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Original poster

School banning class WhatsApp group

71 replies

Toobe · 09/09/2020 23:17

DC just started Y3. ‘Headmaster’s Wife’ (an official role) announced that there would be no year WhatsApp group and all communication would be via the school. Class rep promptly deleted the group.

At a complete loss why they’d do this. Only 19 in year so not too big. Suddenly arranging parties (when we can), checking dates, reminders etc have all stopped. It seems especially crazy during Covid when all the parents can’t get together and some are shielding.

Is this a thing, has anyone else’s school done this?

OP posts:
ChesterDrawsDoesntExist · 10/09/2020 00:09

Get your own!

The school can't stop you. Find them on FB and invite them. Ask them in person for their numbers. Whatever. Job done.

ChesterDrawsDoesntExist · 10/09/2020 00:16

Oh and DD(10's) class has had a group for about 4 years now as it was formed for parents to try and figure out what the hell the homework was about every week. The (cool but... eccentric) teacher set some really complicated and unclear work and the kids sometimes had to figure out what they were to do. Us parents had to get our heads together and piece it together from what our kids thought. The group remained quiet until it was needed again to find out if PE day had changed days or what to get a teacher retiring and now, if the school trip is going ahead and if not who's had a refund yet.

Chloemol · 10/09/2020 00:16

Just set up your own WhatsApp group

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Pieceofpurplesky · 10/09/2020 00:19

I want to know the role of the Headmaster's Wife

GlummyMcGlummerson · 10/09/2020 04:52

WTF is a Headmasters Wife?! Surely not an actual role in the school?

I'd set up another one without the snitch class rep as admin. You're grown adults they can't tell you you can't have a WhatsApp group!!

AlternativePerspective · 10/09/2020 05:08

Thank God we never had such things as class reps and class WhatsApp groups when mine was in primary.

TBH I can understand why the school don’t want to be linked to some WhatsApp group which people A, may not have access to, and B, is used as a means of communication between parents. If someone isn’t on WhatsApp for any reason then they will miss out official communications.

There’s nothing to stop parents creating an independent group but tbh I agree that official communications should go through the school.

And if parents really can’t figure out how to give the new parents the WhatsApp number then that is a clear indication that the parents already have their little clique where only this one person (supposed class rep) has control of who does and who doesn’t join.

And our school had a head mistress. I want to know why her husband didn’t have a role. Grin

Mummyoflittledragon · 10/09/2020 05:21

I’d create a new group but give it a couple of weeks. This sounds like private school maybe with buses etc. Tricky to get tel now perhaps. You should have those of former members and between you, you’ll get the others.

Silvercatowner · 10/09/2020 05:34

I want to know the role of the Headmaster's Wife

Me too! I want to know how she got the job - since its "official" - how was it advertised and what was the recruitment process like??

DarkMutterings · 10/09/2020 05:43

I suspect they mean official communication will not be by WhatsApp - which I see some schools shifting to because not everyone uses WhatsApp, it's hard to communicate long messages, the twenty thousand 'thanks' '👍' or questions asking something that was already covered are really annoying!

Have a WhatsApp group, if there's a new parent, then make friends and invite them to join. Use it for gossiping, ad hoc checking of dates and homework. Just don't assume it's official so check your email or whatever platform the. School use for accurate information

oakleaffy · 10/09/2020 05:53

@Pieceofpurplesky

I want to know the role of the Headmaster's Wife
Cooking the Headmaster's dinner, and ironing his shirts... It sounds a bit ''Mrs Prendergast'' to me..All shorts and canes.
zigaziga · 10/09/2020 05:54

Can / does the Headmaster’s Wife send out official school emails (“from the office of the Headmaster’s Wife”)? How did she issue her edict?

Cissyandflora · 10/09/2020 06:10

What they mean is there won’t be an official group. They won’t use a group for giving out information on an official basis. This does not stop you having as many groups as you like for the purposes of support/ socialising/ friendship. As you were.

