schools opening when it has snowed!

johnnyl

tom9980 wrote: »

Increasingly government want them to do just that, teachers dont want to do it at all they are given no choice.

Last week my partner had to do risk assessments she has never been trained for, but she MUST do it because nobody else will and there is no money in the budget to pay for outside help. If she failed to do it and something happened she and the school would be held responsible, and failure of that kind is very serious for her career prospects.

I dont doubt that you are correct, but here is the problem. In an attempt to cover the school or herself with (what is likely to be) a poor RA then they are effectively poking their "asses into the wind".

If anything did go wrong you would simply be punished for an inadequate risk assessment that was conducted by a non experienced / trained risk assessor.

dibuzz

daisiegg wrote: »

Uniform is a nightmare at this time of year - there is some bizarre aversion to wearing coats (why? They walk to school in freezing temperatures!) so they wear long sleeved tops underneath their blouses (against the rules), hoodies underneath their blazers (against the rules - there is a perfectly good school jumper that for some reason none of them like to wear either), scarves and gloves and legwarmers etc. This is all ok on the way to and from school but it is on the understanding that they have to get into proper uniform before the bell rings - of course this doesn't happen.

In our local high school there is nowhere to put coats so if the kids do wear them they have to carry them round all day along with their bag of books, pens, PE kit and whatever else they need for the day.

thegirlintheattic

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Two things :

1. Schools not opening because of a bit of snow? What madness - if we had that in Poland (or indeed, in Germany, Finland, Austria, Slovenia, Sweden, etc) - schools would never open in winter!

2. The stuff about school shoes is frankly insane. Look at children throughout Europe - they wear shoes to school that are appropriate for the weather. Yes, they will normally change their shoes in school, or even not bother with shoes in the classroom - no-one cares. Why does Britain care so much?

Friends of mine live in a part of the States that gets regular snow. They usually operate schools on late opening and/or early finish - for example of the weather is bad school shuts at 12.30. When we try to do it here - people complain. They also do shut the schools. The most recent was yesterday when all schools in the district closed for ice as it wasn't safe for students to travel.

Shoes - At our school you can wear what you like to get to school but must change before form time. If they arrive at form without the correct uniform they are asked to change, if they don't they get a detention. We've never had an issue with this. Uniform is uniform - if you wear uniform or have to dress professionally for your job chances are you won't get away with wearing wellies all day.

'parenting' children - I don't want to parent my students but unfortunately some children don't have a 'parent' at home. Often it's the parents who want help. I remember one parents evening when the child sat there giggling as I told her mother that she was underachieving and spent most of her time messing around. Mum did nothing, even when the girl told her mother to shut up talking as she was hungry and wanted to go home. Mum called the next day, very stressed, admitting that the girl was a nightmare at home and she couldn't seem to get her to listen. Was able to pass her on to the right people who could help, and now everyone involved are much happier.

toshkininny

dibuzz wrote: »

In our local high school there is nowhere to put coats so if the kids do wear them they have to carry them round all day along with their bag of books, pens, PE kit and whatever else they need for the day.

That's ridiculous, do they not even have lockers?

gregg1

johnnyl wrote: »

I havent spoke about this for days, yet people insist on dragging it back there then faking outrage at what I have said. Evidently they can not be that outraged at that particular discussion otherwise they wouldnt keep trying to re-ignite it.





I have, it gets ignored. ~One such example is where I have moaned about the interference of schools with family life and stated at the end of that discussion "teachers should just stick to teaching because they are actually quite good at that. They are not life coaches or parenting advisors" (or words to that effect)

But that last part is merely another criticism dressed up as rather patronising luke warm praise.

You are correct though, teachers are not supposed to be parenting advisors. I really do wish other parents could understand that point you made as well because there are too many parents out there who continue to see teachers as glorified babysitters and use it as an excuse to relinquish some of their responsibilities as parents.

gregg1

toshkininny wrote: »

That's ridiculous, do they not even have lockers?

Same at our local school no lockers, coats have to be lugged around. Result, kids don't wear coats.

johnnyl

gregg1 wrote: »

But that last part is merely another criticism dressed up as rather patronising luke warm praise.

You are correct though, teachers are not supposed to be parenting advisors. I really do wish other parents could understand that point you made as well because there are too many parents out there who continue to see teachers as glorified babysitters and use it as an excuse to relinquish some of their responsibilities as parents.

I think it looks like luke warm praise because it is surrounded by some negative stuff. I genuinely do believe that the teaching standard in this country is very good.

toshkininny

gregg1 wrote: »

Same at our local school no lockers, coats have to be lugged around. Result, kids don't wear coats.

You're talking about secondary schools, I suppose? Can't wait for this to happen when mine start then! Again, isn't that a health and safety issue if they all have heavy bags wrapped round their shoulders with everything and the kitchen sink in them, and coats all slung over the back of chairs, people tripping over them, etc? I thought lockers were the norm the higher schools.

74jax

fluffymuffy wrote: »

I would support the school. Because parents overruling schools is a lot of what's wrong these days. Yes, sometimes things are unfair. That's one of life's lessons.

I do know what you're saying, it's just we had a snow drift along our street and she was walking in quite deep snow. I just thought wellies to school would be ok, and change at school. To be fair, the school rules don't state what can be worn to and from school, just during school.

I don't think I'm over ruling schools, however in this bad snow, I think the kids should be allowed to wear wellies to walk to school. But like I say that's just what I 'think'.

Our school is another without lockers, they carry their PE kit etc with them throughout the day. She's in secondary school and can have quite a lots of books, bags, and a coat etc. i didn't realise lockers in a school was the norm.

toshkininny

74jax wrote: »

I do know what you're saying, it's just we had a snow drift along our street and she was walking in quite deep snow. I just thought wellies to school would be ok, and change at school. To be fair, the school rules don't state what can be worn to and from school, just during school.

I don't think I'm over ruling schools, however in this bad snow, I think the kids should be allowed to wear wellies to walk to school. But like I say that's just what I 'think'.

Our school is another without lockers, they carry their PE kit etc with them throughout the day. She's in secondary school and can have quite a lots of books, bags, and a coat etc. i didn't realise lockers in a school was the norm.

No, I just THOUGHT they were the norm, I was guessing. If it isn't normal I feel sorry for the kids.