked. I feel let down by a closed off, secretive system where rules are broken and nothing is done if it is in the interests of their diocese member. I fear that phonecalls and threats from outsiders who know nothing about us, or my son, are sure to come thick and fast. I don't even want Mini to be at our chosen school now, as clearly my card is marked. I dared question the precious church and precious head. I have been removed from the Facebook Group for trying to sell my ticket to a dance they having for families next week- sorry but I dont fancy it.
Its cult like.
And in the middle of all this is a child still sitting, with no work and nothing to do all day but wait for a resolution.
I have contacted our local Labour party, but I don't see what else I can do- even if I do try and take it to the Ombudsmen, it is still to do with the church,
And that, that is the crux. You must not question the church. Or face the consequences.
Finally, after I wrote the post, I got a response from the Diocese about the fact they were, frankly, taking the piss.
You'll remember from the last post that I felt I'd been constantly misled over when our Appeal Pack had been sent. Well, I was right to feel that way. As, despite telling me for weeks, over and over again,that the paperwork was with those who needed it, they lied. They lied and lied time and again, as, actually, they didn't send it to the diocese until the 11th September.
I asked the woman I spoke to if she understood that the school had failed in its duty of care and had, deliberately I felt, misled me to think the Diocese was holding the appeal up. She told me, in a patronising way, that it was only a "minor issue" not worthy of concern!
Really!
For her maybe, but for us it was ridiculous. It was a major concern. And quite rightly so considering the amount of time that elapsed between handing the papers in and them receiving them was over 2 months.
Again, considering all schools appeals should be done and dusted within 30 school days, it was beyond a joke.
I told her that, seeing as they seemed to care little for protocol, I would be forced to seek Legal Advice to ensure Littlest's educational needs and rights were met.
After hearing more crap, and by this point losing the will to live, I put the phone down. I can't be bothered to hear people if they clearly have no interest in being fair, and frankly, at this point, it felt like the whole appeal was a farce and a foregone conclusion.
At this point, I knew we'd fail the appeal. It wasn't being run for Littlest's benefit, it wasn't being run for the benefit of these countless other displaced, educationless kids. It was being run for the school to get their own way, regardless of the consequences.
This was further reinforced when, after finishing the call at midday, I went to pick Mini up from school.
I went from being a part of a "gang" who had invited me out to have a drink later in the week, to being ignored. I sat alone. To be honest, this bothers me not a bit, I'd rather have mates who are true and want to be friends as they like you, not so they can morph you into singing the school's praises, and not being negative (like when I asked for advice about appeals and was told off and threatened with expulsion from the group).
As I sat there, one of the lying toad secretaries came out with a letter. Elder had asked to speak to the Head to ask why her staff had misled us over the appeal documents, but had not got a call back. So, when paper was shoved in my hand I thought it was to do with that. I didn't have my glasses on, so when she asked me to open it (despite it being addressed to both Elder and I) and sign a note to say I had received it, I declined. She kept on at me, but I firmly, but politely, told her I couldn't read it as I didn't have my specs!
It was, suddenly, a date for Friday to have the appeal, at the school.
So, after being told in the morning they couldn't hear it sooner, and wouldn't move it nearer, suddenly they could do both. I couldn't help thinking it was down to me saying I'd have to take legal advice.
It also said the Head couldn't contact Elder as she was in a meeting from 3.15. Funny that, it seemed the misleading continued as she was happily walking round the playground from 3pm until when I left at 3.30.
I checked all the information I could get online, and actually the Oxford Diocese is very up to date with its site, so could see the appeal guidelines in black and white. If we or any party wanted to submit anything else it had to be done before the appeal, not during it. Any new information submitted would render the appeal adjourned.So, we updated our now two month old information, and waited.
On Friday, we went to the school. I had contacted Reading and Wokingham Councils to ask for advice. I was again told by Reading a place "may" be available for Littlest at the school in our catchment, the only one that is and one which I have heard horror story after horror story about. I didn't leave Kent to find a decent way of life and schooling to end up in the kind of school I'd moved to avoid. So, again, I declined. You'd think as a parent that would be that. Apparently not.
