Is this much primary school info online normal?

[WatchfulParent]

I’m probably opening Pandora’s box here, but this is a subject I’ve been mulling over with no specific opinion on yet.

DD is about to start primary school, and I’ve been doing some online sleuthing.

I’ve been surprised by just how much information is available online through their website and social media. Thankfully, no personal details or anything like that but kids feature a lot in photos and videos (we haven’t given social media consent for DD). The school website also shares trip schedules (general location, not specific) and real-time updates on departures/arrivals on social media.

While I understand this is a convenient way for schools to communicate with parents, it’s open to anyone and everyone. This makes me feel uneasy, though I can’t quite pinpoint why.

Is this normal for most schools nowadays? If so, why is it necessary? Couldn’t this information be shared more securely through parent portals?

I’m genuinely trying to understand this or maybe just trying to make myself feel better about it.

We did scope out all considered schools before applying and although some of the others had less social media presence they were not a good fit overall for DD. This school seems brilliant overall but also very ‘public’.

We have extended family in the public eye (nothing major, think medium-sized social media famous), and public attention has never sat well with my partner or me.

Privacy and safety are high on our list of priorities, so this whole aspect of school communication has me thinking about it in general.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

(NC for obvious reasons)

It is, yes. If you don’t sign the social media/photo policy, schools either wont publish photos or will obscure faces. The trips thing is to prevent them having to contact each parent individually. I can understand your concern though. As a school, we have changed our policy and no longer use full names on photos etc.

This is completely normal, and the school would probably have a lot more complaints if they didn’t share information on their website because it’s helpful for most parents. As you have done, parents have the right to have their children excluded from photographs which is enough imo.

Ours doesn't. They sometimes put up a few photos after events and there's a class page where they do the same. But all information and where and when things are happening is only via paper letters and the school app that you have to be registered for.

Fair points @Haggisfish3 and @TinyYellow But there are also whatsapp groups for parents, so i would’ve thought that could be a more appropriate place?

But i see your points.

(edited as tagged the wrong pp)

@DappledThings I think this set up would probably feel a bit better, personally.

I assume the whatsapp group has nothing to do with the school, and is just set up by the parents for each class / year group?

The WhatsApp groups are usually set up by parents and are a toxic place where moans about teachers or some kid’s behaviour are bandied about. Steer well clear OP!

@Whinge I don’t know about the new school yet but DDs preschool had a whatsapp managed by the school and it was a great way to post stuff to us parents imo.

Not in my experience. Mine have been about making sure everyone has seen various bits of info about school events checking for lost jumpers, recommendations for plumbers and other local services and organising social events. Nothing toxic, although I know that's the popular stereotype.

School doesn't have oversight on Whatsapp groups etc.

What is it you're actually concerned about? As an example, I can't really see why a trip being public would be of concern?

I agree publishing of photos should be based on parents discretion, but overall I'm struggling to see what the general concern is.

No, not normal here.

Paper letter for consent for trips, details of trip etc to class children only.

A text to all class parents to say "were running late, expect us at X" or whatever.

It would be so much more of a faff to have to keep logging onto the website to see if there's any updates rather than them being just pinged to our phone.

We manage whole school trips several hours away with this level of communication. A text to say your class has arrived, one to say they're coming back. Photos are for display boards in hallways and classrooms. Handful of photos on the website.

I'm surprised the preschool used a whatsapp group to communicate, and that all parents / carers were happy for them to do so. The class / year group might have one, but it will be set up by the parents and the school will have nothing to do with it.

There is a DfE document which tells schools what must be online.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online

Other information, photos, curriculum days, trips, is evidence of learning, including the wider curriculum. OFSTED inspectors have time to research the school before the inspection, gaining evidence from what they see. The school website and other SM accounts are used in the inspectors information and evidence gathering. It isn't a definitive view that can't be changed or added to during inspection, but it gives the inspector a pretty good insight and first impression of the school they are inspecting. In my experience it gave some key lines of further enquiry.

A good first impression for parents thinking about admissions too. In one of my schools, in the month before admissions applications, views on the website increased from about 250 per month to nearly four thousand. Important in filling school places and maintaining the budget.

Under safeguarding and privacy/GDPR, of course every parent has the right to withdraw their own child from all photos.

@MarlieJae this is very useful, thank you!

Lots of schools have an app they communicate to parents for forms, money requests, newsletters.

WhatsApp is normally a parent only thing, can get out of hand but good if you need an information, look for a lost item or to share outfits for all the dress up days.

I think a pre-school is very differnt than a primary school with 7x 60 or more children so an app is a lot better than a WhatsApp group especially you could also access it online via a weblink to download or print forms.

Our school was good in keeping track on any photo permission and never ever added names anyway.

