Will always recommend against this school because its principal!

After searching for 3 months for a new school for our son we finally settled on Prestige Academy in Waverly. Initially, it appeared to be very organized and well resourced. However as the new school year commenced, it became apparent that it was not the case. On arrival on the first day in 2018, the new school principal (whom we were not informed about) did not even indicate who she was, and therefore we assumed that she was, in fact, a teacher from another class. 3 weeks had passed where we had walked in through the main reception area to get to our kids class, and not once were we introduced to or engaged by the school principal who had been sitting in the reception every morning upon our arrival. After enquiring, we found out that Elriza Saayman, was indeed the new principal, and requested a one-on-one meeting with her to no avail. Matters really came to a head when we attended the school’s first parent teachers meeting. Initially, we sought to only raise our concerns about the prolonged (month long) school holiday and the non-existent holiday program, and the non-functional video camera system. However, sitting through the meeting we realized that there were a plethora of issues and many of which were unresolved and uncommunicated since 2017. As much as this was alarming to us, we were even more astounded by the manner in which we were communicated to by Elriza Saayman. There were numerous statements from the principal of “refusal to respond to e-mails from parents” and “refusal to discuss matters telephonically”. When she was politely asked about delayed school memorabilia, she responded to the enquiring parent “do not crucify me for the delayed shirts and caps”. Coming away from this meeting and despite our anxiety and alarm at the disarray in the school, my partner and I resolved to make the most of the situation and help the school and parents find a quick solution to the matters outstanding. Therefore we offered to create minutes of the meeting and share them with the school WhatsApp group. Many parents agreed with the solution and offered their version of minutes. No sooner had parents began to share the issues raised at the meeting then the principal posted on the group reprimanding parents for using the WhatsApp group for the collation of minutes and items raised. She immediately proceeded to remove all participants from the group and thereafter deleted the group. Again astounded by the behavior, we resolved to create a separate parents group where we could still ensure that all matters raised at the Parent teachers meeting were indeed followed up on. Again we received valuable and productive participation from many parents on the group. As this was a diplomatic attempt to help assist with the outstanding school issues, my partner contacted the school to discuss the rationale and peaceful, transparent intent of the WhatsApp chats to help progress and advance both the parents and schools interests. Only a short while into her discussion with the school principal, she encountered difficulty in explaining the productive yet peaceful intent and the principal responded by throwing the phone down on her. My partner immediately called the schools’ head office in Umhlangha, to indicate the events that transpired in one morning and the appalling behavior on the Principal’s part. Unaware of the mornings encounter with the principal, my mother-in-law proceeded to pick up my son early from school, as was routine. Upon her arrival at the school, my Mother-in-law was met by the principal who then, inexplicably informed my mother-in-law who now had my son in her arms that “ if he leaves now, then he is no longer welcome at the school”. Overwhelmed and unaware of what had transpired earlier in the day, she left the school alarmed, emotional and confused and immediately contacted my wife, saying that they were kicked out of the school. My wife then went on to attempt to contact the owner and the school Franchisor. And only after much frustrating effort was my wife able to get through to the Franchisor again, who was then informed of the day’s events. They were shocked at the manner in which Elriza Saayman conducted herself, as the school principal. The school head-office then advised that they would need to look into the matter and only much later in the day did we get feedback where several explanations were afforded but no apologies from the head office. Only the following week did we eventually hear from the owner and the franchise head office who were now apologetic. Interestingly there was still no Apology from the Principal, Elriza Saayman’s for her irrational behavior. Even with the apology from Head Office, we still felt violated and wronged, as the principals' decision to ban our son was directed at 2 completely innocent and absolutely unaware people (Grandmother and grandson) who should never have been put in that situation. Any grievances or frustrations should have been directed at us, the parents, and not at complete innocents. We, therefore, complied with the instruction of the principals' instructions despite the diplomatic request from the franchisor and the school owner to return to the school. Never in my life as a parent to 4 children (3 older daughters) have I ever experienced such contempt from a care-giver or school representative. Not only do we take absolute offence to the manner in which we and our son have been treated but we are also completely inconvenienced and set back by having to put our son back in his previous school and make (restart) preparations to find a newer school.