Primary School using random parent to take photographs of P1 instead of using a company

[James1981]

Is it just me, or is this weird?

I definitely won't consent to this.

The father isn't charging for the service and as far as I'm aware only does photography as a hobby. We don't even know his full name.

He won’t be able to go any where unaccompanied by the school. And he might be random to you but he’s not random. He has a child in the school. He has an interest in supporting his child’s school. He has offered his talent and his time.

As the prints are probably on his digital camera you could enquire about storage and deletion. If you are really concerned.

I agree OP. He should be DBS checked and third party GDPR agreement should be in place. You have every right to ask to see them, or at least have confirmation that it is all in place.

@pissininthewind

I'd presume that the school would require a DBS clearance, and that there would be teachers/parents helping organize the students on the day.

Is it him having access to the children, or possession of the images that concerns you?

Possessions of the images.

@borageforager

At our school justajot we do charge for them, £2.50 a print, it is a PTA fundraiser.

Bargain! I wish our school did it

OP, I think some posters are being a bit rude to you. None of us should be complacent about safeguarding children - that is how predators gain access to them.

I think it is fine for a parent to take the photos, but also perfectly reasonable for you to ask the school to confirm that (a) he is DBS checked, (b) that a member of staff will be supervising at all times, and (c) he will be adhering strictly to GDPR regulations.

Ask the school if he has been DBS checked and to see the the form he will have had to sign up agree not to use/distribute/keep images.

OP, have you spoken to your GP about your anxiety issues?

My daughters old school had her P1 photos taken by a parent when the official photographer couldn't attend. It was much cheaper and all the money went to school.
I would expect the photos to say at the school.
Even if someone clears a DBS pass check and works with a company doesn't make them not a predator.

What is this license you speak of?

I have a degree and am DBS checked but don't have a 'license' to work with the children I teach every day.

The parent will not be left alone with the children, they will need to ensure good behaviour etc.

We have had photographers from school company websites before that I have requested we don't have back (didn't like their manner). A trusted and well priced parent would be preferable!

Anyone doing PTA work should ideally get DBS checked. So just ask about it.

Not that dbs is meaningful.

@Esspee

OP, have you spoken to your GP about your anxiety issues?

Quite a few people are good portrait photographers even If it is not currently their business. I can't see a problem If the DBS and GDPR are followed (presumably you've been sent a GDPR consent form). Maybe school felt it would be a cheap option for parents given the current situation.

So you are happy to criticise but don't feel moved to offer to do anything to support the school yourself?

@FlouncerInDenial

So you are happy to criticise but don't feel moved to offer to do anything to support the school yourself?

Any support I offer would be in the same capacity as the person that has created the reason for this aibu in the first place.

Why does anyone think a photography company would take data protection more seriously than an individual father?

The fact is that either could keep images they should not - and in fact the individual photographer could also do so even if a company employee.

There is no chance of him setting foot in school without a DBS check and no chance of him being alone with any kids.

On the whole I'd have thought he was likely to be more diligent (or at least no less) than a company.

Why does it being a company seem less risky to you OP? (not having a go, just wondering).

So do you think this Dad is doing this so he can gain access to a load of photos of kids in uniform to use himself or sell on to other men?I mean if that's your assumption I can understand why you'd not consent but no, that wouldn't have really crossed my mins

Aren't the professional photographers also usually "some man" who could well be someone's dad?

I'd want to know about storage of the images. As an enhanced-DBS teacher the IT Policies of schools I've worked in have banned school staff from having children's images on any personal device and not even been allowed to store them in the drive on a school laptop, they have to stay on the school server.

So I would want to know the ins and outs of this before I agreed to it.

I'm sure many of you will think this an overreaction, but if there's one rule for employed school staff it should be universal for volunteers as well.

Another parent determined to undermine a school at every opportunity

I do all the school photographs for my DCs school, it's a hobby of mine but I could do it professionally if I wanted. I go in for an extra day to do them. The school save a fortune, the parents get cheaper school photos as well as the school raising money, they get more then with an outside company and prefer them as the children know me well and we do forest school settings and so on rather than studio style each time.

It's a great idea, much better than the rip off companies that some parents may not be able to afford.

In the dim and distant past whenever I volunteered in school I had to have a DBS check. I can't imagine it will have got any less stringent nowadays, but you can always politely enquire.

@Littlescottiedog

I'd want to know about storage of the images. As an enhanced-DBS teacher the IT Policies of schools I've worked in have banned school staff from having children's images on any personal device and not even been allowed to store them in the drive on a school laptop, they have to stay on the school server.

So I would want to know the ins and outs of this before I agreed to it.

I'm sure many of you will think this an overreaction, but if there's one rule for employed school staff it should be universal for volunteers as well.

All teachers have an enhanced dbs so what is your point there ?

It's the norm for any photos taken to be on a school owned memory card if they are done by an in house photographer, I make that a condition of using my personal camera when I do school photos, the card never leaves the school premises.

Would rather support a small business than some big corporate. Your concerns are really weird - don’t voice them people will keep their distance...

Why do you think it's a "random" parent? Do you think they just Pisces one out of the hat?