Is this acceptable?

Weird - they usually have an answering machine.

How strange! Is the school back full time or is it an inset day? Any chance you could email the office and make an enquiry? Having worked in a school, I know how hard it can be to get through, but most schools have an answering machine message with 'press 1 for....., press 2 for ..... etc.
Hope you succeed soon.

No it's not acceptable, especially if the children are in school today. and I would say something when I got the opportunity.
Maybe try e-mailing them

Crossed posts

Could simply be out of order - I've had ringing out when mine was. If it's a real emergency I'd ring the LEA - they probably have an ex-directory number

Not all schools are back today - I think some are having a training day and I think some have cut back on secretarial hours due to funding crisis. An answer-phone facility on a day of closure just prior to the start of a new school year would probably be full up with messages in no time.

BUT, if school is back, then yes, odd and not good enough. I hope you get through soon MissA.

Ah, problem solved.
There was a fault with their phone. I was starting to fume!
And... breathe!

Well there you go - sometimes when something really surprising happens like a school not answering a phone, which is the most likely explanation - a) the school is quite happy to let the phone ring unanswered or b) the phone is out of order. It's a shame for anyone to jump the conclusion that puts the school in a bad light.

I suspect the phone is out of order, that's the most likely explanation. Possibly someone forgot to put the answer phone on.

Are my posts invisible?

Nope, a bit of agreement never goes amiss does it?

It certainly doesn't, I agree. I was getting het up because it took 35 phone calls to the pharmacy before they answered, a few days back. I wah starting to think nobody answered! Happy to be proved wrong.