So we have been in Kings Lynn now for a while and
our new house for a few weeks and what are my likes a dislikes so far.
Likes are in no particular order:
Sitting in the conservatory.
Having so much space
Kids having nice bedrooms.
The quiet
No problem parking
Watching the birds feed
Helen less tired and much more happy
Schools are close
Traffic is less
Get to places easy
Beach is 20 minutes away
Shopping is good
House is lovely and nicely decorated
Not having to worry about noise we or kids are
making as we are detached.
Not having to worry about who might move in next
door because we are detached
Slower pace of life
Kids are happy
Dislikes are in no particular order
Being away from friends and family
Noise of music from garden over the back when they
are in pool – too far away to hear music but all we get is the thud of the
base.
Not knowing anyone yet.
So as you can see the likes far out way the
dislikes.
Helen has had all sorts of problems registering
with agencies to get supply work. Lets go through the issue. A few months ago
she contacted Key Education Services and Norfolk Council.
She provided them with details and then met them in
early August so we would be registered by September.
Key would provide her some work but not much, the
council was important as once registered there she could go round herself to
local schools.
Key worked quickly and got both references needed
and all was good.
Norfolk Council however were not so efficient. They
received one reference back but the email to Helen’s last Head teacher bounced
back. They did not tell us this but instead posted a reference to the school.
Only on us chasing did we find this out, obviously the head did not get this
until they returned to school in September. Had they contacted us we could have
checked the address. It was also not helped by the person dealing with it being
away on holiday until start of September and no one else had access to his
emails.
Anyhow last week the head confirmed he had dealt
with it. This week we ring to see if they have it back and they still have not
got it. They rung the school and emailed the reference request. School
confirmed they had it. We emailed the head asking if he could turn this email
round quickly, he then replied strangely – “this should have been faxed I will
check”. So now we do not know if he will email it, or fax it and if faxing does
it go back to head office or to the people we are dealing with.
So at this time the Council registration is in
limbo and we just do not know when it will be cleared and so much time has been
wasted.
Back to Key. We rung last week to check to see how
that was going but they had forgotten to request the CRB from Norfolk Council.
They said they would do this. Today finally we have confirmation that Helen is
registered with them.
During all this time another Agency Ranstad were
pestering Helen to register with them, as they had loads of work in Kings Lynn
but few staff. We did not want to pay for another CRB but they were so
desperate they agreed to pay it. Last week Helen went for interview and filled
in forms.
Yesterday we rung to find out how it was
progressing and the rep there said they were waiting for Helen to return
application, she told them she filled this in on the day. After checking it
seems she did and they had mis filed it. The apologised and said they would
email out reference requests immediately. Helen spoke to one of the people she
put down for a reference that night and they confirmed nothing had been
received. We will be chasing this to find out why.
So at the moment Helen is registered with one out
of three of the Agencies. The one is the last one on the list of importance and
once again it has been a painful process.
I think Helen has learned what I already knew. You need
to chase, chase and chase with these things. Treat everyone as being
incompetent and you will not be disappointed and you will not waste days and
weeks when thinking things are progressing when in fact they are not.
