championhill

Martspec, I get sick and tired of the same old posts from parents knocking schools they know very little about. Being in education for the past 20 years it is the same old story about parents getting hot under the collar about how good schools are. I bet you have no idea how hard Jo (head teacher) works the fact that she has her own children and the sacrifices she has made to ensure children in her care receive the best possible education. It is easy to knock a school as they have no right of reply particularly when you do it from the confines of your own home behind a computer screen! My suggestion to you and your worried friends is this: Go and see Jo and talk to her and get involved with the school (whether it's this school or another). If you don't like something then don't just sit there and moan go and do something constructive about it (and that doesn't include writing posts on forums spreading gossip which is counter productive). It seems to me you have a fixed mindset where things can not improve, you should shift that to a growth mindset where obstacles can be overcome with a positive approach. Schools are not perfect and they often get things wrong (how many times have you made a mistake at work?) but what they don't need is parents who are always keen to jump on the band wagon. I know Jo has given a huge amount of time to get things right at Harris and she has an excellent track record and the parents should be safe in the knowledge they have a head teacher who cares passionately about the lives of the children she is responsible for. Staffing issues exist in every school and I am sure Jo is making sure she is getting the staff she feels will move the school forward. As for the planning for the new school site what you need to realise that some actions are beyond the control of the school and you should look closer at our elected councillors and politicians rather than blame the school. So in conclusion stop your moaning and tell your friends to get involved. Schools need support from parents, this is often forgotten. The single biggest influence on a child's education is the parental support of the school. I remember a few years ago no-one wanted to send their children to Kingsdale and it took forward thinking parents to get get behind the school and now parents are disappointed that they don't get in!