Where did the last nine days go?!
We're now on the cusp of the next stage of school settling in - when the morning sessions start to have lunch appended to them. Exciting! It's also when I start to ease myself back into work, which is less exciting.
Daughter is having a packed lunch on Monday and Wednesday, school dinner on Friday. This is with familiarisation with school dinners in mind, plus her nursery friend is doing the same, and if they have different lunches they'll be at different tables - woe. Friday is also chip day.
I have to send the money in on Monday, not entirely sure how this will work - she'll need to give the money in, having taken it out of her bookbag, but will need to understand that it's not that day that she'll be having the hot meal.
Several of us were up at the school office on Friday, having waited all week to receive a menu for school dinners, and having NOT received a menu. I ended up being tasked by Daughter's teacher to find out what week the school is on, because armed with that knowledge you can find out online what is for dinner next week.
My hour and a half introductory governor session on Thursday turned into the entire morning, which was okay as I had no other plans. We (new foundation governor and I) attended assembly - the first assembly Reception children had attended. I could see Daughter down at the front, was willing her NOT to turn round. It was a very good assembly (actual subject would give away the identity of the school, so not saying anything) but Daughter couldn't remember anything about it when I picked her up.
First governors' meeting on Tuesday - my parents were supposed to be taking Daughter for the time between me going to the meeting, and Husband arriving home, but they're now otherwise occupied. So I'm going to see if our neighbour can fill the gap, otherwise Husband will have to come home early.
Showing posts with label admin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label admin. Show all posts
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
No election required
I appear to be a parent governor. There were three people proposed for three posts, so I'm in. One is carrying on from a previous term, so it can't be too bad. Can it? I've been to talk briefly to the head, and spoken to the chair of the governing body on the phone - we are meeting next week.
So, that's quite exciting. Eek!
I've also had sight of the second booklet (because it does exist, it's just a little behind where it should be), having emailed its author. I suggested I could take a look at it, as a fresh pair of eyes. I made a few suggestions, but it's really very good, useful.
What else? Oh, the milk saga. I tried to call the Cool Milk agency, but got no answer, so convinced myself there was no way that the registration had worked (someone else said they'd had an email on registering) and tried again. Still no email, so later I managed to get someone on the phone. Indeed, neither attempt at registering online had done a blinkin' thing, so I did it over the phone. I now have an email, and Daughter IS getting milk next week. It's a good job she's not five until March, if she was a September birthday we'd have missed the limited free milk at this rate!
I'm holding off on volunteering to help in class, for the time being. I don't know yet how much time being a governor will take up, but the first meeting is in a couple of weeks, and is at 4pm, so will either involve Husband coming home early, my parents taking the Daughter for a couple of hours, or perhaps one of the neighbours having her for an hour or so, just to fill the gap between me going to school and Husband coming home. So I may not want to introduce extra complications into life right now.
So, that's quite exciting. Eek!
I've also had sight of the second booklet (because it does exist, it's just a little behind where it should be), having emailed its author. I suggested I could take a look at it, as a fresh pair of eyes. I made a few suggestions, but it's really very good, useful.
What else? Oh, the milk saga. I tried to call the Cool Milk agency, but got no answer, so convinced myself there was no way that the registration had worked (someone else said they'd had an email on registering) and tried again. Still no email, so later I managed to get someone on the phone. Indeed, neither attempt at registering online had done a blinkin' thing, so I did it over the phone. I now have an email, and Daughter IS getting milk next week. It's a good job she's not five until March, if she was a September birthday we'd have missed the limited free milk at this rate!
I'm holding off on volunteering to help in class, for the time being. I don't know yet how much time being a governor will take up, but the first meeting is in a couple of weeks, and is at 4pm, so will either involve Husband coming home early, my parents taking the Daughter for a couple of hours, or perhaps one of the neighbours having her for an hour or so, just to fill the gap between me going to school and Husband coming home. So I may not want to introduce extra complications into life right now.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A foray into the school office
Well, not INTO the office, but valuable time spent poking my head through the hatch. I don't actually know who I spoke to - you see, if I was any good at schmoozing and networking I'd have made sure I knew exactly who it was - but she was enormously helpful and lovely.