I felt less than confident, to be honest. Elder wasn't allowed in with me, as we had to bring Littlest. How they expected us not to when he has no school I will never know.
The school Head argued that, despite it being fine for places now, from next year it wouldn't be OK. Despite most schools taking in up to 90 pupils for each year group, this school takes 70, under "duress".
Sorry, but that's ridiculous. We live in a country bursting at the seams, everyone needs to do their bit to get bums on seats. But not this school.
They kept arguing a lack of space and how lunch times are a nightmare. They have to eat pack lunches in their classroom (what a shocker. I had to do this at both primary and secondary. So did Elder. And he left school in 1985). They have a field at the back of the school with a gate to it, but this is the councils (who lets them use it when they like). They have to use the church hall for certain things. The church hall that is literally a 1 minute walk from the school.
They made no mention of the waste of space swimming pool they have sitting there, costing money. Not many normal schools have one, and they manage it. There is several Leisure Centres in Reading, in fact, there's one a 5 minute coach trip away- far nearer than at their previous school. Where they swam in winter, for the record.
They didn't mention the wasted money on iPads. These things are a false economy in schools, they require costly apps, and they break easily.
Was I allowed to say this though? No.
When I did get the chance to ask questions, one I asked was why they moan so much about the free school meals initiative for lower school. After all, they were warned about it in advance, and every other school has to deal with it. But it was seen as asking a question relative to Littlest, as I said, surely, they could give parent's the option of taking children home for lunch, as I would happily do with Littlest. So they didn't answer it.
It was at this point that the Head- who isn't, apparently just Head at this school but at several others (no idea how that works, in fact, it clearly explains the lack of admin skills of the secretaries)- came out and said she had new information.
Now, it states very clearly all parties must see all evidence before the appeal. We hadn't seen this new information (I still haven't), and nor had the Chair or other two people on the committee. Nor had the clark. It was just waved in the air by the Head, and she read it in a way to discredit me.
Did they adjourn as per the appeal rules? No they didn't.
She stated as fact that she spoke to the admin at our old school who was surprised Littlest wasn't at school in September. I had told them, and they'd agreed, that there was no way we could carry on from September. She also stated that I had declined a definite place from July at the pit school I didn't want him to go to. She grinned when she did it and was allowed to make me out to be a liar.
It was basically game over from there- I had known it anyway from the phone call with the Diocese who seemed to not care for rules or Littlest. But this, and the lack of adjournment, sealed it for me.
We phoned our old school, and they denied saying anything that made out they expected him in school, so she lied. No wonder she didn't hand it in.
I got to make my case. I spoke about how much Littlest has gone through. How when he and Mini are at school together, when things do go wrong with him medically, she keeps calmer than adults do- she's been brought up around his health needs. How we didn't plan on moving at short notice, and had looked and looked for affordable property in Maidenhead. But I knew it fell on deaf ears. They questioned me about the crap school in our catchment and I said, yes, I had told Reading that wasn't the school for Littlest. I told them that Reading had never seen any of Littlest's medical evidence and have never asked to. I told them that when I contacted the school, before we moved as I was trying to find places for them, they had had a sharp intake of breath and said someone would call me back when I mentioned Littlest's health needs. No one ever contacted me back. It would be a logistical nightmare to get two children to two different schools every day twice a day. It was alright to assume you can drop them on the side of a busy road, but you physically have to walk them in, wait for them to line up, and then, hope the teacher doesn't need to speak to you. And what if one has an assembly, a school trip, sports day? What if Littlest is ill? What if its raining? The damp is a bad thing for him. No way will it work.
Oh and to make matters worse, when I said one would have to be late to school and come home early, the Head narrowed her eyes and told me she would not allow this to happen, that the Welfare Education authority would be informed. So, she'd create a problem and then grass me up to make matters worse. What a bitch!
I knew we'd lost. I knew.
I tried my best, tried to show Littlest is a special case. They didn't even conduct the appeal as if he has any special needs.
I was informed that a decision would take 5 days, but the Clark was very sure I'd hear sooner.
Well, she would be, considering it took just an hour to email me a fully typed three page document. I can't prove it but it was pretty clear it was already written and waiting. They fobbed us off.
