View Full Version : Mad at primary school! Advice needed!
I have 3 children i drop off and collect from a local primary school, one is every day 2 are at least twice a week. On Mon, i was collecting one child, an older one at to return at 4 to collect one in after school club. Only by chance as i walked by the one in after school's club's classroom did i discover the after school club was cancelled and all the parents had been texted. Obv the message had not got to me and i was shocked and angry to nearly leave a child uncollected!
Mum has recently had probs with her mob and has just got a new one with new number so hadn't been texted and had no idea either. Today i asked in the office to go on the text list to reduce this happening again to be told......."You're not priority enough!" Apparently they only text one person, a parent unless the parent gives alternative number! Obv i don't want to replace Mum, i would like to be added to the list. Mum agrees i should be informed of things like this but the school are saying basically i don't need to know!
I do regularly check the child's bag for letters and make notes of any upcoming important dates if only to gently remind Mum.
It's annoying especially as we are supposed to "consult with other agencies" yet other agencies don't value us enough to consult with us in return.
What can i do? :angry:
sarah707
02-03-2011, 09:36 PM
I would challenge it with the secretary in writing... take it to the head verbally first and then in writing... go to the governors if necessary... threaten them with Ofsted as a last resort!
At the end of the day their duty of care is to the child - and the child needs to be collected if not by parents then by you!!
Good luck :D
school put me on not in replace of mum but as well as mum. and i now get the school newsletter emailed to me... mum wrote a letter asking for me to be txt so you could have a word and ask mum to ask school...
Pipsqueak
02-03-2011, 09:38 PM
The onus really is on parent to ensure that you are up to date with developments and information.
I can see the schools point, its costs them money (out of their budget) to send xx amount of texts to parents let alone adding carers.
It would NOT have been your fault in the circumstances you describe.
Perhaps the parent could request that on these days - if club is not on then they phone you?
I must admit though, that my primary know who I childmind and will contact me. They have even contacted me for an ex-mindee when they couldn't get hold of parents.
I think perhaps, put it in writing, along with parent and request from the school that this needs to be addressed.
I can see cost being an issue. You know "We can't add 2 parents, Grandma and a childminder for every child!" But in this instance i am the one who drops off and picks up twice a day every day. I'm asking for consideration and to make the child's safety and happiness the priority! Grrrrr i am soooo mad! Thanks for the advice so far. I will try everything. :)
The Juggler
02-03-2011, 09:53 PM
i think if you are a carer who collects and drops regularly they should def. have your number - that is appalling. threaten them with the board of govs:thumbsup:
I have recurring nightmares that i have forgotten a child as it is! The fact it nearly happened has got me so angry! :eek:
mushpea
03-03-2011, 06:59 AM
I had this with our primary school,, they wont contact me or put me on the txt list if its not my child, they werent to impressed when i said 'well thats ok then but dont expect me to collect a child promptly when a club is canclled as I have to get 5 or 6 children back out the door and down to you'
I can see the cost issue but its a waste of money txting the parent when its me who collects.
Our school won't add me but luckily all of my mindees go to the same school so if one mum hasn't had the text then one of the others will have done.
One of my mums though even offered to pay school for each text as she was so worried that I may not know if school was closing, they still said no though
candylove13
03-03-2011, 07:18 AM
The primary school I pick up from will send me a text on some occassions and not others? Surely I need to know at all times, if mindees need pickig up.
I agree get Mom to write a letter and if no joy go to headmaster. I'm sure due to circumstances there is room to bend the rules :)
kindredspirits
03-03-2011, 08:22 AM
in this instance - mum didn't update her contact number with school and obviously hasn't given school your contact number - so the issue clearly lies with her. if the school won't contact you about clubs being closed and mum won't replace her number with yours (which if you collect/drop off 5 days a week would be the logical move - afterall i presume they don't text for emergencies like child being rushed to hospital) then you will just have to ask mum to keep you updated of all developments by forwarding the text to you.
T0ffee
03-03-2011, 09:37 AM
Regarding the cost issue of texting parents- you will find that schools send a group message free of charge and it is far more cost effective for schools. I therefore see no reason why the school can't text you. They are just being awkward as they have to amend their list.
You should surely have a fair reply and school secretaries can be a law unto themselves (jobsworth:laughing: )
Flisspaps
03-03-2011, 10:09 AM
If the school use CMIS then there is no reason why they cannot add you to the list of people to text - it's as simple as putting a tick in a box and saving it. It is also simple to have multiple people listed as 'priority 1' if that is the criteria they use to select who gets messages. The cost of texts using these sort of mass texting systems is minimal as well, it's points of a penny per text rather than the normal mobile phone text message rate.