The results of my enquiries:
- Daughter is still not on the milk list, but might be for next week, I need to check again after pick-up today (so much for a slick online process; it's over a week since I registered her)
- I have a school timetable, it is identical to the LEA's (fine) but does seem to have only been distributed via the end of term newsletter, which would again be fine if Reception parents without older children had been sent a copy
- the Reception parents' meeting is on the 17th, again this was in the newsletter, and we are supposed to be hearing about it soon - this is pretty short notice for anyone who needs to arrange babysitting cover in order to go (eg single parents or anyone whose partner is away)
- there is no second booklet, despite the note in the first booklet that says there is a second booklet to come!
- apparently we should have been sat down when the children visited last term, and told about various practical things like milk and PE kits, but this didn't happen - this is 'should have been' as in 'this used to happen' rather than 'this should definitely have happened'
It seems that part of the problem is that there are very few parents as utterly clueless as we are, and the induction procedures have maybe got a little slack for that reason. Over half this year's Reception intake are siblings (official siblings, ie siblings of children further up the school) and at least two children are younger siblings of secondary age children, so while they are not siblings in intake terms (ie get preference over non-siblings) their parents HAVE been through the system before.
It sounds like the website is out of date because the woman who does it has been busy doing network stuff instead. I may have inadvertantly not-quite-volunteered to help out. Will see if anything comes of that.
And if I want to help out in class I need to talk to the class teacher (even though it'd be the opposite class, as that's the policy in Reception). It wouldn't be until after half-term, and I need to be CRB checked (I knew that, and I've been 'done' before, so no big deal).
The results of my enquiries:
- Daughter is still not on the milk list, but might be for next week, I need to check again after pick-up today (so much for a slick online process; it's over a week since I registered her)
- I have a school timetable, it is identical to the LEA's (fine) but does seem to have only been distributed via the end of term newsletter, which would again be fine if Reception parents without older children had been sent a copy
- the Reception parents' meeting is on the 17th, again this was in the newsletter, and we are supposed to be hearing about it soon - this is pretty short notice for anyone who needs to arrange babysitting cover in order to go (eg single parents or anyone whose partner is away)
- there is no second booklet, despite the note in the first booklet that says there is a second booklet to come!
- apparently we should have been sat down when the children visited last term, and told about various practical things like milk and PE kits, but this didn't happen - this is 'should have been' as in 'this used to happen' rather than 'this should definitely have happened'
It seems that part of the problem is that there are very few parents as utterly clueless as we are, and the induction procedures have maybe got a little slack for that reason. Over half this year's Reception intake are siblings (official siblings, ie siblings of children further up the school) and at least two children are younger siblings of secondary age children, so while they are not siblings in intake terms (ie get preference over non-siblings) their parents HAVE been through the system before.
It sounds like the website is out of date because the woman who does it has been busy doing network stuff instead. I may have inadvertantly not-quite-volunteered to help out. Will see if anything comes of that.
And if I want to help out in class I need to talk to the class teacher (even though it'd be the opposite class, as that's the policy in Reception). It wouldn't be until after half-term, and I need to be CRB checked (I knew that, and I've been 'done' before, so no big deal).
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
And the biographical note
Brief biography, biographical note, statement - I've sealed the envelope and I can't remember what it says? I've interpreted it to be a personal statement, it's not exactly a manifesto, but a little more than a biography - wasn't too sure that much of my 'biography' would be relevant.
Anyway, here it is:
"I am new to the school, with my daughter [name] having just started in Reception, and am keen to get involved in the life of the school. I am an internal auditor at [employer], where I have worked for twelve years. In this role I have gained knowledge of governance and financial management, along with skills in time management and communicating with a wide range of people. I work part-time, which gives me time to dedicate to helping the school continue to improve, and means I will be visible to other parents at school pick-up time."
