This year’s annual meeting for parents fell in the week I acquired a new baby to mind. He is sweet but damply disinclined to be put down. To be honest, with other children aged one, two and three hurtling about the house, I daren’t put him down. I have special dispensation for four children as they are two sets of siblings. I begin to see why three under-fives is usually the maximum.
Scrubbing up for the annual meeting should have been a welcome change, but we have had such a difficult year that I was dreading it. Accommodation problems and staffing difficulties have meant relationships with parents have been fraught. My fears were compounded by the large turnout. A full hall usually means trouble.
But this lot had come to support us. They recognised that we were doing our best for the school in difficult circumstances. They even endorsed our policy of supporting more than our fair share of special needs children. The parents of the SEN children naturally praised our good practice, but so did others.
“My son loves them kiddies,” said one lovely mum, “they’ve taught him to be kind.”
I think I’ll stay on another year.
Joan Dalton
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