School 'contract'

[AHarvey]

We've parents evening tomorrow for our 6-year-old. It's a CofE village school, we're not religious but understand the religious aspect comes as a part of the package. All parents have been asked to read over so they can sign a school contract tomorrow evening. Our child is supposed to sign it as well and our child's teacher will sign it too.

I don't know why but it's annoyed me, I can't place my finger on what exactly it is but it seems less about the welfare and education of the children and more about protecting the school and ticking boxes.

Anyone else had something similar at their children's school

[School Name] Primary School

We wish to create a safe learning environment where children are Respectful, Kind, Courageous, Determined and Enthusiastic

As a [School Name] parent I/we will try my/our best to:

• Ensure regular attendance unless my child is ill, and avoid unnecessary absence
• Listen to, and respect, the view of the staff at the school, behaving in a courteous way at all times
• Tell the school first if concerns arise before discussing on social networking sites
• Support all staff in their efforts to create a caring community which values children and their rights;
• Make sure my child has enough sleep and has eaten breakfast
• Pay for trips, dinner money and wrap around care provisions on time
• Inform the school promptly of the reason for absence or lateness so that we can ensure your child’s safety
• Inform the school of any relevant home circumstances which may affect my child in school
• Provide my child with the correct, named uniform and equipment needed for school
• Provide a quiet place for my child to do homework and monitor that homework is being completed to a good standard
• Support the school in getting any help my child may need;
• Support the school’s Behaviour for Learning Policy and promote positive behaviour and support the school in the reasonable discipline of my child
• Send back reply slips promptly
• Read all letters/messages/emails that are sent home;
• Attend Parents’ Evenings and other parent workshops to help with learning at home
• Encourage my child to be independent and responsible
• Encourage my child to have a Growth Mind-set

Signed:............................................... Print Name:..............................................(Parent / Guardian)


As a [School Name] Pupil I will try my best to:

• Treat others kindly and be guided by our school values
• Demonstrate a sense of reverence during Collective Worship or in St Chad’s Church
• Tell somebody if there is something I am not happy about
• Learn
• Have a go at something before asking immediately for help
• Understand that it is okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them next time
• Be an active listener during lesson
• Be active and try new things
• Bring the correct things that I will need for lessons
• Be smartly dressed in our agreed school uniform
• Complete all class work and homework carefully and thoughtfully
• Take pride in myself, my work and my achievements
• Help others where I can
• Help to keep the classroom tidy and be careful not to break or damage school equipment
• Be proud to be a pupil at [School Name] CE Primary School
• Work hard to develop a Growth Mind-Set
• Practice my skills regulary

Signed: ....................................................... (Pupil)


The staff at [School Name] Primary School will :

• Have high expectations of all pupils and staff
• Be welcoming and offer opportunities for parents/carers to become involved in the daily life of the school
• Plan a creative curriculum and enrichment activities to inspire a love of learning and the development of children as confident and well-rounded individuals
• Provide a stimulating environment
• Respond to the different learning needs of children and give them the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential
• Have a clear and consistent approach to rewards and sanctions for children as set out in the Behaviour for learning Policy;
• Promote involvement in the local community and in the wider world
• Provide a safe, caring environment and ensure that the procedures for recruitment of staff and volunteers safeguard children fully
• Follow up non attendance in order to ensure your child’s safety
• Develop the skills, attitudes and values necessary to prepare our pupils for the challenges and responsibilities of life and to equip them to make well thought out choices
• Respond to your concerns quickly, behaving in a courteous way at all times
• Contact you as soon as concerns are raised about your child’s work, behaviour, attendance or punctuality

Signed:..................................................................... (Class Teacher/Headteacher)

Thank you for your continued support

In fact, posting it here it seems quite petty in places. This stuff shouldn't have to be written down and signed.

 

[AHarvey]

Evidently it's needed as you've just some something they've asked you not to. Have you discussed this with them at all?

Firstly, I don't class this forum as social media and I doubt many people would either. Secondly, there's nothing identifying the school so no bad press to come back on them, which is the real reason for the entry. I will be speaking about this tonight with them.

Don't get me wrong, the school is a good school, we've been mostly happy with it overall, our child is excelling. She's been free reading since she was 5, handwriting is great for her age, spellings, maths etc all very good. On the 2 occassions we've had concerns we've spoken directly to the head and the matter was resolved within a few days.

Then the school will know that parent is more likely to cause trouble in future...

Doubtful seeing as my wife and I are heavily involved in the friends of the school group that we've helped we've raised over £3k since we've been there, I also did the photos for free for their leavers prom. The new head came in Sept 2016 and there was uproar at her, some parents even took their kids to another school but I was quite vocal in supporting the change, give her chance to find her feet.


I understand this contract/agreement and the reasoning behind it but it just feels wrong. Whether it reminds me of those passive aggressive people that leave notes for others instead of talking to them or whether it feels like one of those things brought in because of a few parents that are ****'s, and there are a few of them there.

 

[AHarvey]

Lol religion

Our daughter is like me, has no belief at all and openly says that she doesn't believe in god at home, however, she's fully aware that people do believe and we accept that some people do and we don't argue with that.

 

[AHarvey]

Sorry, there are far too many posts to reply to each one but a lot of good points. I think what really annoys me (I've been stewing over it all day) is that this is the kind of thing that you see on Supernanny with badly behaved children and parents that don't take control and responsibility for their kids.

I also don't want my daughter believing her behaviour should be based on what a contract/agreement states it should be. Her behaviour and approach to life should be the same regardless of the environment. My kids are raised to know you put 100% into everything, you use your manners at all times, you are kind etc. The school values at the top of the agreement came out of meetings a select few parents had with faculty under the old headmaster and while they are treated as religious values by the school we consider them good life values.

I hovered over that and the independant point and thought they don't actually mean it. Schools don't want children to be independent nor do they want children making mistakes to learn off them. These characteristics will be punished by the teachers if they deem they don't like them.

The school has a very good try try again approach in that with a lot of things, you give it a go, the teacher will ask if you can do it better and you go off and try and improve it. As I said before, my daughter is completely independent with her reading. She reads once a week to a teacher, then the rest of the week she self-manages her books/reading then we read each night at home, either books like The Creakers on her own or smaller bedtime story books to her younger brother.

TBF this would have been sufficient I 100% agree. I had something like this for my kids school here, but it was done as this sort of thing rather than "contract"

There are more religious based assemblies and are involved with church events, tbh, it's no different than when I was at school bar the extra religious assembly each week where the reverend comes in and speak to them. We weren't sure about it as neither of us are religious but it's what i would class as "within acceptable levels" lol

It does seem that we'll be finding out tonight what will be happening when people don't sign, I already know of 5 parents that feel the same way.