To think this letter is scaremongering primary school parents!

[scottishegg]

Seen this doing the rounds on Facebook from what I think is a viable source! I'm quite shocked by the message in this letter! Opinions please.

Just saw this on my newsfeed too (I'm fairly local).

I think it's ridiculous! Yes it's a good thing to join after school clubs and they have many benefits, but it's a bit of a leap to say that if you don't join you are at risk of sexual abuse and radicalisation isn't it?

I don't disagree with the sentiment but the wording is horrendous.

I wonder what the parents think? Send your child to a pointless after school club (even if they're already doing something else at that time) Or we put you on a list of parents that we'll be "keeping an eye on".

No I don't believe any abuse should be ignored I just think that the issues described in the letter are part of a much bigger issue and I dont believe children that go to art class in primary school are going to have - a extremely decreased risk of abuse etc then those who don't! And what if a child joins a group or sport and aren't particularly good at it this may cause further self esteem issues.

wtf join a club and u wont be abused?

what rot

Eh? So are children whose parents can't arrange to pick them up late on a Wed or Thurs doomed to a life of radicalisation, crime and exploitation? It's a piss-poor offering of options in response to such an apparently serious problem! Most bizarre school letter I've ever seen!

Clumsily worded but their intent is positive and they are trying to be proactive. Positive occupation and activity is important and their aim is to reduce the risk of children becoming involved in relationships and groups that may be harmful.

I'd be grateful my DC's school were being proactive and creative.

Nope. Still don't get it.

They asked the kids what clubs they'd like to do.
The chose 4 clubs to put on.
They've seen the research that kids without a sense of belonging are more vulnerable.
They want kids to attend clubs.
They ask parents to get their kids to join a club.

Wording isn't something I'd use, but there's nothing really wrong with it.

It's so disingenuous, they're clearly doing it to tick a box. I bet ofsted are due. The letter makes it sound as if these are the first after school activities they've offered all year and suddenly there's one every night. And maybe an out of school activity like dancing or football or beavers might reduce the risk of those things and create a sense of belonging but those relationships develop over time not in a one off five week club.

It seems a tenuous link - join one primary school after school club and you're safe from grooming

Also that they asked the children in the autumn term but clubs are only starting now. Crap organisation.

I've just had a look on their website, and their last newsletter has the same wording and a list of all the clubs that they provide. The newsletter also says

Next half-term, if your child still hasn’t attended a club, we will be writing to you to ask what we would need to offer for your child to want to join a club

so perhaps that is the letter referred to in the newsletter.

It is good that they are being proactive, but it seems a rather simplistic message - I expect it would take more than an after-school club to engage a child, but I can see that they don't want a child to feel isolated.

Also, none of these clubs listed on their website.

I call bullshit.

Ah, I didn't read the newsletters

Yeah, 14 clubs listed. Plus Eco club has been going at the school since 2014 according to their newsletters.

I would be far more concerned about the use of the ending 'Yours sincerely' when the greeting used is 'Dear Parent'. It's incorrect and should be Yours faithfully'. That alone drives me to radicalisation (although not terrorism obviously, just some stern letter writing).

My children's primary school used to obsess about clubs, though that was partly down to a well-intentioned governor who was very into sport. They reached the point where they were setting themselves targets for membership of clubs. It irritated me, partly because the majority of clubs on offer were sporty which excluded those who didn't like games and sports; and also because there seemed to be an assumption that only school clubs had validity, whereas my children were busy attending out of school clubs. I ended up being That non-supportive parent when I told them my kids just didn't have time.

From the website it looks like a very good school. Wouldn't imagine it to be in a deprived area from the amount they have organised and the full set of governors support too.

I think because it's a very deprived area they do that trust me it's extremely poverty stricken!

If it's real then it's ridiculous. I don't see why anyone would be in 'uproar' but I would be WTF

It's badly written to boot.

www.telford.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/4260/brookside_2014_ward_health_profile.pdf

I think they're confusing causation with correlation.

What a weird letter?!!