Now, I'm told I do have a choice to not send him to the crap school, but if I make this choice, I will be sent to court and tried as a criminal, with people too lazy or non caring to send their child to school.
What type of choice is that?
The Head even suggested we moved again in the appeal! The only thing other than that was to pay handsomely for Breakfast and Afterschool club for Mini, for what will amount to 20 minutes. They wont pay for this though, I have to, at around £100 a week. All because they refuse to see Littlest has needs and should be with someone who, rightly or wrongly, has become a comforting caring when he becomes unwell at school.
So, readers, what do we do next? I am stumped. I feel like my entire right to make decisions for my son have been revoked. I feel let down by a closed off, secretive system where rules are broken and nothing is done if it is in the interests of their diocese member. I fear that phonecalls and threats from outsiders who know nothing about us, or my son, are sure to come thick and fast. I don't even want Mini to be at our chosen school now, as clearly my card is marked. I dared question the precious church and precious head. I have been removed from the Facebook Group for trying to sell my ticket to a dance they having for families next week- sorry but I dont fancy it.
Its cult like.
And in the middle of all this is a child still sitting, with no work and nothing to do all day but wait for a resolution.
I have contacted our local Labour party, but I don't see what else I can do- even if I do try and take it to the Ombudsmen, it is still to do with the church,
And that, that is the crux. You must not question the church. Or face the consequences.
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Is It Just Me: Or Has There Been a Serious Shift in Power Between Kids and Their Teachers?
Did anyone watch BBC One last night?
No, I'm not talking about Bake Off and the Baked Alaska scandal that swept Twitter last night with fury only Britain can manage over a baked good.
I'm talking about the show which followed it (when no doubt half the UK was bemoaning said Baked Alaska Sabotage).
It was a Panorama documentary called "Last Chance Academy" which centred on a school in a deprived area of Birmingham.
The kids of the small Pupil Referral style unit were, as the title suggests, on their last chance to get an education of any kind. I believe what the school and programme makers hoped to do was to make us all feel sorry for these kids and to anoint the staff with sainthoods.
Well, I watched it but I didn't feel sorry for the majority of them at all. I felt that this £6,000 per pupil was, in the most part, a gigantic waste of money.
I also felt sorry, in actual fact, for the kids in the school- the majority who turned up, in their uniform, on time, with their homework. You know, like you were meant to and like I should imagine the majority of you reading did in those days when you were at school.
I felt the Head of the "Leap" as it was called was being walked all over and came across as a bit of dick head. I can see most of the kids- as it was filmed- showing no respect at all for this so called maverick.
From pupils turning up when they could be bothered, to telling this Head that they wouldn't sit through 3 classes, they would only do two, while he rolled over to them, I was left completely shocked that the local authority let it be shown.
The thing is I may be slightly biased but I went to a school in a deprived area where we were not seen as having much hope beyond 16. I worked my arse off through little reprobates like those shown in the programme to get my grades. I did it with respect for my elders whether they were right or wrong.
See, when I was at school, that's how it went- you sat up straight, you said yes sir or no mam, you had respect and you did as you were told. The Teachers and the Heads ran things, not us. And no matter how many little buggers tried it on, they never got far further than detention. However, there was a newer breed of teacher who felt they needed to nurture these kids who couldn't be bothered to behave, meaning people like me faded into the background and were left to fend for ourselves. Hence, when I found it cripplingly hard to comprehend even basic maths, because I behaved and turned up on time without a bad attitude, no extra help or consideration was given.
Most of these kids talked over- if not shouted over- their teachers, You would not have dared in my day. Yet these teachers kept bending over backwards regardless.
Even though they supposedly had this extra help, all that money being spent, it was not until the end of her school life that it came out one child had a below par reading age. How the hell did they miss that? What are they being paid for?
I'm sorry, but it's time for Teachers (not all, as I know some great teachers who do a great job) to take back the power from these kids who show no respect yet get all the help and guidance in the world.
Or else I wouldn't like to be them when they find themselves in work having to bow down to a boss.
No, I'm not talking about Bake Off and the Baked Alaska scandal that swept Twitter last night with fury only Britain can manage over a baked good.
I'm talking about the show which followed it (when no doubt half the UK was bemoaning said Baked Alaska Sabotage).
