Circle time and psychological profiles

[frogs]

My dd1 (Yr 4) reports the following, some of which is substantiated by a parent/classroom assistant I am friendly with.

Apparently the school now have someone who comes in to do circle time with the juniors, and is also writing psychological profiles of the children.

My dd hates the circle time, as do most of the brighter kids. They think it is cringy and embarassing -- it is also used by some of the kids to conduct nasty vendettas amongst themselves in a way that wouldn't be obvious to anyone who didn't know the children and their group dynamics very well.

The person conducting this is (again apparently) an ed psych or training to become so. She also takes groups of kids out to play board games, and is apparently making written psychological profiles of them. Another parent has seen her child's profile (which she disagreed with strongly), and there was a whole page for my dd1 (who comes after her dd in the alphabet) but she couldn't see what was written.

Question to all teachers: is this normal practice? Are they allowed to carry out psychological profiling without telling/asking the parents? Is this going to be part of the child's school records? Question to other parents: How would you feel about this?

All opinions gratefully received!

[Janh]

frogs, must say (as a parent) I wouldn't be happy about it happening without informed consent. I assume the profiles are part of the ed psych's portfolio (?) rather than the children's school records but I would want to know that too.

I think you should speak to the class teacher about it and if what you are told isn't satisfactory then see the head.

[shrub]

frogs - as a parent i would feel very strongly that my child wasn't used as some sort of experiment in this way. i would be horrified. so you weren't informed? is this legal? and the fact that this person is a trainee could potentially have implications that he/she is not qualified to interpret correctly the 'profiles'of the children he/she has created. in addition i have recently read that the children bill currently before parliament is seeking unlimited powers to share info about all children and their parents, (not just children at risk). there will be no rights to consent or to exercise control of the info. and we will not know if that info is correct.
this may become law by july 2004

[WideWebWitch]

Agree with Janh. I wouldn't be happy with this either. Bloody hell shrub, really? Given the lost mothers thread amongst other things, this is terrifying.

[frogs]

Don't know nuffink about it except what I've heard off the grapevine from daughter/friend. We don't know what the status of this person is, but think she's doing the profiles for the school rather than for herself. Clearly the circle time thing is designed to improve the kids' emotional literacy, but it seems to be wide of the mark as they're all very cynical about it.

I just found it alarming that this kind of work could be carried out without the parents being informed/asked.

[Hulababy]

As a teacher I have no idea if this allowed or normal, sorry. As a parent I would not be happy if I wasn't asked and consulted with before and after it happened.

[mummytojames]

in my opinion the ony things schools should be writing about is there grades or if they have and concerns (as in notes to discuss with the parent)

[twogorgeousboys]

Am a teacher, but currently on career break.

Your post makes uncomfortable reading and you are right to question what's going on.

I don't know enough about codes of practice in relation to ed psychologists, but this does seem irregular to me. Even if she is training to be an ed psych and she is doing some sort of coursework/in school placement, then the parents of the children in the classes involved should really have had a letter from the Head explaining that this would be happening (in the same way as parents are usually advised when student teachers will be in school). If it is coursework, then I would have thought that when the info is used in any assignment, any observations about children are not personalised, ie are anonymous and would not be used in any school records.

[littlemissbossy]

As a parent, not teacher, IMO the school should have informed you before the visits started AND asked for your consent. I'm quite disgusted that they haven't TBH.

[jampot]

I would be absolutely horrified to hear that my kids were being profiled for any reason. My daughter's year are told they must not discuss circle time issues outside of the classroom and that includes telling their parents of any discussions. This really encourages children to have secrets from their parents IMO and puts an unnecessary burden on relatively young shoulders.

[Jimjams]

This sounds really strange- mainly because most LEA ed psychs don't have the time to do something like this- huge caseloads and all that. It just makes me wonder whether its a student- and whether its for a project of something. Of course permission should still have been asked. I would ring the head on Monday am and ask what's going on.

[Jimjams]

Thr profiling wouldn't bother me so much- but then I am used to reams and reams and reams of assessments and pages of profile on ds1. All starting with "ds1 is a delightful child" (at which stage you start to worry- it is professional colde - for run for the hills.


I luuuuurrve not having a single report on ds2!

[hmb]

I don't know anything about this sort of profiling.

I am currently making a portfolio for an education qualification. I have to ask questions to students about a wide variety of things like what they think about trips outside school, and what they think about school reports. Their views are listed, but no names, or any identifying information of any kind is used. I have also written descriptions of how childeren respond to different learning environments. Would people be upset at this? (an honest question btw)

[Ghosty]

jampot ... that is awful about not telling parents ... agree that it encourages keeping secrets from parents which is WRONG! I think I would complain if I were you.
When I was teaching we had a policy that basically said that the educational and emotional development of a child was a three way thing ... The Child, the Parent/Guardian and the School being the three points of the triangle.
Frogs, why don't you ask the teacher about it?

