Wow. Pemberley. That school seems very locked down, I would have a problem with that. The elementary schools my kids attended wanted and encouraged parents volunteers. The school my DD attended K-8 and my son K-3rd was really encouraging of parents in the classroom. You HAD to sign in, and it was at teacher discretion/invitation. And there were certain times like during the state testing that no parents volunteers were allowed in the school. But mostly the school was really open, and it allowed me to observe my kids in class without being obvious about it. Once they hit 6th grade, the schools didn't want volunteers IN the classrooms, but there was still plenty to do. I spend a year working in the copy room at my son's junior high. And I still help a the PTA run student store at the High School.