OverTheRainbow88 · 10/09/2020 06:12

Just set up the group, give it a name which doesn’t use the schools name... can’t see the problem. During lockdown our nursery wanted to keep doing readings/singing on Facebook which is run by one of the workers on furlough so they changed the name of the group.

I think your description of the Headteacher’s wife was pretty degrading. The fact she’s his wife is irrelevant, you could have used her job title. Such as, the deputy head messaged us etc!

reefedsail · 10/09/2020 06:13

I expect they've been bitchy and/ or overactive and there have been complaints.

My school (thank god) does not have whatsapp groups and we all manage to find out all the trivial last minute information and (used to) invite each other to parties just fine.

My friend has an overactive class whatsapp group, she sends me screen shots so we can laugh at the silly posts (I don't know... DOES Bertie need both his hockey socks tomorrow? It doesn't specifically mention TWO socks on the email...)

pinkbalconyrailing · 10/09/2020 06:14

a whatsap group can never be official via school due to gdpr issues.
anything official need to come - gdpr compliant - via the school's secure communication route.
whatsapp for parents groups are absolutely fine if parents are happy to sign up for it (not everyone will)

zigaziga · 10/09/2020 06:27

a whatsap group can never be official via school due to gdpr issues.

Hm most of them blur the lines a bit don’t they? Ours was definitely encouraged by school and set up by class reps.
The school don’t issue big announcements via it of course, that’s comes via email, but you do get class reps posting that Mrs Smith reminds the class to wear WHITE socks with their PE trainers please etc quite regularly so teachers are passing on information to the WhatsApp group.

blackhorses · 10/09/2020 07:03

Ooooh you could have fun with this. The new group could be "definitely 100% not the class whatsapp for x class" or "parents of x class who happen to be friends" or "secret squirrels" or "underground class x group" or. . . .

Dozer · 10/09/2020 07:08

Easy enough for parents to set it up and, as a group, get new parents’ numbers and add them.

Redlocks28 · 10/09/2020 07:08

Does she have a job in the school? Is this a private school?

PaternosterLoft · 10/09/2020 07:10

Our school teeters on the fence with WhatsApp in that they want/need/expect the class rep to pass on information - the office nor the teacher have time to do so; but they also want to be in control of what else is said in the groups. So after a lot of messing around there's a WhatsApp policy which basically says 'don't slag off the school, the teacher or any pupils in the official class whatsapp group'

They did try a period of not having any class reps or class lists or contact details for parents but ended up with the office and the teacher constantly being asked questions that the class reps had previously dealt with like do they need blazers, what's the homework, when is X, can I do Y. And also it was far more difficult to organise the PTA - and the income went right down, right away. It took all of two terms to go back to having a class rep.

GenericFemalePal · 10/09/2020 07:13

Sounds like most schools to me. They won’t share contact info, you have to find out numbers gradually via notes or chatting at drop off, and just add people in.

NataliaOsipova · 10/09/2020 07:14

In fairness, could be a GDPR thing (they can’t give out numbers) or they just want to stick to official lines of communication. That’s actually all fine and sensible. But nobody, headmaster or his wife, can tell a group of adults that they can’t communicate as they choose via any medium....

Cookiecrisps · 10/09/2020 07:19

My children’s school haven’t banned class WhatsApp groups but they had to get involved with the yr 5 and 6 ones that the children set up themselves. Racist and homophobic language as well as swearing was prevalent and a few parents complained to the school so school had to step in to sort it. This is different to your situation though as your group is for parents only by the sounds of it.

In a parents WhatsApp the school shouldn’t have to step in and sort problems within the group. It should be used as you’ve said for information sharing (but within the realms of data protection which schools are accountable for.)

The other issue schools often face with parent groups is that problems which should be sorted directly with the school / TA / teacher are not raised with them just complained about. This happens on the parents Facebook group and has caused a lot of problems which could have been avoided if contact had been made with the school in the first place giving them a chance to resolve it. This is especially true since parents have teachers’ work email addresses so can contact directly and response is required within 48 hours.

Cookiecrisps · 10/09/2020 07:21

at my school they have teachers’ email addresses

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/09/2020 07:26

Just set up a new one