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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think a local newspaper should not print full exam results

165 replies

petal2008 · 21/08/2014 13:22

Our local paper prints all the schools' a level and gcse results in their full glory, or not, as the case may be.

This is great for the A star pupils etc but I feel a bit sorry for those students who didn't do so well.

Not only have they possibly got the disappointment of the results but also the residents of the whole city and local villages seeing them as well.

Maybe you sign some sort of disclaimer with the school for them to disclose the results to the press, I'm not sure. I remember giving permission when my DC were at school for their photo to be published.

I just think it's not necessary.

OP posts:

SorryForTheTypos · 21/08/2014 13:24

I would have HATED this and I say this as someone who did fairly well!

Happy36 · 21/08/2014 13:27

Do you mean each student´s results? As in Mary got 8As and 1C?

If so that is horrendous and unacceptable! Surely it breaches data protection laws?!

FrootLoopy · 21/08/2014 13:27

Really? I can understand if they publish it with an ID number, but their full name? That's awful.

At Uni they used to put up results on the board, but with data protection they changed it to ID numbers with the results to keep it anonymous.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 21/08/2014 13:28

Just No!
Students should be able to choose who they tell and in how much detail.

Stinkle · 21/08/2014 13:30

Really? Full names?

As in John Blogs - 1 A, 3B, etc

If so, no, that's horrible.

Our local paper prints results but no names other than the school are used

i.e St Mary's School - A - 30, B 26, C 45, etc, etc

Vintagejazz · 21/08/2014 13:31

If the students are clearly identifiable in the article then that is outrageous. I'm surprised it's not against Data Protection regulations.

Original poster

petal2008 · 21/08/2014 13:32

Yes. It says Mary Smith: ABDE etc. It doesn't list the subjects. I remember it annoyed me when they printed my youngest DD's GCSE results. She did very well, A's and B's but also got two D's. I had an previous neighbour collar me in the supermarket to say "well done to DD on her results, shame about the two D's!" I was well pissed off.

OP posts:

Davsmum · 21/08/2014 13:32

There are so many pupils and their results listed - all squeezed in together in tiny print, I doubt anyone apart from the child's parents would be bothered to look through them to find their child's results, surely??

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 21/08/2014 13:33

DPA issues with this surely?

Happy36 · 21/08/2014 13:33

That´s terrible!

firesidechat · 21/08/2014 13:34

This can't be true. I've never seen this and surely it is unethical, if not illegal.

bookcave · 21/08/2014 13:34

Our local paper does this and I was stunned the first year we moved here and I saw it. It is completely detailed - listed under each school - St X Secondary, Jane Smith, 3 As 2 Bs 5 Ds. etc.

I presume parents have to sign a consent form for the schools to release this to the press and I expect I will refuse consent when my DC are that age. I've never seen this in other areas I've lived.

firesidechat · 21/08/2014 13:35

Well that's turned my world upside down. Why would anyone think this was a good idea?

Original poster

petal2008 · 21/08/2014 13:36

It is true and if I could add a photo without it adding to the misery of the students in question I would.

OP posts:

firesidechat · 21/08/2014 13:38

No, no I believe you now, so no need for that. I'm just a bit flummoxed by it.

JoanWatson · 21/08/2014 13:38

But hasn't this always been the case? I almost went to school with Noah! well, the 70's and this happened back then!

firesidechat · 21/08/2014 13:40

Joan, with names of the individual students?

bookcave · 21/08/2014 13:41

petal - did you sign a consent form for this? My area does this too and I wonder when they get you to consent as I plan to opt out. Do they bury it in with GCSE option choice forms? I've signed a form at some stage to say I don't mind my children appearing in photos but I don't believe I've signed anything yet that permits them to release my child's personal data to the press and I don't plan to!

Here it seems to be all local schools do it. Private and state, faith, whatever. I don't think any school withholds the info. I find it bizarre. I've had my own info published for professional exams but that's different, you're a lot older and the qualification is, by definition, accessible to the public if they want to check your entitlement to practise. Doing this to 16 yr olds is odd, to my mind.

threepiecesuite · 21/08/2014 13:42

They did this when I got my gcse results in 1996. I kept the cutting of mine

Terrierterror · 21/08/2014 13:43

The local paper did that in the dim and distant past when I got my GCSEs and A levels. They're public exams.

According tho the ICO 'In general, schools do not need peoples’ consent to publish examination results.'

googoodolly · 21/08/2014 13:44

Our local paper did this when I did my GCSE's in 2005 but I haven't seen them do it in recent years. To be honest, you have to really look for your name and results because everything is in tiny print and they're all squeezed together over three pages.

It basically says "school 1, pupil a, results, pupil b, results" and so on until all the schools have been listed.

googoodolly · 21/08/2014 13:45

Oh, and there are no consent forms needed. You don't have a choice.

Quenelle · 21/08/2014 13:49

This is what the Information Commissioner's Office says about it. Excerpt:

Can schools give my exam results to the media for publication?
Publishing examination results is a common and accepted practice. Many students enjoy seeing their name in print, particularly in the local press and the Act does not stop this happening. However, the Act says that schools have to act fairly when publishing results, and where people have concerns about their or their child’s information being published, schools must take those concerns seriously.

Schools should make sure that all pupils and their parents or guardians are aware as early as possible whether examinations results will be made public and how this will be done. Schools should also explain how the information will be published. For example, if results will be listed alphabetically, or in grade order.

In general, because a school has a legitimate interest in publishing examination results, pupils or their parents or guardians do not need to give their consent to publication. However, in a small number of cases publication may cause distress or harm. Schools should consider objections from pupils and parents before making a decision to publish. A school would need to have a good reason to reject someone’s objection to publication of their exam results.

I'm really shocked actually.

SurelyYoureJokingMrFeynman · 21/08/2014 13:49

I'm currently reading C19th newspapers, and they published a lot of this sort of thing.

In fact, let me go check - I think they gave a lot more info about individual children's school places as well.

It was seen community info, especially when school funding was local.

Original poster

petal2008 · 21/08/2014 13:49

I don't remember signing anything specific only about the photographs. They have always published them I think, I know they did mine but that was donkeys years ago and to be honest didn't even think about it until my DC took theirs. I just thought that in these days of DP and supposed more enlightened times than the 70's they would have stopped.

Mind you , the same nosey neighbour also congratulated me on the sale figure of my house which is also there for all and sundry to see!!

OP posts:

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