Arrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Both juniors back to school today, albeit staggered. It goes like this .
Junior 1 went to school last Friday and had his lateral flow test for school return today. Junior 2 has her lateral flow test today for return tomorrow. Consent forms for both needed completing and were sent out a few weeks ago. Polite email from the school last week asking to check that you have sent the consent back if your were not sure and don’t turn up for a test if you havent sent it back. Last Weds i checked and hadn’t returned junior 2’s but had junior 1’s. Sure I had done both but hey ho. Could have not bothered but being dutiful i emailed the school and asked for another form and I would ensure it was returned in time. Consent form received on Friday lunchtime and asked to return by 4pm . Done and completed by 3:15pm.
Turned up today with junior 2 to get her test and she was turned away saying no consent received . I wasn’t having that and wasn’t having time wasted so went into reception to check what was going on. The reception waiting area is about 10ft by 8ft intercom controlled and the receptionist was on the phone . As I waited with junior 2 the receptionist proceeded to buzz another 5 people into the waiting area so there were 7 of us in this tight space !. I felt so uncomfortable and left and went to student services which was another location in the school.
Spoke to staff member there and she told me that the consent form hadn’t been returned in time. Yes it had I said .....
She said they had received it but finished at 4pm so didn’t have time to process. Ok , but she can have the test though as you do have the consent and i am here in person saying yes?
No , we haven’t processed the form so she can’t , but she can come to school tomorrow .
I could feel this going very wrong and junior 2 couldn’t do with her dad embarrassing her by causing a fuss, however justified it was. So I literally walked out as she was inanely trying to explain.
No, thinking outside the box, no flexibility, clearly no willingness to problem solve and go a bit further to help. Just computer says no, and no staff member could be arsed to work a bit longer to get this most important thing done to allow pupils to return safe. Incredible. I have been critical of schools over this pandemic and wrote not 2 weeks ago how the schools, teachers and staff don’t give the ‘can do’ impression at all. Well....
And the shambles at he first reception desk with all those people in a small area. If it wasnt so serious I would want junior 2 to get covid and then that would serve the school right for turning her away needlessly.
Quite right the lockdown is easing slowly and should do so because we will be right back in this shit in no time with this attitude.