Things Have Changed A Lot Since My Girls Started School
By ellie333
@ellie333 (21016)
June 10, 2008 3:51pm CST
I went to a meeting this afternoon at the school where my son (4) is due to start in Spetember, wow things have certainly changed since my girls started (17,21) Next week I have to go for a literacy test, ME, and the week after a Numeracy one. This afternoon they spoke of the Governments new policy of 50/50 indoor/outdoor activity so now instead of school shoes trainers are acceptable as the Government are encouraging active play. Great it saves me £35 on a pair of Clarkes shoes, even though I don't like the idea of trainers all day long everyday either, oh and then then is a home visit too. The Headmaster actually sounded more like a polictician in his speech re funding etc and was very stern over absences out of holiday time in one breath and then in the other saying not to send them to school for 48 hours after they have been poorly. We must if giving a mobile number for contact have it switched on and charged at all times, to this one I put up my hand as the school had phoned me on mine as they couldn't get hold of a childs parent and thought I might know where they were, I did, at the dentist, you do not keep mobiles on there now do you. I hear what they are saying though but I really felt like I was back at school myself. I don't remember all this when my girls started. Is it me or has it changed that much, there is now a bullying policy, a behaviour policy. Can you remember when your child first started, did you have weeks of attendence to meetings prior too? Did you have home visit assesments? Ellie :D
4 people like this
12 responses
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Jun 08
Do my eyes deceive me Ellie. YOU have to go for the literacy test and numeracy test and not you son? Why? and a home visit? Are you sure that they aren't confusing themselves with a dog rehoming charity? What is this madness where the child's abilities are assessed those of his parent. Will they also check the contents of your fridge and fruit bowl? This sounds horribly like Big Brother to me. Where do they get the resources to do this? What happens if your literacy and numeracy is not up to the standard expected. It sounds to me that he School's bullying policy is to bully the parents of prospective students. This all sounds like bureaucratic nonsense. I am actually shuddering with the intimidation of it all. Thank heavens I no longer have t have anything to do with schools. As for trainers......... words fail me.
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Jun 08
You read the discussion correctly yes I am going for an hour on Tues 17th 2-3pm and Tues 24th 2-3pm and home visit is Monday 7th of July after this assesment I will then be told the name of which registration class my son will be attending. Oh I have so many questions now. When I took the girls to there primary school I looked round the classrooms was told which one they would be in and cried their first day and that was it. Also by law I learnt today that if your child has to take medication to school even if it agrees to give to them cannot be held responsible in anyway it is the parents responsibilty but if you keep your child off too many days because you don't trust the school to medicate you can now be sent to prison for not sending them. Crazy crazy crazy days. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
11 Jun 08
Ellie. I have slept on this overnight and am now angry for you. How can your ability to write or do arithmetic have any bearing on your son's Registration class. This sounds like ritual humiliation to me. Nothing to do with assessing the child. When I was a school governor over ten years ago we had to agree to schools not accepting responsibility for administering prescription medicines to children. I don't think that it has ever been tested in law, but I suspect that a teacher would not be able to escape private prosecution if it could be shown that they had overdosed or administered medicines wrongly. Sorry if I am overreacting, but I just see this as so invasive of your privacy. Do they want you to go to school everyday too? I'd be tempted to get every question wrong!
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
10 Jun 08
Sorry Ellie, I have had to come back and read your discussion again. It sounds so sinister. What if you don't make the grade, or are too "nice" or too "horrible". This sounds so 1984 it's beyond belief. I am totally shattered. This is a State Primary school you are describing isn't it? Not Eton? I shall have nightmares tonight. LOL.
2 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
11 Jun 08
Wow Ellie...Who is in school? You or your Son?
if i didn't know any better i would think you were being punished already..i know they are trying to protect but i don't feel right in places like this of someone questioning me and all my moves and what i know and don't.
I think i'd home school and plan play time and not put up with all of this..you have guts dear sis for all of this!
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
11 Jun 08
Oh Rosekitty, I just couldn't believe all this today I was aghast by it all and I think a lot of other parents were too. Whats with the home visits too eh! Crazy. His friends mum who is only young bless and it is her first child going to school looked completely bewildered by it. Her visit is at 10am and mine at 1.50 but we live across the road from each other so there planning isn't even logical as I would have made them close in time to each other no wonder they spend so much of the funding eh! I bet the 10.30 appointment is the other side of town silly people! I am gutsy but not to homeschool. It really isn't my forte at all and I would get too distracted. It would be all play rather than learning with me so he does need school. I am going to look at some others now to see how they run but it looks like it is government changes not the schools. 2 + 2 = 5 doesn't it LOL oh no I failed now what. The kat sat on the mat oh ooops its spelt with a c, failed there too, what is that all about??? Thanks for your input on this one. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
11 Jun 08
Morning Ellie!
You sure got me stunned and wonder who scheduled these appt. some local good ole boy from Texas..LOL...I can't believe across the street??? How long is this visit? Do they expect lunch??? LOL.. better bring a brown bag cause with all this mess I'd never feed them.
