Ok It had to happen, what I do not like about schools

There are many things that irritate me about the school system in the UK and I could blog for ever but I will start on their communication systems. Take a small rural school in Norfolk that has one building and 12 kids and 2 members of staff. You ring to pass a message on to your child and you hear this. Thank you for calling irritation Primary School, Press option 1 if you wish to report your child's absence, option 2 if you'd like to speak to the Head and then press the hash key to decide which deity you'd like to pray to to get said miracle to happen. Option 3 if you'd like the school nurse (who turns up once a year for 20 minutes in rural schools, so a long hold I'd suggest) Option 4 if you'd like to discuss homework (ermm it is homework so discuss it at home) option 5 if you'd like to make a donation to the school fund (this will be answered quickly) anyway there are 12 kids and 14 options, how can there be more options than children?

The next thing I find irritating is that they have things called staff meetings, yet leave out most of the staff. In the schools I worked in the cleaners, cooks, site staff to name but three never attended the children's review assessment pupil profiles (C.R.A.P.P) at staff meetings, maybe they want to rename them important people staff meetings, but if that was the case only the office secretary needs to turn up.
My biggest hatred is sports day and potted sports. You know we won't have races because some poor child might discover they are not the next Usain Bolt and their confidence for the next 50 years will be shredded. So we go along with little activities in which if you take part you win, there are no losers. So why am I not a Head, I took part in the application process, but it seems clear to me that I was a loser and the person who got the job was the winner. The person in charge did not say oh you can all be the Head because you took part. Children will succeed and they will fail, it is part of the rich tapestry and not being a winner at everything will not equate to a lifetime's counselling believe me. So let us have a race and see who wins. It makes me laugh that the people behind this idea were allowed to do it because they were competitive and won promotion (yes the term is won)

Anyway next week I am going to have a race against the year 3's, 50 metre sprint and I will get a 5metre start and show no mercy.

John