Title refers to the Finance & Premises Committee, meeting this evening. However, this is the school blog, not the school governor blog, so what has Daughter been up to? She had a proper afterschool playdate, where I picked up both her and her friend. They played, they had tea, friend was collected (and threw a huge paddy because she didn't want to go home - am perversely flattered by this). She had school photos taken - whole school one day, and individual the next. They're very nice. I have a soft copy of the individual one, and need to order a copy of the whole school one. She went on a field trip. To a field. They had to take wellies in, named wellies, pegged together, in a named bag. I guess they have problems with wellie loss. I put her initials on the clothes peg I used to peg the wellies together, just to be on the safe side. And this afternoon she went on a reciprocal playdate, which also went very well, except at the end when her friend had a tantrum which I'm expected to see replicated at home any time soon (according to Husband it involved some new and innovative ways of misbehaving that Daugher won't have previously been aware of).
I wasn't there because I was Financing and Premising instead. We approved spending some money on some fun things (play equipment and books) and some dull things (insulation and checking out what needs doing with the roof). I was handed a FMSiS document in which I have to record my governor competencies. Obviously having got myself through the heavy-handed promotion process at work in May, and now being partway through converting my old-style (experienced-based) professional logbook in the new style (competency based) I am delighted to be doing this. Not. I think I can consider myself competent in 'understands finance and budgeting' and 'has numeric and analysis skills' and that's about it. Most of the rest is quite school-specific. Ah well.
Oh yes, Daughter had a half term as well, obviously. Husband took the whole week off, and I decided on the Tuesday that I could do enough hours Monday to Wednesday, plus the following Monday (when my parents had Daughter overnight) to add to a little flexi credit I already had ... and not work Thursday as well as Friday. So that was pretty good, especially as I wasn't very keen on cycling to work four days in a row (and on the Tuesday he didn't even take the car out, I am so furious!) She seems quite happy to be back at school, so all is well.
Showing posts with label grandparents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grandparents. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Not a lot to report
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.
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.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Too late to buy
Now I'm pretty sure that when I was at school we used to moan about the shops putting their 'Back to School' signs up the moment we broke up for summer holidays - not two weeks before the schools break up, as it is now. Has it got worse at the other end of the summer holidays? I don't know, as I don't remember anything about getting school uniform, it just seemed to be there. But now it does seem rather awful.
We have most of Daughter's uniform, but I decided today I'd get her a couple of pairs of tights in case the long socks really don't cut it in colder weather. We only looked in a few shops, as I didn't want to drag her across town, but even so I'd have expected a little more success.
BhS - had a fair amount of stock, but mostly in black, navy and white. Grey only seemed to come in 128cm height, or a hip size - the latter presumably for teenage girls rather than littler ones, by which time they're all in 7 denier tights no matter what the weather. Or trousers.
Mothercare - have sidelined their school uniform (not that the selection was good anyway). Well, obviously it's far too late to be buying uniform, with only a whisker over two weeks until term starts. Plenty of grey tights - in age 2-3. Okay, I'm happy for the parents of very tiny Reception children, that they can get uniform in appropriate sizes, but it would be nice to be able to get stuff for a slightly more robust four-year-old.
John Lewis - for a start, while they have a 'back to school' section at the front of the store, it includes no tights or socks, which are with the rest of the children's clothes. Nothing in Daughter's size again.
So it looks like cold legs for winter. Or online ordering.
I'm also rather baffled by the consistency with which local shops stock summer dresses in green gingham, but NOT green knitwear. I'm beginning to think it's a good job that Daughter's school sells logo cardigans and jumpers, because I'd be struggling to find a plain bottle green cardigan elsewhere. Actually I AM struggling to find one, but I'm not too concerned as I only wanted one for spare. Fortunately the fibre content of the official school one (acrylic, acrylic, and more acrylic) should mean that it'll pretty much dry the moment it comes out of the washing machine, so if it suffers any mishaps it can probably be turned around for the next day.
Tights aside, we are now all set, with a few omissions:
- need to ask my mum nicely if she will turn one of Husband's old shirts into a painting overall (I lack the sewing wherewithall, and the elastic)
- need to practise eating packed lunch (undoing pots and packets etc)
- need to get fit of ballet shoes checked, and (probably) buy new ones - this isn't exactly school-related, but required about the same tme
I am in denial about the bottom-wiping issue, as is Daughter, judging by her reaction to my reasonable request that she give it a go herself.
We have most of Daughter's uniform, but I decided today I'd get her a couple of pairs of tights in case the long socks really don't cut it in colder weather. We only looked in a few shops, as I didn't want to drag her across town, but even so I'd have expected a little more success.
BhS - had a fair amount of stock, but mostly in black, navy and white. Grey only seemed to come in 128cm height, or a hip size - the latter presumably for teenage girls rather than littler ones, by which time they're all in 7 denier tights no matter what the weather. Or trousers.
Mothercare - have sidelined their school uniform (not that the selection was good anyway). Well, obviously it's far too late to be buying uniform, with only a whisker over two weeks until term starts. Plenty of grey tights - in age 2-3. Okay, I'm happy for the parents of very tiny Reception children, that they can get uniform in appropriate sizes, but it would be nice to be able to get stuff for a slightly more robust four-year-old.