If Mum writes them a quick note to tell them to add you to the list then there shouldn't be an issue - it's her decision as to whether or not you are priority enough. Alternatively she can request that a big note goes on the children's computer and physical files to say you will require a phone call to say that clubs etc are cancelled and mindees will need collecting early, which will take more effort on their part so they will probably then ask if you can be added to the text list :D
There will be plenty of children who have more than one person that texts go to - for example, separated parents who both want to be informed of anything at school.
Can you tell that this was all part of my old job ;)
Thanks everyone! :)
Have suggested to Mum that she writes to the school using the phrase "duty of care to my child". So fingers crossed!
Will keep you posted!
:thumbsup:
If the school use CMIS then there is no reason why they cannot add you to the list of people to text - it's as simple as putting a tick in a box and saving it. It is also simple to have multiple people listed as 'priority 1' if that is the criteria they use to select who gets messages. The cost of texts using these sort of mass texting systems is minimal as well, it's points of a penny per text rather than the normal mobile phone text message rate.
If Mum writes them a quick note to tell them to add you to the list then there shouldn't be an issue - it's her decision as to whether or not you are priority enough. Alternatively she can request that a big note goes on the children's computer and physical files to say you will require a phone call to say that clubs etc are cancelled and mindees will need collecting early, which will take more effort on their part so they will probably then ask if you can be added to the text list :D
There will be plenty of children who have more than one person that texts go to - for example, separated parents who both want to be informed of anything at school.
Can you tell that this was all part of my old job ;)
Thanks for this! So basically they have so real arguement. Just lazy! :mad:
georgie456
03-03-2011, 10:32 AM
Can you get mum to forward the texts to you? Our school also refuses to put cm's on the text list. Luckily my own child attends the school so if I get any texts I forward them to the other cm's that I work with.
Flisspaps
03-03-2011, 10:37 AM
See Georgina, I don't understand the school refusing to do that. If the parent requests it then essentially the school have no grounds to refuse.
Mum often forgets her mob :rolleyes:
shelly2012
03-03-2011, 10:42 AM
I agree with lots of you I think as we are responsible for the mindees we SHOULD be able to be on the list. Surley a school will have a deal to have free texts so id defo get mum to put it in writing, then go above the secretary and spk to the head. It is important to you, parents and child that you are informed x
The head is the most unapproachable head i have ever met! So am really hoping it doesn't need that!
It just REALLY made me mad to be told i'm "not priority enough!" :angry:
This child has 3 main carers in her life outside school inc me. And any break in the chain fails the child.
Mookins
03-03-2011, 12:43 PM
surely it cant cost much to send extra texts? you can get contracts phones for as little as £15 month with unlimited texts!!...how rediculous schools can be, if they spent more on the schools and less on meetings ( i used to work in a hotel and the local school would have theor meetings there!!) they could afford these extra texts ensuring safety of the children
PRIORTIES GOVENERS PLEASE:rolleyes:
XX
Flisspaps
03-03-2011, 01:01 PM
It costs points of a pence to send texts on these SMS systems Mookins, I used to be able to text the parents of about 700 children for around £40, so approx 0.05p PER text.
It is the parent's decision as to who the contacts are for the child, not the school's and I say that as someone who was responsible for student records, including contacts and texting, in a secondary school until last year. If the parent puts it in writing, there is NO good reason for the school to say no.
Can you get mum to forward the texts to you? Our school also refuses to put cm's on the text list. Luckily my own child attends the school so if I get any texts I forward them to the other cm's that I work with.
Mum doesn't always have her mob with her.
It costs points of a pence to send texts on these SMS systems Mookins, I used to be able to text the parents of about 700 children for around £40, so approx 0.05p PER text.
It is the parent's decision as to who the contacts are for the child, not the school's and I say that as someone who was responsible for student records, including contacts and texting, in a secondary school until last year. If the parent puts it in writing, there is NO good reason for the school to say no.
This is what i'm hoping! :thumbsup:
wendywu
03-03-2011, 02:00 PM
Cant see the problem , if the school will not tell you the club has been cancelled then you will pick up at the later time.
AND i would certainly make sure it was at the later time :laughing:
The prob is or would be.....a VERY distressed child :panic:
Update......
Mum called the school and put forward every arguement she could but still the school are saying their policy is one text per child. :angry:
However they did understand that the incident of child nearly not being collected shouldn't happen again and have PROMISED to call me should after school club be canx again. Good but not brilliant. :)
wendywu
04-03-2011, 05:12 PM
[
QUOTE=KimW;882751]The prob is or would be.....a VERY distressed child :panic:[/QUOTE]
But you cannot be all things to all men. If the school refuse to text you then it is them that are causing the child to get upset not you.
My schools phone and text me when clubs are cancelled. This school are cutting off their nose to spite their face. If they dont tell the person who is collecting the child then they will have to care for them until that person is located. :panic: