Tweeting from inside the classroom

[Babymamamama]

I'm not the most au fait with social networking although I love Mumsnet and this is my first OP so please be gentle with me.
I've just realised via DP (who is more tech savvy than me) that DD's primary school is on Twitter. So I've checked it out and am a bit surprised that there are videos, bits of kid's work with their names on, photos etc all posted up for all and sundry to see. That doesn't seem right to me. I admit I am an old fogey but I remember at the last christmas show they made a big point about parents not filming specifically in case it was posted on social media, but yet they are doing it themselves. I didn't sign any consent form for this and wasn't even aware it was happening. Please tell me I'm over reacting but I just don't like the idea of my precious DD's schooling being posted on the world wide web. Is this common practice nowadays?

DD's school let's us sign an agreement at the beginning of each year confirming we are or aren't OK with our DD appearing in photos of their events. They have strictly banned parents from posting photos and videos taken from school with other children and that's fair enough. But they should inform you if they want to post photos or videos of your child.

Thanks Martina that's helpful to know. I think more consultation would have been helpful but to be honest I don't think I would have consented had I known. But DP is quite laid back about it and doesn't see any issue so I wanted to get some more opinions. I'm going to think about it a bit more and see what others say but I may well bring it up with the school as it doesn't sit right with me.

We've always had to sign a form giving consent for our child's image to be used on the school website/posters/info books etc, it's in with the consent forms for things like school administering first aid or taking the child to a&e if needed and no parent can be contacted.

If you've signed something like that then they're well within their rights to post on twitter as they'll make sure, or should make sure, that children whose parents didn't give consent won't feature in it. Parents aren't privy to this information which is why some schools ban parents taking videos and photos with other children.

I'd only complain if you weren't given the chance to refuse permission for your child's image to be used on the school website etc.

I can't remember signing something but assume I have as DS has appeared on Twitter a few times at nursery.

I'm not going to kick up a fuss. I am however surprised teachers are allowed their mobile phones in the classroom after the whole horrible thing with that nursery worker a few years back who took pics for paedophiles.

Last week in assembly I saw several class teachers and the head on their phones (at differing times)

I tweet on school account from the classroom. I know which kids do not have photo permission and I usually try to use pics which aren't face on for most anyway. It's a really good way of engaging parents with what we are doing. I'm in secondary.

I signed something when DD started school re photos. The reason parents are asked not to post their own things is because parents won't know which other children shouldn't appear in photos. The school will know and can ensure that whatever they post only includes children whose parents have given permission (or haven't withdrawn permission) for photos to be used.

The teachers won't be doing it from their mobile phones. It's usually done via the class or school iPad. The same with any photos taken in school.

Book week it was def a mobile phone as I stood next to teacher as she took one of DS and friends - they were on Twitter by the time I reached the school gate...(I'd assumed it was for Twitter not her own personal enjoyment )

Each local authority have guidelines for e-safety that they send to schools. Schools then make tweeks because it's not a one size fits all.

One of the things this covers, which ofsted are now hot on is consent for social network and mobile phones.

Schools should be clear in thier Twitter usage and you shouldn't have stumbled across it. Although some schools send out forms at the start school life and people sign without reading. Others send out yearly consent setting out clear details about what everything covers and opt in/out for everything.

Mobile phones, again clear policies and recent training around e-safety (I am the e-safety officer in my school and on the local authority safeguarding board) says that there has to be policies in place about their usage and reasons why. Not just because.

To find out what your local la advice schools a simple google search for your area will bring it up.

Thanks all I will look into it further. I just feel funny about dd being posted on the internet before I've seen it. But can also recognise that it's nice to be kept up to date. Main worry is I don't remember consenting. Will ask a few parents in real life whether we actually did!

The school and nursery my DC go to post pictures on FB / Twitter.

Parents are asked to sign consent forms for their child's picture to be posted. As pp say, the school will have details of which children (or their parents) have not consented, and as such, they'll be able to ensure that no photos of those children are shared. Individual parents won't know which children shouldn't appear in photos.

The consent forms we got about pictures on social media were in with all the other consent forms, so it might be possible that you or your DP signed it along with all the other forms and have forgotten? I would expect that you'd be able to withdraw consent for your child's picture to be shared if you have accidentally signed a consent form.

The firm will have been in the forms you filled in when she started. Along with the case of emergency form etc.

Ask the school of you signed it and can you see it if you are bothered by it.

I would be really shocked of a school did this without the form.

May be your dh signed it?

Yes maybe dp did sign. But that would have been in reception if indeed at all (we can't remember) and they weren't on Twitter in any case then. It's a new development I think.

Dds school do this. I don't see any problem with it.

I know other people can see examp,Es of a childs work but that's the same as a parents evening and work being in the walls for other parents to see. Other random public people aren't going to care.

The media form isn't just for Twitter.

It usually covers photos being in papers, school websites and social media (in general) it's a fairly standard form.

It doesn't mention individual sites, usually.

I tweet photos of the kids at school during the day if it's something interesting they're doing. I ensure the parents are given forms to complete at the start of every school year for permission. If forms aren't returned the child isn't put on social media. We had a residential two weeks ago and the parents loved seeing what the kids were up to on our school FB and Twitter. I'd be very concerned if you haven't signed a permission form OP yet photos are being used.

DDS school has lots of Twitter accounts, each year, music, p.e.,displays, the school fox mascot and even both the hamsters. We signed an agreement at the beginning of the year giving permission for DD to be tweeted. I know parents that didn't and their children haven't been shown.
It's lovely to see what she's doing at school.