To report this to Head of Year? *warning- explicit*

[mumofthree74]

Namechanged.

DD is 11 and has recently started at secondary school. She was added to the year 7 WhatsApp group a few weeks back which is mostly the girls talking about homework/uniform/school stuff.

Tonight another parent called me and told me to check the chat. One of the girls had shared the attached picture

I've removed DD from the chat and deleted the photo from her phone (autosave to camera roll) but I'm wondering if I should notify the school. I'm no prude but I'm truly horrified that an 11 year old would share it or even understand it.

I'm a new secondary parent and do recognise that the school are no as interested in out of school issue than primary but this feels like it crosses a safeguarding line?

I bet the kid doesn't understand it tbh.

Report it to the HOY. You probably won't hear much follow up because it will be the girl who is spoken to so her parents will be involved.

I would leave it tbh, will make your DD v unpopular and nothing will happen anyway.

It is revolting though.

That is VILE!

Definitely contact the school.

They shouldn’t have an account until 16. This is just one of many reasons why. Lesson learnt.

Sounds really bad, but as the parent of a high schooler this kind of stuff is just par for the course unfortunately. I'd just leave it and give DD a talk about safety on social media etc.

I'd report. They should be aware... Then it's their decision if need to progress

I’d contact the parents of the child who sent the picture.

Wow I think I’d be upset to see my older teenagers sharing that but 11! That is vile!

Bloody hell

It’s pretty grim but I wouldn’t be reporting it to anyone. I would imagine some year 7 are looking at a lot worse tbh.

I would inform school. Luckily our school wants to get involved in SM issues. No-one needs to know who reported it...

@helpmum2003 our school is the same. They deal with stuff like this very well. It's important for kids to understand how inappropriate it is to share stuff like this.

Yes to reporting. Class teacher or HoY. Decent schools will cover this sort of thing in SMSC lessons and children will be told it is unacceptable. It is bullying and should be taken seriously.

Thanks for quick responses. It seems 50:50 on contacting the school which hasn't massively helped but at least it's not a unanimous opinion that I'm overreacting!

I don't know a lot of the girls she's at school with as many come from out of catchment - her parents aren't on parent group chat else I would have contacted them directly.

Of course I’d report. The child who sent it should be spoken with.

As a secondary teacher, I would say report it. Yes, Y7 pupils do sometimes share stuff they don't really understand, but it may be a sign of something more sinister. The girl won't know who reported it to school, so it won't make your DD unpopular.

In most schools, IMO, the head of year would want to know.

definitely report
is the girl in the photo a 'real' person - I mean, has someone used an image of a child at the school to create that image? because if so it's even more serious- but as pp have said, you should let the school deal with it

“They shouldn’t have an account until 16. This is just one of many reasons why. Lesson learnt”

A whatsapp account? Whatsapp is just like texting? It’s not the app that’s the problem

OP has the other parent said what they’re going to do? I’d be hoping they’ll take care of it with the school to get you/ DD off the hook

Ds's school would've been very good with anything like this. They were very on top of any thing inappropriate on line.

Please report it OP - the school will not go around saying 'X's mum said' we are discreet about such things!

I would be very concerned that an 11 year old is sharing such a thing. Who knows what else they may share!

School will probably go along the line of talking in assembly about being careful online.

It’s a safeguarding issue. As a safeguarding lead I can safely say that they should be interested. Over sexualised language etc is a red flag.

I’d report it. I wondered too was the picture one of the girls from the year? It’s vile either way but definitely a concern for the school if it is.

What @newtlover said.

I have a child in year 7 (not on any form of WhatsApp) I would definitely be reporting from a safeguarding point of view.

To answer PP- Person in photo is a stock photo- I found an identical photo on google image search so not aimed at any of the girls directly.

Other parent hasn't said- I got the feeling she contacted a lot of parents so I'm hoping one will report but realise that we may all be thinking the same thing.

I do know that WhatsApp has a 16+ limit but it's what the kids use to text- especially the girls without iPhones/iMessage as it doesn't use up texts. Ideally I'd take the whole phone away but it's 2019 not 1999 and I know that's unreasonable!

Ew that is disgusting, I've got a year 7 starter and I'm not sure he'd understand that, turned my stomach though thinking that kids that ages would talk like that. You could keep her out of the chat but if there's one who's "older headed" than the others then it will get seen some way. Tell her form teacher maybe, aren't they your first contact? I'm only a week in sorry so not sure!