[tigermoth]

this would worry me too. What happens if the ed psych tells the teacher 'x' seems to have a problem' OK the teacher may think 'x' has as small problem, but if the ed psych really builds it up, it could alter the teacher's attutide to 'x'. It depends on how much respect the teacher has for the trainee ed psych's views, but it she is respectful of them, these profiles could have a far reaching influence.

And the ed psych might be trying to find probs and issues where none exist, to make it look like she is on the ball. I mean, she can hardly put on her reports time and time again 'went to year x circle time, children happy and attentive, no specifically good or bad issues to report' Don't know much about ed psychs admittedly, but reading posts on here, it seems they do come up with a lot of odd, inaccurate stuff on occasion.

As a parent I would want to know much more about this - and, if my child was named, to see what has been written about them. I would want to know if the teacher, or anyone at this school would be looking at the report, whether my child was named or not.

[jampot]

My ds had to complete (as did the whole class) an anonymous drug awareness questionnaire after listening to a passage or something. Can understand this and I wouldn't be upset about asking childrens' views on school/educational issues. However profiling is a completely different thing. When I worked for a large firm at our summer party one of the activities was handwriting analysis and various key members had had their handwriting analysed without their knowledge apparently. Of course everyone sat in for the anon analysis and the analyser said that a large percentage of them had homosexual tendancies - I think that activity was cancelled after the first sitting!!!


Having thought about it further, could it be possible the woman has to prepare a profile on just one child but is working round the class so as to not alert anyone?

[collision]

I would be horrified and would go in and see the headteacher on Monday. When you think of the data protection act which is supposed to protect people this is surely contrary to what is happening at your school! You dont even know who this person is.....not that I am trying to scare you.....but honestly, you should have had a letter stating all the facts and then you should have to give written consent to allow your child to take part in this. I would be very cross.

[jampot]

Just remembered another incident, a friend of mine who has not got the best reputation at the school has a son in the same year as my ds. He is behind in his work and goes out for special needs. He has been assessed by ed professionals and I think the diagnosis was that he was disruptive and unwilling to learn. It turns out he could barely see and was dyslexic and now he has his little glasses his work has totally turned around.

[frogs]

jimjams at "delightful child"!!

Thank you for your responses -- I'd wondered whether maybe I was being a bit paranoid.

The notes are definitely being used by the class teacher, as another child's parent queried some aspect of her daughter's interaction, and the teacher trotted off to get the file with the profiles in. Her daughter's included a whole load of stuff on how upset the child allegedly was that her father didn't live with them and how she has a problem with authority, none of which really rings true, as the girl is a complete sweetie and they were all glad to see the back of the dad.

This same child, who is quite perceptive, has said repeatedly that she doesn't like this woman 'because she tries to change your feelings'. I was interested to hear jampot say that her daughter has been told not to discuss circle time -- I find the whole thing quite creepy.

You've all inspired me with confidence -- I shall go and see the class teacher after school on Monday and find out what the deal is.

[twogorgeousboys]

If the notes are definitely being used by the teacher, without parental knowledge or permission, then this is deeply worrying. Hope you get it sorted out. I would be very unhappy as a teacher being involved in this without parental permission, particularly given the nature of some of the content of the profiles you have described.

Also, the attitude towards circle time sounds very unhealthy and IMO dangerous. It appears to be being used to write profiles of which parents have no knowledge. The children are told not to discuss it with anyone, including parents. When you speak to the head, bring up the whole circle time thing too - it sounds dreadful.

[Jimjams]

frogs- your second post has me more worried! I think you need to find out what is going on.

The "evil" nursery kept a profile (done by the girls) on each child- and I read ds1's and was horrified- it was completely warped! So yes foind out what is going on- and ask to read your child's profile.

[jampot]

Presumably parents have free access to their child's records? I'm going to ask my school on Monday if they keep profiles. Would be particularly interested in my dd's as the teacher put her on IEP for social and emotional development (she's a "not in your face" child)

[marialuisa]

Just seen this is she's doing any sort of official Psychology based training you would have to have given your written consent for your child to be included in the sample.

This all sounds very odd, will be interested to hear what class teacher has to say...

[tallulah]

My DS's primary had links with the local Uni & we regularly got letters saying they wanted to use the children for some sort of experiment (nothing sinister!) & would we send back the form to say whether OR NOT we agreed to them taking part. I didn't think schools were allowed to do anything like this without permission?

Does the Data Protection Act cover school records?

[sammac]

About 4 years ago had a student ed psych in with class to do circle time BUT it was about circle time, not the kids. We had never done it before and she and 2 others were working with teachers and children to get it up and running. DEF no profiles of children or any other assessment of children. I am positive a leter was sent home, as it would when any student is working in class. Worst thing about it was that she sprinkled magic dust on them,ie glitter, and it was everywhere- could just picture the cleaner and the parents up at me complaining.

[hmb]

I'm interested in some feed back.

I have asked children questions about the school's report system (ie how helpful they find it etc), also setting targets and out of school trips.

No names are used in the write up I do. Would you expect to be asked for your permision for this sort of thing? The children are 11-18.