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Original poster

I'm a teacher and was asked to declare if my child is sitting A-levels this year - anyone else?

41 replies

chuckingitin · 27/05/2025 19:15

Just that, really (and thought I'd post on here for more chance of a response).

I'm a humanities teacher in a secondary school and this year I was asked to register if I had a child sitting A-levels (not specifically in my subject).

This didn't happen when my DC were doing GCSEs so wondered if this is something new?

And why would they need to know that one of my children is taking A-levels?

OP posts:
Fourteenandahalf · 27/05/2025 22:23

I've never been asked this as a teacher. Why is this a conflict of interest? Am I being thick?

I declare this as an exam marker, but not as a teacher.

Foxesandsquirrels · 27/05/2025 22:20

chuckingitin · 27/05/2025 20:07

OK that's interesting. Btw DC is sitting at a different centre/school.

I was not asked for when my DC was sitting GCSEs (I was working in state then; DC always at independents).

Why is it conflict of interest if I'm not teaching the subject they're sitting?

I'm assuming because working in education makes you privy to more info than most people would have in this area, even if you don't teach it. Idk though, just a guess!

madnessitellyou · 27/05/2025 21:24

We have to do this too and as an examiner, I declare my own and both my dds’ schools. School asks for even a tenuous link and will risk assess from there.

I don’t view it as any sort of issue.

MrsHamlet · 27/05/2025 21:02

My school asks all of us every year.
I also have to declare it to the exam board I mark for.

privatenonamegiven · 27/05/2025 20:35

chuckingitin · 27/05/2025 20:07

OK that's interesting. Btw DC is sitting at a different centre/school.

I was not asked for when my DC was sitting GCSEs (I was working in state then; DC always at independents).

Why is it conflict of interest if I'm not teaching the subject they're sitting?

Seems odd and most centres and exam board leave up to the teachers to declare this sort of stuff themselves. Odd they have asked you directly.

privatenonamegiven · 27/05/2025 20:32

Only asked to do this when marking for the exam board, and if marking a subject they are taking. As a potential conflicted of interested.

Xiaoxiong · 27/05/2025 20:27

I'm not a teacher but maybe they need to manage the risk that a teacher might have advanced sight of a paper, maybe as an invigilator or an exams officer, and let slip to their exam-sitting child what's on there? I can imagine the temptation could be huge - 99.9999% of teachers would never ever do it, but some people are willing to truly do anything for their kids.

ElizabethVonArnim · 27/05/2025 20:18

Ooh, that’s interesting. Did they ask for your children’s names? I wonder whether they are continuing the ‘Do teachers’ children do better?’ research.

Original poster
chuckingitin · 27/05/2025 20:07

OK that's interesting. Btw DC is sitting at a different centre/school.

I was not asked for when my DC was sitting GCSEs (I was working in state then; DC always at independents).

Why is it conflict of interest if I'm not teaching the subject they're sitting?

OP posts:
DongDingBell · 27/05/2025 20:03

We are an 11-16 school, but every year everyone is asked to declare if they have a family member sitting GCSE's - either in that centre or a different centre.

Foxesandsquirrels · 27/05/2025 19:31

This is so interesting! Makes sense but you don't think of this

Bobbybobbins · 27/05/2025 19:30

Yes we are always asked this. We have quite a few staff children at my school too, and last year a child of the leader for assessment was taking exams- they had to have their key for the exam office taken away temporarily.

noblegiraffe · 27/05/2025 19:22

At my school we're asked every year if we're helping any family member to prepare for an exam with a coursework component. I've helped family members with maths but that doesn't have any coursework so don't matter.

Spirallingdownwards · 27/05/2025 19:18

They should for gcses too. Perhaps it was picked up on their last JCQ inspection that they weren't doing this.

Also is there any chance you may be asked to invigilate for A levels and they therefore need to know. We asked for disclosure even if child was at another school and doing different exam boards.

Strawberriesforever · 27/05/2025 19:17

Surely they just want to make sure you aren’t marking their coursework or exams?

swashbucklecheer · 27/05/2025 19:16

It's a potential conflict of interest. It's not new.