I raided the annals of Mumsnet for some tips. I feel a little funny about the last bit, but I thought it was worth making it clear that I'm part-time and will do pick-up, so I'll be around to talk to people, plus I'm not some high-powered long-hours person who will have nothing to do with the school apart from parachuting in for evening meetings! I suppose the fact that Daughter has just started is biographical detail - plus I figured that if I weren't standing and was faced with a load of candidates I knew nothing about, I'd be pretty inclined to vote for a fellow Reception parent, all other things being eequal.
So tomorrow I shall drop it into the office. I also need to ask about a term timetable (still working off default LEA one, but have just seen my friend's daughter's timetable, at a different school, and it's different to the LEA one!), whether Daughter has made it on the milk list, and when the new parents' meeting is.
Today I've also tidied the conservatory and done my evening's volunteer work, so I feel quite virtuous. Daughter has been to see her nursery best friend, a 'playdate' (yuck) which started with tears and ended with tears, but went unusually well in the middle. Oh, and the world failed to end. Good day all round.
Anyway, here it is:
"I am new to the school, with my daughter [name] having just started in Reception, and am keen to get involved in the life of the school. I am an internal auditor at [employer], where I have worked for twelve years. In this role I have gained knowledge of governance and financial management, along with skills in time management and communicating with a wide range of people. I work part-time, which gives me time to dedicate to helping the school continue to improve, and means I will be visible to other parents at school pick-up time."
I raided the annals of Mumsnet for some tips. I feel a little funny about the last bit, but I thought it was worth making it clear that I'm part-time and will do pick-up, so I'll be around to talk to people, plus I'm not some high-powered long-hours person who will have nothing to do with the school apart from parachuting in for evening meetings! I suppose the fact that Daughter has just started is biographical detail - plus I figured that if I weren't standing and was faced with a load of candidates I knew nothing about, I'd be pretty inclined to vote for a fellow Reception parent, all other things being eequal.
So tomorrow I shall drop it into the office. I also need to ask about a term timetable (still working off default LEA one, but have just seen my friend's daughter's timetable, at a different school, and it's different to the LEA one!), whether Daughter has made it on the milk list, and when the new parents' meeting is.
Today I've also tidied the conservatory and done my evening's volunteer work, so I feel quite virtuous. Daughter has been to see her nursery best friend, a 'playdate' (yuck) which started with tears and ended with tears, but went unusually well in the middle. Oh, and the world failed to end. Good day all round.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
I has signatures
I've got a proposer and a seconder (#1 buttonholed at school drop-off after she returned the socks I'd lent her daughter when her wellies leaked last week, #2, my next-door-but-one neighbour called in on on the way home from the school run).
Now I need the personal statement. I don't know how to start it. Still, it's good to have the signatures sorted, now it's just up to me. The deadline is actually 9am on Monday, so I am going to try to get it in before then.
Talking to my neighbour it seems like a few things are wrong admin-wise this year. Her son is in Yr1 and her daughter in Reception, and she's seen a difference between the two years' intakes. Notes to school don't seem to be getting out of bookbags at the moment. Not sure what is going on with Yr1, but I wonder with Reception if the parent helper is just too busy looking after the little ones to do this job? Being optimistic here. The milk seems to have been a problem all round, and still no timetable forthcoming. She did tell me though that the class list was a parent initiative last year, so I'll stop waiting for that to miraculously appear. I'm tempted to organise it, but she's said if no one else does it she will, so I will step back and try to stop being such a control freak.
Anyway, sitting in my neighbour's house drinking coffee after a wet school run is just the ticket, but it wasn't getting MY house tidy, so I've come home. Not that blogging is getting my house tidy either of course.