John Lewis - for a start, while they have a 'back to school' section at the front of the store, it includes no tights or socks, which are with the rest of the children's clothes. Nothing in Daughter's size again.
So it looks like cold legs for winter. Or online ordering.
I'm also rather baffled by the consistency with which local shops stock summer dresses in green gingham, but NOT green knitwear. I'm beginning to think it's a good job that Daughter's school sells logo cardigans and jumpers, because I'd be struggling to find a plain bottle green cardigan elsewhere. Actually I AM struggling to find one, but I'm not too concerned as I only wanted one for spare. Fortunately the fibre content of the official school one (acrylic, acrylic, and more acrylic) should mean that it'll pretty much dry the moment it comes out of the washing machine, so if it suffers any mishaps it can probably be turned around for the next day.
Tights aside, we are now all set, with a few omissions:
- need to ask my mum nicely if she will turn one of Husband's old shirts into a painting overall (I lack the sewing wherewithall, and the elastic)
- need to practise eating packed lunch (undoing pots and packets etc)
- need to get fit of ballet shoes checked, and (probably) buy new ones - this isn't exactly school-related, but required about the same tme
I am in denial about the bottom-wiping issue, as is Daughter, judging by her reaction to my reasonable request that she give it a go herself.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The Basics
Us:
Daughter - 4 years old at the time of writing, hence off to school in September. Born pretty much half-way through the school year, so she'll be neither the youngest nor the oldest. Education to date - been at nursery since she was six months old.
Me - 30-*mumble* years old at the time of writing, and not getting any younger. Sigh. I work in the public sector, currently three days a week. Education to date: first year to do GCSEs (that dates me), four A-levels (took three years to achieve), one 2.1 degree from a redbrick university, professional qualifications.
Husband - 30-*mumble* PLUS ONE MONTH ha ha. Same public sector employer as me. Does stuff with computers. Education to date: ditto on the GCSEs, A-levels of some description, first-class degree in hard subject from slightly comic university.
The school:
Location: approximately two minutes' walk away. Yay! Urban/suburban location on the edge of a major town; fairly affluent middle-class catchment (not that it actually has a catchment area of course).
Status: voluntary controlled (this is the slightly less alarming incarnation of the faith school, where the LEA is responsible for admissions criteria and funding, and employs the staff); it's a CofE school with no religious entry criteria.
Ofsted think: it's outstanding.
The plan:
I'm switching my contract to term-time only at the start of September, i.e. I will only be paid for 42.2 weeks out of the 52.2 in the year, but the pay will be spread evenly over the year. I'll be 'unpaid' for the long school holidays, and take half-terms as annual leave.
I will work approximately 08.30 to 14.30, with Husband taking Daughter to school and me collecting her.
The back-up plan:
The doting grandparents (my parents) twenty minutes up the road.
The philosophy:
I wanted minimal dependencies when Daughter starts school - no reciprocal arrangements with friends, no breakfast club, no after-school club, no relying on the grandparents, etc. Just Husband (school drop-off), and my (our) remarkably accommodating employer (term-time contract). That way it can only get better as Daughter acquires friends, and is a more appropriate age for before/after school activities - can't it?
Daughter - 4 years old at the time of writing, hence off to school in September. Born pretty much half-way through the school year, so she'll be neither the youngest nor the oldest. Education to date - been at nursery since she was six months old.
Me - 30-*mumble* years old at the time of writing, and not getting any younger. Sigh. I work in the public sector, currently three days a week. Education to date: first year to do GCSEs (that dates me), four A-levels (took three years to achieve), one 2.1 degree from a redbrick university, professional qualifications.
Husband - 30-*mumble* PLUS ONE MONTH ha ha. Same public sector employer as me. Does stuff with computers. Education to date: ditto on the GCSEs, A-levels of some description, first-class degree in hard subject from slightly comic university.
The school:
Location: approximately two minutes' walk away. Yay! Urban/suburban location on the edge of a major town; fairly affluent middle-class catchment (not that it actually has a catchment area of course).
Status: voluntary controlled (this is the slightly less alarming incarnation of the faith school, where the LEA is responsible for admissions criteria and funding, and employs the staff); it's a CofE school with no religious entry criteria.
Ofsted think: it's outstanding.
The plan:
I'm switching my contract to term-time only at the start of September, i.e. I will only be paid for 42.2 weeks out of the 52.2 in the year, but the pay will be spread evenly over the year. I'll be 'unpaid' for the long school holidays, and take half-terms as annual leave.
I will work approximately 08.30 to 14.30, with Husband taking Daughter to school and me collecting her.
The back-up plan:
The doting grandparents (my parents) twenty minutes up the road.
The philosophy:
I wanted minimal dependencies when Daughter starts school - no reciprocal arrangements with friends, no breakfast club, no after-school club, no relying on the grandparents, etc. Just Husband (school drop-off), and my (our) remarkably accommodating employer (term-time contract). That way it can only get better as Daughter acquires friends, and is a more appropriate age for before/after school activities - can't it?
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