School receptionists some are lovely, and some are ********

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Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

School receptionists some are lovely, and some are ********

Post by Doblinski »

Bloomin eck our school receptionist is so unhelpful!!!!

I've had 7 years of her saying she cant' do things when she bloomin well can. I try to be very respectful of her and chat and say 'thank you so much for your help' I really dont expect her to do jump to it on our account. I know her job must be hard. But she's just refused to give out some info for DDs school application, saying it's confidential, so I asked her who could give me the info and she said the school would have to contact her for it!! So I rang the LEA and they gave it me straight away no questions asked. I try to wait for her to be free of a queue of parents when I ask her for things, but it doesn't help, she's got it in for me I think and I dont' know why.

She told me the other day I could not have DDs artwork as I had not come to the art show the night before. I said I was sorry but I had to work -was there a convenient time to come and purchase it (money raising thing - we buy our own kids work, but still it's too flippin inconvenient to give her some money!!!).

The previous lady was so nice too. Fume fume -that's better rant over, thanks for listening!
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by marigold »

Totally with you on this one.

Words cannot describe how unhelpful the receptionist was at my children's primary school.

I believe they go to the same training school as doctor's receptionists and their entire reason for living is to protect the Head/Doctor from any unnecessary contact with parents/patients, they will fight to the death to protect their master.

Ours had me in tears once as she refused to let me into the building to search for my son's school coat following the newish Head's dictat that a school is no place for parents. She even sat behind a glass window just like in a bank, presumably to prevent parents from reaching over the desk to throttle her.
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Marylou »

It's a PA/receptionist/protect-the-boss/organization-at-all-costs power thing. I once attended a training module entitled "How to get past the Rottweiler".

(Our school receptionists are all lovely, BTW! :) )
Marylou
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Snowdrops »

Whoa there, ladies. Not all school secretary's/receptionists are horrid.

The school secretary at dd's primary was an absolute angel. She used to administer dd's medication to save me having to travel a 3 mile return trip 4 times a day every time dd had ear infections/operations - of which she had innumerable infections and 5 operations. Once, the packing from dd's ears started to unravel (the ear canals are packed with long strands of cotton wool and it measures yards and yards, and are full of blood and goodness knows what!) it sent me into fainting fits I can tell you. But when it happened at school the secretary very calmly 'phoned me to tell me it had happened again and did I want her to snip it off - me, I'd have run a mile!

I also did my stint as a school secretary when my two elder children were young. I like to think I was one of the helpful ones and would go out of my way to 'make things happen' for parents.

I think the unhelpful ones just like to be on power trips. How you deal with them is another matter - perhaps taking your request higher up and letting it be known (subtly) that you have already asked for this but were getting nowhere fast?
Image
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Doblinski »

Thanks for your views, glad I'm not the only one and glad too that some are truly helpful. And another thing....

When a Dad comes to her window, esp the rather deep voiced French dad in year 4 she falls over herself to oblige:

"Oh Monsieur X, you would like me to look for your son's plimsols that may be lost somewhere in the school - no problem I'll go right away!'' Laughs conquettishly whilst flicking her hair. Grr grr!
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by mystery »

Oh I met some prize ones when I was applying for schools, including the one at the best school by a mile who clearly considered it was illegal to apply over the county boundary for a school, and even more so for people living in the town I live in (look down nose). It was quite some effort to prise a prospectus and application form out of her sticky mitts.
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Doblinski »

Why oh why do these ''Rottweiler" (another good word ML) types go into public service? Why dont they go organise a small country or something? :twisted:
Last edited by Doblinski on Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Doblinski »

PS Marigold - yours made you cry - that's bad! Sorry to hear that
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by marigold »

Being of a certain age I tend to cry rather easily.

I felt a bit guilty when I posted but doblinski really struck a chord. I am happy to report that senior school receptionists are a totally different breed and cannot be more helpful, especially when, for the third day running I took in forgotten items for my son.
That was last term I must add, I am not so stupid as to do it any more.
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: School receptionists some are lovely, and some are *****

Post by Doblinski »

Snowdrop

Good luck on the diet thing, I've got some to lose too, but ate chocolate cake yesterday :(
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