Sahail AshrafBad Administration a Turn-Off?
November 20th 2006 02:18
Would bad administration turn you off enrolling your child in a pre-school or kindergarten? Do you think bad administration is a reflection on the institution itself?
I ask the question because I recently experienced extremely bad administration and it nearly stopped me from enrolling my daughter in the pre-school. I was very keen to get my child into this school, knowing of its great reputation. I was also aware that there were long waiting lists so I made my first enquiry when she was six months of age. I knew I was getting in early, considering she wouldn’t be starting until age two, but I was surprised by the difficulty I had in actually getting her enrolment in.
When I first enquired, the woman I spoke to said there was an information night coming up and that I could go to the pre-school for an observation. She told me she’d get someone to call me about this. Months went by and I heard nothing more. I rang again but was this time told there weren’t any information sessions at that time. A few more months went by. I did receive and information pack, complete with enrolment form, but no phone call. I rang again and said I would like to attend an observation and information session. I was again told I’d get a call about it. No call to me was forthcoming.
I left it for quite a while and finally decided I didn’t want my daughter to miss out on a place. I wrote a letter explaining I’d called several times with no response but would still love my child to attend the pre-school. I said I’d like someone to contact me about organizing an observation session. I sent the enrolment form and small enrolment deposit with the letter.
This time I did get a call. The woman was quite apologetic about my calls not being followed up and assured me I’d be rung about going in for an observation. I felt better about this – for a while – until a few weeks passed and I again received no phone call. I rang one last time and on this occasion managed to organize attending the observation session. The session was great, and confirmed that it was the ideal pre-school for my daughter.
A few months later I received a call advising me that the pre-school was beginning a playgroup if I’d like to attend. Excited, I put the start date down in my diary. A week before the playgroup was to begin I called the pre-school to check what time it starts and what I’d need to bring. I was told that they weren’t sure whether it would be going ahead that week or on the following one, but that I’d be rung about it.
I didn’t get a call before the proposed start date so I assumed it was postponed to the following week. The next week I still hadn’t received a call so I rang again to check the playgroup was going ahead. This time I got the answering machine so I left a message. I received no phone call by the second week and assumed it wasn’t going ahead. The day after the second session would have been run I got a flyer in the mail advising when it would start and including all the details of times etc. The only problem being that the commencement date was for two weeks previous.
I called yet again, explaining I just got this flyer but wasn’t informed it had begun. I was told I could still join the playgroup, even though I had missed the first two weeks. Not being a cheap playgroup, I asked about only paying for the weeks I attend, and was thankfully given a cheaper rate for the term.
I love the playgroup and pre-school but have been really, really unimpressed by the atrocious administration. Would you have gone ahead with your enrolment? Or have you ever had a similar experience? What did you do?
I ask the question because I recently experienced extremely bad administration and it nearly stopped me from enrolling my daughter in the pre-school. I was very keen to get my child into this school, knowing of its great reputation. I was also aware that there were long waiting lists so I made my first enquiry when she was six months of age. I knew I was getting in early, considering she wouldn’t be starting until age two, but I was surprised by the difficulty I had in actually getting her enrolment in.
When I first enquired, the woman I spoke to said there was an information night coming up and that I could go to the pre-school for an observation. She told me she’d get someone to call me about this. Months went by and I heard nothing more. I rang again but was this time told there weren’t any information sessions at that time. A few more months went by. I did receive and information pack, complete with enrolment form, but no phone call. I rang again and said I would like to attend an observation and information session. I was again told I’d get a call about it. No call to me was forthcoming.
I left it for quite a while and finally decided I didn’t want my daughter to miss out on a place. I wrote a letter explaining I’d called several times with no response but would still love my child to attend the pre-school. I said I’d like someone to contact me about organizing an observation session. I sent the enrolment form and small enrolment deposit with the letter.
This time I did get a call. The woman was quite apologetic about my calls not being followed up and assured me I’d be rung about going in for an observation. I felt better about this – for a while – until a few weeks passed and I again received no phone call. I rang one last time and on this occasion managed to organize attending the observation session. The session was great, and confirmed that it was the ideal pre-school for my daughter.
A few months later I received a call advising me that the pre-school was beginning a playgroup if I’d like to attend. Excited, I put the start date down in my diary. A week before the playgroup was to begin I called the pre-school to check what time it starts and what I’d need to bring. I was told that they weren’t sure whether it would be going ahead that week or on the following one, but that I’d be rung about it.
I didn’t get a call before the proposed start date so I assumed it was postponed to the following week. The next week I still hadn’t received a call so I rang again to check the playgroup was going ahead. This time I got the answering machine so I left a message. I received no phone call by the second week and assumed it wasn’t going ahead. The day after the second session would have been run I got a flyer in the mail advising when it would start and including all the details of times etc. The only problem being that the commencement date was for two weeks previous.
I called yet again, explaining I just got this flyer but wasn’t informed it had begun. I was told I could still join the playgroup, even though I had missed the first two weeks. Not being a cheap playgroup, I asked about only paying for the weeks I attend, and was thankfully given a cheaper rate for the term.
I love the playgroup and pre-school but have been really, really unimpressed by the atrocious administration. Would you have gone ahead with your enrolment? Or have you ever had a similar experience? What did you do?
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Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I've never come across anything this bad so I can't really comment. But playgroup should you give you enough of an opportunity to see things how they really are. Do the learning opportunities outweigh the admin nightmare?
Good luck!
Comment by Candice
Thanks for your comment! I'm glad I hung in there with the bad admin because the playgroup really is fantastic. There are so many learning opportunities for the children and the woman who runs the group gives us lots of general info and handouts. The other women in the group are also great and like-minded in their ideas on child raising.
It's interesting you mentioned talking to the other mums because one of the women is actually on the committee and is the treasurer so she's been great for finding out more about what's going on there with regard to admin etc.