My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

AIBU to ask my sons nursery to stop using Sparklebox resources?

72 replies

pizzaqueen · 30/04/2013 19:58

My DS (2.5) attends a lovely private nursery 2 afternoons a week. I'm more than happy with his care and he is really happy there.

Today he brought home a 'home to nursery bag' each one has a different theme and the kids get to pick them to bring home. I was shocked to find some sparklebox resources and worksheets inside the pack.

For those that don't know sparklebox's owner (Kinge) was associated with having indecent images of children and sex offence charges a few years ago and many schools and childcare providers boycott sparklebox resources as a result.

More here: www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6041853

Would I be being unreasonable to draw the nursery's attention to this and explain I'm not happy about them using these resources? I don't want to come across as a trouble maker but this just sits really uncomfortably with me, I hate to think in a round about way I'm finding child pornography.

OP posts:
Report
pizzaqueen · 30/04/2013 19:58

Funding* not finding

OP posts:
Report
MissAnnersley · 30/04/2013 19:59

YANBU. I think it should be pointed out to them.

Report
ChasingStaplers · 30/04/2013 20:00

I am having the same dilemma. I noticed some pictures on the wall at my DC's nursery from sparklebox and w

Report
malteserzz · 30/04/2013 20:00

I would tell them, my local authority don't let schools use sparkle box any more.

Report
ChasingStaplers · 30/04/2013 20:01

Oops. Wondered if I should mention it.

Report
Justforlaughs · 30/04/2013 20:02

Mention it, they may not be aware of the situation

Report
McNewPants2013 · 30/04/2013 20:04

www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6041853

Yanbu i would bring this to the owners attention.

Report
KitNCaboodle · 30/04/2013 20:04

Some schools still use them but black out the sparkle box logo so that children do not see it and assume its a safe site.
I can understand your concern with funding as even though the resources are free there may be advertising on there.

Report
madamimadam · 30/04/2013 20:10

YANBU. I mentioned it to mine after I saw one. Didn't want anyone assuming it was anything other than a front for that awful man.

Report
FannyMcNally · 30/04/2013 20:19

We still use some old resources that are lying around but I tend to renew them if I spot them. We have used Twinkl.co.uk for some years now since it all blew up. I would mention it and then mention Twinkl as an alternative.

Report
pizzaqueen · 30/04/2013 20:40

Thanks everyone. Good to know its not just me who feels that way.

I've sent the nursery a polite email drawing their attention to it. Smile

OP posts:
Report
LindyHemming · 30/04/2013 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CloudsAndTrees · 30/04/2013 20:44

I thought sparklebox had been improved and made safe since the story a while ago?

The nursery that I used to work in did stop using sparklebox resources, but have since begun to use them again.

Report
ReallyTired · 30/04/2013 20:44

Prehaps the nursery do not know abou the darker side of sparklebox. I think you are right to draw the nursery's attention to that fact that sparklebox resources are made and marketed by a paedophile.

Report
HarrietSchulenberg · 30/04/2013 20:44

They'll know already but will be using up resources. At the end of the day, they're just resources and they were quite handy ones too.

Report
threepiecesuite · 30/04/2013 20:46

I used to use Sparklebox in my teaching and wasn't aware of this story.
I will not use them again. Yes, do let nursery (politely) know.

Report
Picturesinthefirelight · 30/04/2013 20:47

The website may have been made safer but the last I heard Kinge was still making money out of it.

Report
veryconfusedatthemoment · 30/04/2013 20:53

unfortunately my DS school uses sparklebox and no-one seems to mind. I definitely did mind the idea of that man being involved - it just seemed wrong somehow.

Clouds - do you have any more info?

Report
kim147 · 30/04/2013 20:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

manicinsomniac · 30/04/2013 20:57

meh, I think YABU. SParklebox resources are awesome and save a massive amount of time.

This is the first I've heard of any problems with the site, they've been used for years in my school and nobody's mentioned a word of this.

Regardless, using them or not is not going to harm or protect any children in a teacher's care or elsewhere, they're just great, colourful display resources.

Report
Hulababy · 30/04/2013 20:57

Sparklebox is barred from our LEA network, so not accessible at school. However, some teachers still use it where I work. They know my opinion on it and wherever possible I will not use the resources - I'd rather make my own or look elsewhere online. I hate it when I have no choice - sadly, I don't always get that choice (am a TA these days, if not knowing in advance and just presented with materials, etc).

Report
CloudsAndTrees · 30/04/2013 20:57

No, I don't, sorry, I wish I did! I'm reading this thread with interest and hoping someone that knows more will come along.

I had been told by my old boss that the site was safe to use so she was going to start using it again, and she had always to rid of the logo anyway. But it hadn't occurred to me that the guy might still be making money from the site.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

NotTreadingGrapes · 30/04/2013 20:58

That's hardly the point manic is it? Hmm

Report
HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 30/04/2013 21:00

Regardless, using them or not is not going to harm or protect any children in a teacher's care or elsewhere

I think the children being exploited in the child pornography that these resources are funding or have funded in the past would beg to differ.

There should be a 100% boycott of these products, no exception. It's disgusting.

Report
kim147 · 30/04/2013 21:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.