Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

The same child got all the jobs AGAIN

109 replies

Year5ClassJobs · 08/09/2023 16:21

Children are Year 5, 3 classes per year.

Each class has 1 boy and 1 girl in school council, 1 boy and 1 girl on the eco-council then Year 5 have 1 boy and 1 girl per house (3 houses) as Deputy House Captains, and Year 6 have 1 boy and 1 girl per house as House Captains (usually the ones who where DHCs in Year 5).

It’s supposed to be that you are only allowed 1 job per year, you can’t be on both councils or be on a council and be a House Captain.

Except the last 2 years the same girl has been on both councils for the class, and this year she’s been voted again and also given Deputy House Captain. There was literally no point in my DD standing up to do the speeches for each as when this girl stood up to do hers DD knew she’d get all the jobs again, and she did – shes the same team as my DD so DD had no chance.

It just seems wholely unfair. There’s no logic behind it, she’s a popular girl among the class but she’s not related to a teacher or anything so I don’t get it. Usually the HT is very fair and ensures each child only gets 1 job per year but this child seems to get round that rule.

I’m all for boosting the confidence of DC who need it, but it just seems unfair for this girl to stand up and get all the jobs when others have never had a chance.

I’m not going to complain, I did a few years ago when she was given School Council and Eco-Council and was told by the HT that she always ensures each child only gets 1 job and that all the Year 5s and 6s have equal chance of getting DHT or HC. And that any child who put themselves forward for any job that didn't get a job will be given a big part in the Year 6 end of school show.

Why does this happen though? Why is this one child allowed 3 jobs when 2 other DC who’ve never had a chance could do it?

OP posts:
OnAMidnightTrainToGeorgia · 08/09/2023 16:22

Her parents on the PTA?

CiderJolly · 08/09/2023 16:23

Did you dd even go for them?

CiderJolly · 08/09/2023 16:23

Your, sorry

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Primary education
Itslosenotloose · 08/09/2023 16:23

Parent will be a massive PTA lick arse.

Original poster
Year5ClassJobs · 08/09/2023 16:24

CiderJolly · 08/09/2023 16:23

Did you dd even go for them?

@CiderJolly She did her name was in the newsletter alongside everyone else who went for it thanking them for their speeches.

OP posts:
BoohooWoohoo · 08/09/2023 16:25

Do the teachers or kids vote?
My kids went to a state primary and things like this were a glorified popularity vote by the kids.

Original poster
Year5ClassJobs · 08/09/2023 16:26

BoohooWoohoo · 08/09/2023 16:25

Do the teachers or kids vote?
My kids went to a state primary and things like this were a glorified popularity vote by the kids.

@BoohooWoohoo Both, the children vote and then the final decision is down to the head of keystage and the headteacher.

OP posts:
modgepodge · 08/09/2023 16:26

As a teacher I can’t tell you how little influence the PTA have on my decisions on these type of things.

Are they voted by the children OP? If so, you have your answer - this girl is clearly popular. Whether or not that’s a good way to choose things or not I don’t know but if that’s the way they do it then that’s the reason. If selected by the teacher this is clearly rubbish.

At my school we also have the rule that children can’t do 2 jobs, and I’d they are voted for both we ask them to choose which they’d prefer. We also have the rule that they can’t do jobs in successive years, for exactly this reason - to give lots of people a chance.

In your situation I actually would complain as the school has gone against its own policy letting her do multiple jobs.

x2boys · 08/09/2023 16:27

I dont know but its annoying it was always the deputy heads daughter and teaching assistants son when my son was at primary school thankfully you dont get this nonsense at secondary school.

Original poster
Year5ClassJobs · 08/09/2023 16:27

modgepodge · 08/09/2023 16:26

As a teacher I can’t tell you how little influence the PTA have on my decisions on these type of things.

Are they voted by the children OP? If so, you have your answer - this girl is clearly popular. Whether or not that’s a good way to choose things or not I don’t know but if that’s the way they do it then that’s the reason. If selected by the teacher this is clearly rubbish.

At my school we also have the rule that children can’t do 2 jobs, and I’d they are voted for both we ask them to choose which they’d prefer. We also have the rule that they can’t do jobs in successive years, for exactly this reason - to give lots of people a chance.

In your situation I actually would complain as the school has gone against its own policy letting her do multiple jobs.

