Mums setting up class wattsapp groups?

[Glitterzzz]

Hi

My little one has started reception in September. It’s been a while since I’ve dealt with schooling for this age group as my eldest is much elder

Anyways I have been notified a mum from each class has set up a wattsapp group for each class.. just wondering if this is the norm? With newsletters, emails, texts and the x2 daily school run what is the purpose of the wattsapp groups ?

Would you recommend joining or avoid ?

Thanks

My son is the same age. No WhatsApp group yet but if there ever is I don't plan on joining.

We have one for year 1 , never had one for my year 5 child. I don't mind it although a lot of messages about missing pe kits.

Join then mute. Ours is mainly about lost property, what is happening eg - what to wear, do they need PE kit, packed lunch etc and questions about homework. Not how to do the homework, more does anyone have the spellings list as x has forgotten his book. It was used more during home schooling.
We also did a Lego card swap.

I think they're useful

We have one for ours - mostly used for panic "Are they meant to wear red today?!" messages. A lot of parents are working at school run time/have to dash off, so we've found it useful.

I’m in one. Some people post lots, other people not much at all. The last few weeks it’s been tips on out order places to visit, a reminder it’s INSET day soon, discussion about where to buy Christmas trees from and a lot of house moving chat. No drama at all. There is very little school run chats as most parents work and social distancing.

They are a double edged sword.

Handy for early morning texts - don't forget it's non uniform today etc.

Awful for all the other useless, hysterical nonsense. Actually not joking my school WhatsApp turned into a flu jab witch hunt.

So join - see what kind of group you get and decide wether or not to mute/stay/leave.

Ours is really useful but school is particularly shite with comms. Reminders about what we have o bring in on certain days, lost property, PTFA. In reception it was incessant it calmed down a lot after that.

Just join and mute.

Ours has been brilliant for reminders of random dress up days, take things in days, days they're supposed to wear PE kits, homework reminders etc. There has also been at least one case where soon had forgotten a training day and would have turned up at a closed school if not for the WhatsApp group.

I've seen several of these. They can be really useful when done well. You just have to be careful as some can turn into teacher bashing and even bullying at times.

Join it then mute it - particularly Reception year! It’s useful actually as they get a bit older and the class teacher tells them to remember X on Friday ... but you’ve heard nothing about it, so a quick “did anyone else get the message about X” is handy. PTFA use it to communicate with year groups via parent reps too in our school.

Ignore any gossip or bitching about teachers (ours is pretty free of this thankfully) and it’s just another quick response tool that proves useful.

I hated the idea of these until now - with covid and all we kinda needed each other’s help when their bubble had to self isolate.

We've had one for the last few years and it's been really useful and people generally stick to relevant / school related chat. It was great during the first lockdown as it took our school a few weeks to get organised so we shared online resources we'd found and organised informal zoom chats. It was particularly helpful last month when a child tested positive and got their results at 7am. Saved us going into school just to get sent home!

He’s in reception so wasn’t sure if this was the normal these days ( I sound ancient ! ) thanks for your responses.

I set one up at the beginning of lockdown 1.0 - basically as a way for some of the kids to keep in touch. Intended it to be class only but soon discovered parents from the other 2 classes in the year wanted in too!

It’s actually been really good, there are some parents who are teachers and they shared resources when the school supplied very little. The partner of the parent on the board of governors is on there too so there is an informal feedback mechanism there too.

It’s been a good source of support, parents going through bereavement, pregnancy, good days and bad days. Feels like a little support network tbh (we’ve all just helped each other out - I’ve delivered calpol and bread, homework, cooling water sprays, all sorts! And I know there are people there if I need them).

So they aren’t all bad groups to be a part of - there can be good ones!

We have one for our nursery class - it's quite useful when, for example, someone ends up with the wrong coat at the end of the day.

Ours have Facebook groups for each class. Means you don’t get endless notifications on what’s app.

Our school encourages them and it’s very useful.

It’s how we organise the collection for teacher’s presents for instance, that would be pretty difficult otherwise.

We have one for one of my DCs it’s useful and lighthearted. All the mums get on. I suppose it depends on the parents in the group. There isn’t one in my other DCs group, with good reason, half of the mums hate the other half, I swear they are worse than kids.

I’d join, especially as you don’t have the usual options to socialise and get to know the other kids and parents, if you don’t like it leave.

I have two kids and belong to two different groups - I like them as it’s social and helpful when I’ve forgotten something.

Totally normal.

Useful for remember it’s mufti day tomorrow etc

Ours is really useful. (Mainly mums but there are a couple of dads in the group too).
Reminders, recommendations, "what were the spelling words this week we've lost them..." etc. Particularly useful early in lockdown when things seemed to change so quickly.
Handy for mums like me who are rarely at the school gates, because it's a way to still feel connected if that makes sense? Even if just to get numbers from to arrange play dates.

But then the vast majority of mums at our local school seem to be pleasant, likeable people. I am not best mates with them and that is fine, but I don't recognise the stereotype where all school mums are scheming, cliquey, gossipy, petty bitches that seems to crop up on this sort of thread. (Its misogeny in my opinion.) They are just normal women.

All my dc have one and it’s handy. Usually info like don’t forget it’s non-uniform day, poppy appeal etc. Mostly reminders. No one posts anything personal. It’s been especially helpful lately with a lot of bubbles being sent home for 14 days

I belong to both my kids class WhatsApp groups, and definitely find them useful. Loads of Don't Forget That... or Please Check for Son's Jumper! Generally vvv supportive esp now that there is minimal chat on school run.

And I agree with SquishySquirmy - really nice, interesting folk at my school! Not going to be best buds with everyone, but this is a nice way of keeping in touch and checking what's going on at school.