Hi Everyone,
I visited my son's school today to see how he is progressing now he is in Year 5. I was really happy with the feedback I was given until his teacher informed me that she was now seeking permission from my ex to attend parent-teacher meetings in case it upsets her in any way. Is the teacher/ school right to be doing this as I thought I had equal rights with the resident parent to my son's education and well-being at school? Unless I phone the school, and ask to see a teacher, they never keep me informed of my son's progress, they don't send me his school reports, they never keep me notified if he's had sickness absence, they don't let me know of any special assemblies or school activities that I could attend and never send me notification of official school portrait photographs, I am always chasing them and sometimes I don't hear anything back from my inquiries at all.
My ex hasn't let me see my son now for nearly 12 months and stops contact as and when it suits her so I like to be able to visit the school and find out how my son is doing so I just need some advice as to whether the school should be seeking my ex-partner's approval for me to be there and whether my ex-partner can stop me from attending? I do not have any court orders against me and pay child support every month through a family based arrangement without fail.
Please can someone advise on the legalities of this matter and where I stand with the school over them seeking permission from my ex to be there?
Assuming you have PR, then you have every right to get information from the school, and I don't see any reason why they should need your ex's permission. I would remind them that they should be sending you a copy of all end of term reports without you having to ask each time - if they don't agree, speak to the head, and then to the education authority, with proof of PR.
I would take a look at the stick topics at the top of the legal eagle section on representing yourself and look at mediation initially to get contact back on a regular footing, and if no success there, then consider court for a contact order.
I agree with actd, except I would liaise directly with the head about this issue. As long as you are on the birth certificate or were married to the mother you have PR and are entitled to be kept informed of his progress at school etc.
I would also urge you to try and resolve the denial of contact, your son deserves to have you involved in his life!
Yep, Mojo's is a better answer 🙂
As the above person said, i think it is a good decision.