Now I need the personal statement. I don't know how to start it. Still, it's good to have the signatures sorted, now it's just up to me. The deadline is actually 9am on Monday, so I am going to try to get it in before then.
Talking to my neighbour it seems like a few things are wrong admin-wise this year. Her son is in Yr1 and her daughter in Reception, and she's seen a difference between the two years' intakes. Notes to school don't seem to be getting out of bookbags at the moment. Not sure what is going on with Yr1, but I wonder with Reception if the parent helper is just too busy looking after the little ones to do this job? Being optimistic here. The milk seems to have been a problem all round, and still no timetable forthcoming. She did tell me though that the class list was a parent initiative last year, so I'll stop waiting for that to miraculously appear. I'm tempted to organise it, but she's said if no one else does it she will, so I will step back and try to stop being such a control freak.
Anyway, sitting in my neighbour's house drinking coffee after a wet school run is just the ticket, but it wasn't getting MY house tidy, so I've come home. Not that blogging is getting my house tidy either of course.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Second Day
Much as I would like to reel off the names of the children in Starting School here (see post title) I can't remember them in order. David and Sophie and Sushma and Robert and Alison ... or thereabouts.
Second half day, of course. While I'm here thinking I cannot believe we have six weeks of this part-time messing about still to go, I have a friend in ... Bolton, I think ... who has had to talk her son's headteacher into letting him go part-time for just three days, rather than straight in. There's got to be a middle way, surely?
Meanwhile, after school this afternoon we went to see one of Daughter's nursery friends. She has just had a home visit from her Reception teacher, and both teaching assistants. She starts next week, and I think is only part-time for two weeks. This seems like an option - don't start the Reception class with the rest of the school (ours did, to the day) but use the time instead to do home visits. That way children in nursery could stay there a little longer, making their parents lives easier, and the teacher (and teaching assistants as applicable) could get a little one-on-one time with each child, something our school hasn't done.
Making life easier for parents though - not sure if this is even a consideration. I have been told (and should stress told by parent with child at a different school) that the headmaster 'doesn't like working mothers'. I am sincerely hoping this is just gossip and sour grapes. There are three mothers just in Daughter's half of her class (fifteen children) working for my employer alone!
What is annoying me at the moment though is that they haven't yet updated the website with the school diary for this year, neither have they notified us of the term dates for the year. I am working purely off the default county timetable, which I hope is what they are working off! I will start to prod shortly (I'll be very disappointed if NOTHING comes home tomorrow in the bookbag) but don't want to do it just yet. It's very well saying we can have a chat with the teacher at hometime, but at the moment the children are being very carefully let out one by one, and to wade in there and need to talk to the teacher would be highly disruptive.
Ho hum.
Hometime is funny though - they line up, the teacher gets them to spot a parent and their little faces light up, and off they go. So cute. If they don't see anyone, back to the back of the queue!
In other random news - first school dress lasted two (half days) and has a mystery mark near the zip, clean one tomorrow; first pair of socks worn were trashed yesterday, made her change into jeans to go on the trampoline in the wet, and wet brand-new jeans + white socks + rain = blue socks, oops; water bottle got lost yesterday but has turned up today. Also I tidied the hall and have dedicated one shelf to my bag collection and one to Daughter's. Go me. Living room tomorrow.
Second half day, of course. While I'm here thinking I cannot believe we have six weeks of this part-time messing about still to go, I have a friend in ... Bolton, I think ... who has had to talk her son's headteacher into letting him go part-time for just three days, rather than straight in. There's got to be a middle way, surely?
Meanwhile, after school this afternoon we went to see one of Daughter's nursery friends. She has just had a home visit from her Reception teacher, and both teaching assistants. She starts next week, and I think is only part-time for two weeks. This seems like an option - don't start the Reception class with the rest of the school (ours did, to the day) but use the time instead to do home visits. That way children in nursery could stay there a little longer, making their parents lives easier, and the teacher (and teaching assistants as applicable) could get a little one-on-one time with each child, something our school hasn't done.
