Primary School and email

[BlingLoving]

DC school makes me want to tear my hair out. They won't send any kind of information via email as they don't consider it secure. They'll happily drop an envelope with very sensitive information into DS' school bag, but they absolutely refuse to send it electronically. Similarly, his OT assessment is going to be delayed as they insist on doing everything by post even though the clinic is able to process everything electronically.

What annoys me is that it's so ill informed. they may as well cover the school in tinfoil to protect from microwave waves! They're also ridiculous on security - so won't pass on details and attempt to restrict how parents communicate with EACH OTHER via email and WhatsApp. It's like they actually think they can dictate what I say to parent x via email when parent x gave me her email address?! Needless to say, they've point blank refused to include any kind of electronic communication permissions in any of their documentation and as a result if you want to get a class list for anything, you basically have to go round the playground creating your own (every year the class reps do this and then circulate it because the school won't).

I honestly don't think I can take it much longer without exploding. It's the ignorance that frustrates me. If they would just work out how these things work, they might actually be able to put reasonable policies in place

[this all came to a head today over something innocuous but incredibly frustrating which I won't bore anyone with!]

Firstly, I understand where you are coming from with book bag information.

But to a school, sharing full names are a safeguarding thing. So doing that via email, sending out a class list etc. actually is treated like a safeguarding breach and carries fines in some cases depending on what is sent. Blanket ban on emails to outside networks containing any names.

The clinic will be allowed to do it by email - there are different policies for schools.

Not quite sure about the restrictions contact between parents though. That sounds odd.

To be honest, I have some sympathy for the names thing. But they won't even give us a print out class list so you literally have to scurry around figuring out who the other 29 parents are in your year at the beginning of the school year.....

And I am calmer now so I won't rant on about the ridiculous WhatsApp/email rules for parents. It infuriates me, while simultaneously making me wish that I was a comedian because there is just SOOOO much material here....

Why do you need to know who the other parents are? Won't you meet them in the playground? Schools can give a list of pupils' first names and initials if asked.

Agh OP I feel your pain (do our kids go to the same school?!). It drives me friggin mental. On the one hand they are constantly posting photos and videos of the kids on fucking Twitter, but when outfits are required for the Christmas play, there is a handwritten note on the bloody gate!! I work FT so I don't do pick ups (like many other parents) so it's only down to our nanny noticing these notes and taking a photo, and sending it to me, that I find out! I then of course share it with the illicit class parents WhatsApp group. Gahhhb

The names list is a different issue, but for routine messages there is no reason email couldn’t be used really. I think rather than be informed people freak out about ‘cyber security’. WhatsApp is end to end encrypted so the only way anyone is seeing what’s on it is if someone loses their phone and someone physically picks it up and opens the app; they’re probably more worried that something will come to light and be reported or something.

Well, the school wants the class reps to be able to communicate with all the parents to pass along messages from the PTA, the teacher and the school. But... refuse to do anything to help us create such a list. Maybe next year we should just tell them that they should put a request in book bags every time they need something.

I think what frustrates me the most is that the things that have some basis in reality, are then taken too far or the school then gets all worked up about something different. And I can assure you, that next time they send home extremely sensitive information about DS in his book bag I WILL lose it. He's 8. His book bag is regularly flung around all over the place and there's absolutely no way that such an envelope is guaranteed to stay in his book bag, never mind get into my hands.

I know the reason some schools won’t send or receive reports by email is because when it is downloaded the information is on the computer itself. The school would not be able to prove that only the intended recipient had access to it. The technology is most schools is not suitable for highly sensitive information.