AIBU?
To mention this to the teacher?
AllGoingPearShaped · 13/06/2017 09:00
My DD recently completed some exams, she's 10 so not GCSE's or anything but they were taken relatively seriously and were all done as part of an exam week at school. Just before they broke up for half term another girl came and told my DD what mark she had in her English exam, before the results had been released to anyone.
This other girl is in the same class as my DD for English and her mum is extremely close friends with the teacher, I see them leaving together and looking after each other's children after school etc. I think they went to school together.
The girl told my DD that the teacher's son had told her (the girl's) big brother what score my DD had and her big brother had told her. My DD and this girl are quite competitive with each other so I don't know if it was my DD's score only that was discussed or if there were others as well.
I'm not sure whether the teacher is aware that this happened or not but I think that any exam results should be delivered to the pupil in question and not via some whispering campaign!
Should I mention it to the teacher? She's really lovely and a great teacher and I don't know if this will open a huge can of worms. I don't know if her son found the papers and looked without asking or if she was discussing the results at home but either way not sure if IABU to feel a bit miffed that this girl knew DD's results before she did?
My DD got her score today and it is the one the girl gave her, I was waiting to see if it was the actual score or if it was a wind up!
Would appreciate any advice!
AllGoingPearShaped · 13/06/2017 09:21
Thanks Dottie, I am quite cross about it but I just don't know what the teacher's involvement was. She may have no idea!
Also, if I do go in it's likely that the kids involved will get into trouble and the girl's mum is someone I know reasonably well and they're all part of a little group of friends. I'm worried it might backfire on my DD.
If the teacher and this mum weren't so close it would be much easier but I'm just feeling very wary about it.
Boomcack · 13/06/2017 09:26
Sorry but I would be fuming, very very unprofessional. Also teacher in question needs to know and so does the school head, what if it had been more sensitive info. about your DD. I know you don't want to rock the boat, but I think your justified in this. Good luck
d270r0 · 13/06/2017 09:46
I would mention it to the teacher but not go to the head. Its highly unlikely that the teacher told her son the scores, its more likely that he saw the scores in her planner or as she was marking the papers at home. Talk to her first as it seems mean to drop her in it if it was just seen accidentally, then she can be more careful that it won't happen again.
Redsippycup · 13/06/2017 10:11
That is really really not on - i think i would approach the teacher first and if i wasn't happy with her reaction i would go to the head.
Why would the older boys be interested in the results anyway though? I can kind of see friends brother snooping for his sister's result when he is at the teachers house, but for teacher's son to look up his friend's little sister's friend's result is very convoluted!
I don't think that it is that many degrees removed. Is there any possibility that DD's friend was at teacher's house and did the snooping herself?
RedastheRose · 13/06/2017 10:19
If the teacher and the other girls mum are friends then it's more likely that the girl has seen the marked papers in the teachers home when she's been there with her mum without the teacher knowing.
Tbh can't imagine the teachers son being interested enough in one of his mums pupils test scores to memorise them. I think involving him is her deflecting attention to the fact that she has been snooping around.
I would have a quiet word with the teacher, tell her what was said and say that you'll leave it with her to discipline the child (and son if he was involved) but that you hope it won't happen again. Really not justified to make a formal complaint or involve the headmistress is the teacher is otherwise a great teacher.
I'm sure she will be extremely mortified to find out this has happened and deal with it appropriately.
noblegiraffe · 13/06/2017 11:02
Take it to the teacher, it does sound like someone was looking at stuff they shouldn't rather than the teacher being unprofessional.
It could be at home, it could be at school that someone looked through the tests. Either way I'd be annoyed if a parent's first reaction would be to complain to the head that I'd blabbed them. Teachers generally don't do that!
ittakes2 · 13/06/2017 18:22
To be honest, I would leave it. You are absolutely right to be upset about it - but at this late stage in the year I'm doubtful your daughter will have any exams again so no chance of this mistake being repeated. But if you are going to talk to someone, best to talk to the teacher. You are risking though that this little girl will be told off by her mum. Which is rightly so...but then she may come to school and tell the other children what happened and it may cause problems for your poor innocent daughter. Just worth thinking about.
StillDrivingMeBonkers · 13/06/2017 18:28
My son was told some KS2 exam results that were due to go out with school reports. One of the bright sparks in the class simply went to the teachers file in break and looked up everyone's test results.
This was back before everything because so PC based though.
My point being - do not make wild assumptions
MissionItsPossible · 13/06/2017 18:42
Bit surprised at the amount of 'take it up with the head' responses. If she is lovely and a great teacher why not talk to her directly? She may be completely innocent in all of this and could jeopardise her career in the long run. If after talking to her you still feel like something is off or all your questions haven't been answered, then take it higher, that's my advice.
BewareOfDragons · 13/06/2017 18:55
Don't just meet with the teacher. It needs to be brought to the attention of the senior management team and/or the Head.
Even if she is lovely and didn't realize, the fact is, the has breached your child's right to confidentiality. She has left her papers out for all to see apparently.
And frankly, if she's the best friend of the mother of your DD's 'rival', I don't think her finding out is as accidental as you think.
AllGoingPearShaped · 14/06/2017 11:02
Thanks all. I think I'll just have a quiet word with her and see what she says. I think the most likely scenario is that someone snooped on her papers while they were at home but I think it's worth letting her know that is happened in case something similar crops up again in the future with a parent that won't give her the benefit of the doubt.
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