Making life easier for parents though - not sure if this is even a consideration. I have been told (and should stress told by parent with child at a different school) that the headmaster 'doesn't like working mothers'. I am sincerely hoping this is just gossip and sour grapes. There are three mothers just in Daughter's half of her class (fifteen children) working for my employer alone!
What is annoying me at the moment though is that they haven't yet updated the website with the school diary for this year, neither have they notified us of the term dates for the year. I am working purely off the default county timetable, which I hope is what they are working off! I will start to prod shortly (I'll be very disappointed if NOTHING comes home tomorrow in the bookbag) but don't want to do it just yet. It's very well saying we can have a chat with the teacher at hometime, but at the moment the children are being very carefully let out one by one, and to wade in there and need to talk to the teacher would be highly disruptive.
Ho hum.
Hometime is funny though - they line up, the teacher gets them to spot a parent and their little faces light up, and off they go. So cute. If they don't see anyone, back to the back of the queue!
In other random news - first school dress lasted two (half days) and has a mystery mark near the zip, clean one tomorrow; first pair of socks worn were trashed yesterday, made her change into jeans to go on the trampoline in the wet, and wet brand-new jeans + white socks + rain = blue socks, oops; water bottle got lost yesterday but has turned up today. Also I tidied the hall and have dedicated one shelf to my bag collection and one to Daughter's. Go me. Living room tomorrow.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Former call centre employees for the win
I have my broadband back again. I had to tell the PC and laptop where their DNS servers were, because it appeared the router was lying to them. Bad router. On to the naughty step with you.
Our neighbour came round this morning. She has one child going into Reception with Daughter, and one about to go into Year 1, so is ideally placed to be well informed (having recent experience of starting school, plus caring about it because she's about to go through it again).
So I learned that the school is rather, erm, laid back about telling you what you're supposed to do with your child in the way of reading, homework etc. Which surprises me, maybe they change in later years (school is supposed to be quite academic, which is why this surprises me). On the plus side, she described going to her first parents' evening for her son, and the teacher telling her that she'd picked up on the 'tell' that her son is feeling insecure. Which I thought was pretty good for someone in charge of 30+ children.
30+ because the other thing she said is that there are 34 children in each Reception class. Is that allowed?!
She was also talking about eight days at half term, which is worrying me as I haven't been given a timetable by the school, just used the generic county one. I really hope it isn't eight days. I'm pretty annoyed that we haven't had a timetable actually - we know officially when the children start, but nothing else! I really hope this isn't the beginning of a constant fight where the school fails to acknowledge that parents have lives (and JOBS) and therefore do need to know a few things in advance.
My mum is converting on of Husband's old shirts into a deluxe painting apron for Daughter. :)
Our neighbour came round this morning. She has one child going into Reception with Daughter, and one about to go into Year 1, so is ideally placed to be well informed (having recent experience of starting school, plus caring about it because she's about to go through it again).
So I learned that the school is rather, erm, laid back about telling you what you're supposed to do with your child in the way of reading, homework etc. Which surprises me, maybe they change in later years (school is supposed to be quite academic, which is why this surprises me). On the plus side, she described going to her first parents' evening for her son, and the teacher telling her that she'd picked up on the 'tell' that her son is feeling insecure. Which I thought was pretty good for someone in charge of 30+ children.
30+ because the other thing she said is that there are 34 children in each Reception class. Is that allowed?!
She was also talking about eight days at half term, which is worrying me as I haven't been given a timetable by the school, just used the generic county one. I really hope it isn't eight days. I'm pretty annoyed that we haven't had a timetable actually - we know officially when the children start, but nothing else! I really hope this isn't the beginning of a constant fight where the school fails to acknowledge that parents have lives (and JOBS) and therefore do need to know a few things in advance.
My mum is converting on of Husband's old shirts into a deluxe painting apron for Daughter. :)
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