It was a Panorama documentary called "Last Chance Academy" which centred on a school in a deprived area of Birmingham.
The kids of the small Pupil Referral style unit were, as the title suggests, on their last chance to get an education of any kind. I believe what the school and programme makers hoped to do was to make us all feel sorry for these kids and to anoint the staff with sainthoods.
Well, I watched it but I didn't feel sorry for the majority of them at all. I felt that this £6,000 per pupil was, in the most part, a gigantic waste of money.
I also felt sorry, in actual fact, for the kids in the school- the majority who turned up, in their uniform, on time, with their homework. You know, like you were meant to and like I should imagine the majority of you reading did in those days when you were at school.
I felt the Head of the "Leap" as it was called was being walked all over and came across as a bit of dick head. I can see most of the kids- as it was filmed- showing no respect at all for this so called maverick.
From pupils turning up when they could be bothered, to telling this Head that they wouldn't sit through 3 classes, they would only do two, while he rolled over to them, I was left completely shocked that the local authority let it be shown.
The thing is I may be slightly biased but I went to a school in a deprived area where we were not seen as having much hope beyond 16. I worked my arse off through little reprobates like those shown in the programme to get my grades. I did it with respect for my elders whether they were right or wrong.
See, when I was at school, that's how it went- you sat up straight, you said yes sir or no mam, you had respect and you did as you were told. The Teachers and the Heads ran things, not us. And no matter how many little buggers tried it on, they never got far further than detention. However, there was a newer breed of teacher who felt they needed to nurture these kids who couldn't be bothered to behave, meaning people like me faded into the background and were left to fend for ourselves. Hence, when I found it cripplingly hard to comprehend even basic maths, because I behaved and turned up on time without a bad attitude, no extra help or consideration was given.
Most of these kids talked over- if not shouted over- their teachers, You would not have dared in my day. Yet these teachers kept bending over backwards regardless.
Even though they supposedly had this extra help, all that money being spent, it was not until the end of her school life that it came out one child had a below par reading age. How the hell did they miss that? What are they being paid for?
I'm sorry, but it's time for Teachers (not all, as I know some great teachers who do a great job) to take back the power from these kids who show no respect yet get all the help and guidance in the world.
Or else I wouldn't like to be them when they find themselves in work having to bow down to a boss.
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Is It Just Me: Who Thinks School Attendance Nazi's Have Gone too Far?
School is important, that's a fact, and of course, missing days is a cause for concern.
These days, all schools expect pupils to achieve a yearly average of 95% attendance. Such is the importance of this number, that new laws came into force last year to say that all absences must be worthy of the amount of time off from studies they cause.
However, what constitutes an authorised, and acceptable reason to be off school?
As usual, whereas many schools exercise sense and will allow pupils lee way for special circumstances, others are just taking the piss.
Take this story in the Mirror of 11 year old Maddie Stevens, who was banned from her schools end of year Leavers Dinner due to not having the prized 100% attendance (bearing in mind the government's 95% rule).
Why did Maddie miss out? Did her parent's let her bunk off? Did they go on the much maligned and debated mid term holiday to cut costs?
No.
She went to her Mother's funeral. In fact, Maddie had only that day off despite losing her Mum, as she wanted to be as normal as possible and get on with life.
This isn't the first time a child or family have been demonised and held up as poor examples of parenting over a funeral or spending time with a dying loved one. In recent months stories have appeared in newspapers of parent's taken to court and given a criminal record and massive fines for taking time out for family who are dying or their funerals.
Yes, there needs to be less time off for frivolous reasons, but there also needs to be a line drawn under what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable absence.
The other issue is children like Littlest, who have lots of time off at different times of the year due to illness. We nearly incurred the wrath of the Education people in January. I had to justify why Littlest is absent a lot between October and April. To someone I had never met and who had seen Littlest on a list and had then decided to treat me like a criminal, demanding a meeting without even a nod to his illnesses at all.
Yes, I was angry, and frankly I felt like the school had let us all down as they have always been told and given letters from his consultants to prove what we say.
Even now, a letter came home last week suggesting the school is now looking through everyone's attendance ad should they decide a fine and court date will be winging its way in due course. No doubt that will be in my letterbox soon as there seems to be no full guidelines regards situations such as Littlest's.