I complained a few years ago and got told that everyone gets the same chance and no-one is given more than 1 job so I'm not hopeful

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 08/09/2023 16:28

It's really bad isn't it.
It really annoys me this.
I think once they've had a job they shouldn't have it again, it should be someone else's turn who wants it.
I emailed my headteacher about this.I didn't complain but just suggested that next time they didn't have a job if they'd had it before in another year etc to give other people chances.
I didn't even get a reply!
But yes there's also a boy in my child's class who's got at least two titles, might even have three I can't remember.
But I guess it's the same as at my job really. You can work really hard but still miss out

FSTraining · 08/09/2023 16:29

In my experience, it's not worth hoping schools will give your child a fair go. There will always be so many pushy, pain in arse parents who make more of a fuss who will get their way. It's better to take the opportunity to teach your child that the world is corrupt, that the positions weren't earned fairly anyway and sign them up to some outside clubs instead.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/09/2023 16:30

Are the children voting? If so they will often choose the same confident/popular/articulate/competent child each time.

Original poster
Year5ClassJobs · 08/09/2023 16:31

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/09/2023 16:30

Are the children voting? If so they will often choose the same confident/popular/articulate/competent child each time.

Children vote but the final decision goes to the head of keystage and the headteacher apparently to stop this kind of thing!

OP posts:
User3735 · 08/09/2023 16:32

This stuff winds me up too. It will never change though, same when I was in school. My year 2 son said 'guess who got star of the week today?' And I guessed correctly and my husband said how on earth did you know that! Did you see it? Nope, just that pupil always gets it first, and multiple times through the year instead of once like everyone else, and wins all the competitions and gets main part in plays etc the same child even joined my son's dance class and won all the certificates on a competition on only her second week. Something is really off about it to me, either the child is genuinely amazing or the parents are manipulating somehow financially.

FSTraining · 08/09/2023 16:34

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Are the children voting? If so they will often choose the same confident/popular/articulate/competent child each time.

Fixed it for you. General elections work the same way!

Turtlegurl888 · 08/09/2023 16:36

I don't have primary aged kids yet but this has been a thing since I was at school 20 odd years ago. The same few kids always got the "best"/lead roles in all the school plays too.

Kaftankween · 08/09/2023 16:38

This brings back horrible memories of the same children getting star of the week every week or these council jobs. I used to feel really angry about it too. All I can say is with my daughter now in year 13, these random primary school nonsense jobs and accolades are a distant memory. Honestly, this too shall pass and really bloody quickly! Rise above. It’s meaningless. Let your kid know that. Wish I had.

rasellagirl · 08/09/2023 16:39

My DS is still smarting about the same classmate (TA’s DD) being allowed to take the Guinea pigs home every school holiday.
He’s 33

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/09/2023 16:40

FSTraining · 08/09/2023 16:34

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Are the children voting? If so they will often choose the same confident/popular/articulate/competent child each time.

Fixed it for you. General elections work the same way!

I don't think you fixed it very well though. In my son's class they always vote for a girl who is not really popular, but she is highly efficient and very Type A. The other children recognise that she will do a good job.

BellaAndDave · 08/09/2023 16:40

I agree with @modgepodge. I’d complain. When I was teaching I never liked a pupil voting system and fought to have something that was fair. In the end we brought in retired teachers who the children made a presentation to or some years it was members of staff from another school who made the decision. I preferred the independent approach tbh as there was no popularity contests or favouritism.

FSTraining · 08/09/2023 16:41

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/09/2023 16:40

I don't think you fixed it very well though. In my son's class they always vote for a girl who is not really popular, but she is highly efficient and very Type A. The other children recognise that she will do a good job.

Show quote history

Sounds like your son is in a class that's smarter than the UK electorate then!

purpleme12 · 08/09/2023 16:41

@Kaftankween mmm I certainly think at my job, it's still a popularity contest and doesn't always go to people who deserve it and it's about if the face fits. So unfortunately I think it's the same in other places in life

BellaAndDave · 08/09/2023 16:42

rasellagirl · 08/09/2023 16:39

My DS is still smarting about the same classmate (TA’s DD) being allowed to take the Guinea pigs home every school holiday.
He’s 33

😂😂. I’m still raging that I never got to take the class hamster home for holidays and I’m 53! It was always a girl that lived two doors down from the HT that got to do it.

Blinkinbloodyhayfever · 08/09/2023 16:43

This is pretty much standard. As my dd put it when she was at primary school: The golden child will get chosen to do everything right through school, oddly enough even when it's a random pull your name out of a hat00. The only change kids get to be chosen for a treat, apart from being the golden child, is to be really naughty, then then will be chosen for all the nice things to "encourage" them.