What a waste of logic..and I spell Kitty with a K why shouldn't you spell Kat with one..LOL
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
10 Jun 08
No, this is all new to me, my friend. My boys are a bit older than your girls even, and I certainly didn't have to go through all that, but I suppose in this day and age, the parents have more responsibility to their kids when they're in school, than the teachers. That's how much things have changed!
Brightest Blessings. xx
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Jun 08
It does certainly seem that way, or it did to me today. I was sat next to one of my sons friends mums in the meeting and she was just looking at me aghast and not really understanding much of what was being said. It is her first child going to school so it must be even more daunting for her. I will have a word with Jacobs nursery teacher tomorrow and ask exactly what it was all about. When my girls were small I used to look round the classroom meet the teacher and get given a start day, cry day one and away they would go off to school and have fun and play. Ellie :D
2 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
10 Jun 08
It's been too long for me to remember. So I don't really know if I had to attend meetings or not.....what I do remember is sitting in the car on the first day of school bawling my eyes out as they walked up the stairs and into the building without so much as turning to wave!
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Jun 08
Oh I did that too Jill and I probably will again too. In fact I am welling up now at the thought of my little man growing up and being at school all day. I will miss him more than he misses me I know that. Just can't believe I have to do all this before he goes. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
14 Jun 08
Why on earth do you have to go for a literacy and numeracy test, did they get mixed up and think that you are starting school?
Ours are not allowed to wear trainers of any description they still have to have shoes. I was phoned up and asked to go to a meeting to learn behaviour tactics for children but whether I go or not will depend how I feel on the day!
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
15 Jun 08
I haven't a clue why we have to this this but I will be marked absent on Tuesday as I'm going into Exeter with my girls. My eldest goes back to Surrey to move to Cambridge on Thursday and I want to spend as much time as possible with her before she goes. I think as the children will be going to visit their new class perhaps they thought it would be fun to test the parents too. I just think its ridiculous. Ellie :D
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
10 Jun 08
I'm in the USA, when we started school it was very informal. Parents didn't have all the crap us parents have today. We walked to school, checked out our classrooms and found our lockers, that was about it. Kids today are getting a street education before a formal one. I'm home school my kids so I don't have to deal with rules and regulations put forth by public education.
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
10 Jun 08
Yes that is exactly what it was like when I started school and my girls started school. Apparently I missed a meeting last week, naughty mummy, oops. Well done you for being able to homeschool I really don't think I would be able to do that but if it carries on like that here in UK more people might start considering it. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
12 Jun 08
Wow Ellie that is a big change I have to admit as no none of them rules applied when my 2 Started School (21/24) I suppose I agree with some of it but not with all like the Mobile Phone, like you say there are places that you have to switch it of
@ellie333 (21016)
•
12 Jun 08
It was just like me going back to school again rather than my son and just so so different to when the girls went. I suppose 21/24 it would have been similar for you when my girls started eh! I agree that children should be more active etc but some of this is a bit much. Thanks for sharing. Darkwing arrived safely bless and is having fun with Jacob my son at the moment LOL. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
11 Jun 08
Education is changing for everyone. My daughter starts kindergarten in August. She has been in the Early Education program here since she was born. She had her last home visit in May. I am sure my mom didn't have those with me or the siblings. But it sure does get parents involved.
@littleowl (7157)
•
13 Jun 08
Hi Ellie-that is disgusting all the rules and regulationd that are now put down by schools-and to give you a literacy and numeracy test is stupid I have never heard of anything like it-no wonder it feels as if you are going back to school I would too.
My daughter has that yet to come as her son starts in septembember too though she has been to the school with him but has never said anything like what you have to do-your friend littleowl
1 person likes this
@Linda4ualways (2282)
• United States
13 Jun 08
Schools have changed all over elle and no, there were no home visits. I wasn't told to have a mobile phone, charged and ready in case they needed another parent and there definitely no attendance meetings, bullying or behavior policies. The reason for the change elle is because the kids have changed. They are not like the way we used to be as children and it is sad that it came to this. 
1 person likes this
@MichaelJay (1100)
•
11 Jun 08
What I always remember is that there was 2 years between my to daughters being born and the hug way that school had changed between those dozen years.
Both primary and secondary schools are just a few minutes walk from our house so that was great for both of them.
When the older girl attended both had an excellent reputation and good teachers.
To see how low they had come when the younger one started really upset me.
The secondary comprehensive was worst.
Sure they had a bullying policy. It was 'let the bullies do hat they like'.
It as only when I said I as getting the police to charge the bullies with assault that they even started to take notice.
My younger girl's time there was a nightmare.
I'm glad she's left now and gone to college.
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
12 Jul 08
Hi ellie
My God ellie, sometimes I think thank God I don't have kids, with what you have to do and "home visit" I've heard of it.By the did they mention how they are going to tech your son and what they going to teach are the teachers qulifyed to teach? my God I never heard of it. I wish all the luck in the world.
Love & Hugles,
Tamara
1 person likes this