Information about trips were either without any dates, more a "see what we do in general" or Y4 trip to London" on the calendar.

The information on the websites are good as otherwise I would have to hunt down all the emails if I wanted to check in the office when the sportsday is and if I need to book the day off.

WhatsApp isn't appropriate as you get the contact info of everyone else - at least, I don't know if that can be hidden - and any response can be seen by all.

At my school we mainly use email to communicate with parents - any group of parents or individuals can be selected from the school data system. We can also send texts like this but have to pay extra so it's usually email.

We have a massive spreadsheet for each class, updated yearly, showing which children can have photos/ videosposted and where - there's about 12 categories - in school, on website, on external media etc. It complies with the GDPR requirements and we consult it as necessary.

We don't update the website on a daily basis but do put up photos etc re events that have taken place (more to advertise our school / inform than to directly message parents) and always follow GDPR requirements. As should all schools.

This sounds normal, yes. Presumably, if someone wanted to harm your child, it would be easier to just do at home where security is relatively lax, than to work out what school they go to, figure out a day they have a school trip, stalk the school Facebook page and show up at collection time to snatch them off the bus before they were handed over to you. You can always refuse consent for photos and videos to be used publicly though, lots of parents do and schools generally are very respectful of that.

All fair points made and I might well find that in time I appreciate the info being online and on social media.

I guess it’s all a bit new and like I said I have no firm opinion on it yet, I just felt a feeling and am mulling both sides over.

Useful to get experienced parents opinions.

My DCs primary school only had a Twitter/X account. They only posted about things the kids had got up to eg sports day and trips but after the event. They stopped using that in July 23 and the equivalent goes on the school website now but less frequently. Some children’s faces have big emojis over them to stop them being shown.
Any information re trip location and dates are all via a text/email system. I don’t see why if the info is being posted somewhere it can’t be done in a more private way. I would have thought they couldn’t make it public for safeguarding reasons. We’ve just had sports day and we were reminded not to put photos on social media for that reason. They said there are children that can’t be shown on social media. Made out it was more than just parents not consenting but for their safety. Unfortunately, it sounds like this school is in the minority and it isn’t that way generally but I am surprised given how much focus on safeguarding there is by ofsted.
We have what’s app groups with the mums from the year but school aren’t a member of those.

Both our schools do it the same as the OP's school. We don't have any WhatsApp groups as far as I know. We did briefly have a group on facebook messenger for ds3's class but there was a massive argument about the quality of the leavers hoodies so it was disbanded.

We thankfully never had a WhatsApp chat. We did have a private Facebook page - which was just for the primary year group. Was useful as people would put on spare costumes or when mufti days. Sorting help for PTA events. Asking for any spare tickets.

when your joined you agreed it would only been used for these purposes and anything about teachers or school would be removed.

Sad to close it when they all moved to secondary!

other than that it was all emails for primary parents with the info on. Just general calendar on the site (helpful to plan for book days/trips in advance)

Secondary - they do post but not faces. Been very helpful with times of events etc as they expect the children to be more independent. They use Twitter a lot - for example saying school trip for y8 arrived - nothing more than that but it’s an easy way to check.

Re the people saying that parents would be annoyed if the info wasn’t on social media. I suppose I only know the way that I experience but it’s really easy being sent a text message or email to give me the information I need. Checking social media seems more difficult. Although I know there was a thread recently was moaning about too much communication from school so I know you can’t please everyone!

At our primary school parents are given letters with the specific details about trips. Those letters/details are not on the school website. There will sometimes be photos on Twitter during the trip itself but mostly it's done later when staff have had time to check whether there are any children in the background who can't be on social media.

Any specific announcements during the day of the trip itself are sent directly to the parents by text. These are usually to say whether the coach is going to be back later/earlier than originally planned.

Staff are very much encouraged to post on social media about what children have been doing. As mentioned above, Ofsted are very big on parental engagement and it can be useful for families who are looking for a new school for their own child.

I would not be comfortable with real time location updates on social media, and I cannot see any reason why it would be necessary (or even helpful) for the school to do this. If our school started doing it I would absolutely expect an explanation and would complain if they didn’t have a very good reason!

We have two apps they can communicate through in real time, where parents get alerts to new messages.

Lots of photos are published, in accordance with parent approval. I can tell that some parents have said yes to their child’s photo being on the school app but no to social media, which I can quite understand. They try to stay on the ball - photos on the school app (you have to have a school account, but you can authorise other people, eg I’ve authorised my mum to have access) go up in more or less real time, social media tends to be that evening or the next day.

My kids' school have an app called Dojo which they post trip photos and general updates e.g. early finish tomorrow. You need a login from the school. It means things can't be seen by the public which I think is better.