At the moment, we travel 28 miles twice a day to get to school and back, but that will cut no slack.
I say stick to kids whose parent's can't be bothered to get them up and out and who value an easy life over their kids future. And don't even get me started on the double standards of Teacher strikes or those who disappear on holiday themselves.
To my mind, in a time when school's are having their budgets cut, these "any excuse to fine is valid" attitude of some authorities makes school fines the education version of the speed camera. Where does this money go? Why is there no legislation so every school has the same rules?
Yes, education is the foundations of the rest of the child's life. But please, before you bring in sweeping change, work out who really needs the swift kick up the arse of a fine and leave those like Maddie alone.
These days, all schools expect pupils to achieve a yearly average of 95% attendance. Such is the importance of this number, that new laws came into force last year to say that all absences must be worthy of the amount of time off from studies they cause.
However, what constitutes an authorised, and acceptable reason to be off school?
As usual, whereas many schools exercise sense and will allow pupils lee way for special circumstances, others are just taking the piss.
Take this story in the Mirror of 11 year old Maddie Stevens, who was banned from her schools end of year Leavers Dinner due to not having the prized 100% attendance (bearing in mind the government's 95% rule).
Why did Maddie miss out? Did her parent's let her bunk off? Did they go on the much maligned and debated mid term holiday to cut costs?
No.
She went to her Mother's funeral. In fact, Maddie had only that day off despite losing her Mum, as she wanted to be as normal as possible and get on with life.
This isn't the first time a child or family have been demonised and held up as poor examples of parenting over a funeral or spending time with a dying loved one. In recent months stories have appeared in newspapers of parent's taken to court and given a criminal record and massive fines for taking time out for family who are dying or their funerals.
Yes, there needs to be less time off for frivolous reasons, but there also needs to be a line drawn under what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable absence.
The other issue is children like Littlest, who have lots of time off at different times of the year due to illness. We nearly incurred the wrath of the Education people in January. I had to justify why Littlest is absent a lot between October and April. To someone I had never met and who had seen Littlest on a list and had then decided to treat me like a criminal, demanding a meeting without even a nod to his illnesses at all.
Yes, I was angry, and frankly I felt like the school had let us all down as they have always been told and given letters from his consultants to prove what we say.
Even now, a letter came home last week suggesting the school is now looking through everyone's attendance ad should they decide a fine and court date will be winging its way in due course. No doubt that will be in my letterbox soon as there seems to be no full guidelines regards situations such as Littlest's.
At the moment, we travel 28 miles twice a day to get to school and back, but that will cut no slack.
I say stick to kids whose parent's can't be bothered to get them up and out and who value an easy life over their kids future. And don't even get me started on the double standards of Teacher strikes or those who disappear on holiday themselves.
To my mind, in a time when school's are having their budgets cut, these "any excuse to fine is valid" attitude of some authorities makes school fines the education version of the speed camera. Where does this money go? Why is there no legislation so every school has the same rules?
Yes, education is the foundations of the rest of the child's life. But please, before you bring in sweeping change, work out who really needs the swift kick up the arse of a fine and leave those like Maddie alone.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Is It Just Me: Who Feels Schools Are Trying to Bankrupt Us All?
My fricking God people.
Can you remember the days when going to school meant learning about Annie Apple and Bouncy Ben, when it was Biff Chip and Kipper and a wonky old TV on wheels for wet breaks? The simpler times when an after school club or Lunchtime activity was run by a teacher with a tape recorder, and cost about 50p. The days when the most a parent would fork out per year aside from uniform was a fiver?
Me too.
Well, it would appear that those days are well and truly over my friends. Or they are if The Brat's school is anything to go by.
Can you remember the days when going to school meant learning about Annie Apple and Bouncy Ben, when it was Biff Chip and Kipper and a wonky old TV on wheels for wet breaks? The simpler times when an after school club or Lunchtime activity was run by a teacher with a tape recorder, and cost about 50p. The days when the most a parent would fork out per year aside from uniform was a fiver?
Me too.
Well, it would appear that those days are well and truly over my friends. Or they are if The Brat's school is anything to go by.
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