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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my sons teacher to get his name right?

169 replies

ohmyohmy123 · 03/07/2021 08:51

My son has had the same teacher for 2 consecutive years - and she still spells his name wrong. It's not just spelt incorrectly - it's a different name. He gets quite upset about it. I have pointed out the mistake multiple times but had his school report and it's typed wrong again on it.

It's not a hard name either.

He's only got another few weeks of her, should I just let it go or do I send her another email?

OP posts:
Maireas · 03/07/2021 11:13

Right. I've only ever worked in state secondary schools. The names for tracking and reporting come from sims or bromcom. This has been happening for many years. There are 1,700 students in my current school, of many different ethnicities. To my knowledge there hasn't been an error with names as the system prevents it. Anyway, maybe it's a little primary school where the teacher has to type in the name? I haven't done that for about 20 years.

knowsmorethansnow · 03/07/2021 13:02

I would send the report back and say it must be the wrong one because that is not your sons name.

DotsandCo · 03/07/2021 13:11

@Maireas

Weird. It can't be wrong on the report because it's generated by the registration system. (including image of said child) No-one "types it in"? anymore. Unless it's a small private school that's a bit behind with IT?

Wow! Such a sweeping generalisation to make 🤣

I must have imagined the past 2 full weekends where I've typed in every single name on every child's report in my Year 2 class then! 🤷‍♀️

OP...that is spectacularly bad on the part of your child's teacher! Definitely pull them up on it again, and ask for a report with his name corrected! I would be mortified if I'd spent two years getting a child's name wrong. I've also had my current class for 2 years.

JoveWhenHeSawMyFannysFace · 03/07/2021 13:11

@Hadalifeonce

I would probably be bloody-minded enough to send back the report and say they have given you someone else's report, as it doesn't have your son's name on it. But, I can be a stubborn bugger!
My parents actually did this! Teacher was not impressed, apparently.
MagnoliaBeige · 03/07/2021 13:14

I’d send it back and ask for it to be reissued with his actual name on it. I’d also add something about after two years teaching him, you’re disappointed you’re still having to point this out.

I can never remember how to spell a relative’s name (there are lots of ways to do it and I always doubt myself) so I make sure I check before I send anything, it’s not difficult to do!

donquixotedelamancha · 03/07/2021 13:17

Primary- YANBU.

Secondary- They could easily teach 300 kids, I'd let it go.

notanotherusernameidea · 03/07/2021 13:19

I had this with my son. Teacher kept calling him Zachary when his name is Zack.
He wrote a letter during lockdown to say how upset he was about it. She never replied but she's never called him Zachary since.

Maireas · 03/07/2021 13:22

Not a sweeping generalisation, @DotsandCo. It's my experience, but if you have to type in the names of all your children, then maybe my teaching experience is atypical. It seems a waste of a teacher's time, but hey. Technology is there to help!

AppleKatie · 03/07/2021 13:23

At my work the system shows the teacher the name but if they want to use it in the body of the report (which they generally do) they obviously have to type it in again.

You would think this would prevent errors [it doesn’t!!]

However, proof reading does. I would complain if you’ve pointed this out nicely before. Two years is a long time to be teaching someone and not have learned their name and if it’s more than a typo it really isn’t acceptable.

CheeseCrackersAndChutney · 03/07/2021 13:29

If your son is in primary school then you should definitely ask her to change it!

RavingAnnie · 03/07/2021 13:29

I have an unusual name. People have constantly got it wrong my entire life. I really couldn't give a shit and I have no idea why anyone cares that much if someone gets their name slightly wrong. I don't even bother to correct people unless it's important. Unless it's deliberate to be horrible, it's a simple mistake and there really are more important things to worry about.

Maireas · 03/07/2021 13:40

I think that's the point @AppleKatie. It seems a waste of a teacher's time to spend 2 x weekends typing class lists, so errors will happen, but you need to proof read at least. OP I agree with pp to raise this as a concern.

2021DNA · 03/07/2021 13:46

Dreadful and unprofessional! You can only imagine what else she can’t be bothered doing if she can’t even be bothered to learn his name!

Original poster
ohmyohmy123 · 03/07/2021 13:55

I have already spoken to her about it, plus emailed her tagging in the headteacher too. I always correct the name on his reading record etc too and underline it in red so she must see that.

It's primary school year 4 and 5.

Prior to this he had another teacher who always spelt it correctly. It's honestly not a difficult name. It's typed on his report but written on other things that come home.

It's upsetting him each time he shows me something with the wrong name on. He's even told her himself that it's wrong.

I did wonder if she's deliberately doing it to upset me Grin.

OP posts:
Maireas · 03/07/2021 14:00

That must be infuriating. Is it wrong on the register and she's getting it from there?

Original poster
ohmyohmy123 · 03/07/2021 14:02

All emails I get from the office are correct so register must be right.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohmyohmy123 · 03/07/2021 14:03

I thought about sending an end of term gift with the wrong name.

I.e. Mrs Summers instead of mrs Somerset for example but that's just petty haha

OP posts:
Maireas · 03/07/2021 14:04

@ohmyohmy123

All emails I get from the office are correct so register must be right.
She's being lazy and unprofessional then.
Terminallysleepdeprived · 03/07/2021 14:05

I have the same problem with Dd's teacher. And to add insult to injury she has made a comment in dad's school report about her rushing and making silly mistakes...the irony was not lost on me and I will be having a discussion with the teacher as she has used 3 different forms of dad's name through the report and only 1 is actually correct.

It annoys me hugely but what really pisses me off is how upset dd gets. She can and has read her report and wants to know why a teacher who has taught her all year (key worker so dd was in through lockdown) still cannot spell her name correctly.

I will be raising it with the teacher when I speak to her this week

Maireas · 03/07/2021 14:06

@ohmyohmy123

I thought about sending an end of term gift with the wrong name.

I.e. Mrs Summers instead of mrs Somerset for example but that's just petty haha

Good idea! Grin
Nanasueathome · 03/07/2021 14:07

@ohmyohmy123

I thought about sending an end of term gift with the wrong name.

I.e. Mrs Summers instead of mrs Somerset for example but that's just petty haha

I think that’s an excellent idea I would certainly do that
hellogem · 03/07/2021 14:09

I could've written this post!! Happened to my son, not only were they spelling his name incorrectly, completely pronouncing the name entirely something else! It was a joke!!! To the point where my son got fed up of correcting everyone, and said to me they can't say it so I just don't correct them anymore. I sent countless emails since last year, stating his correct spelling of the name, he was getting letters sent home and homework sheets with his name spelt incorrectly. When I heard one of his friends say his name, I was gobsmacked as thats not even his name!
I emailed the teacher for the third time, she rang back very apologetic, the next day told the whole class how is name is actually pronounced.
Honestly I was like these kids must be going home and mentioning him by name and the parents must think what an unusual name! I even had one parent say to me yes I was thinking surely that can't be his name when their dc was talking about him at home

LookItsMeAgain · 03/07/2021 14:09

If she hasn't managed to get your sons name right in two years of teaching him, I don't think I'd be getting her a gift. A thank you card, definitely signed from "Incorrect Name Here" but that's it. Bad manners or lazy manners don't get rewarded with a gift. You have mentioned this to the teacher and the head teacher and yet it still goes on.

That is what I would do.

hellogem · 03/07/2021 14:10

His work book still had his name written on incorrectly, i asked they immediately change it with a new sticker as it's confusing for my child (and me!!!!!)

Noodledoodledoo · 03/07/2021 14:10

Another teacher here, who also writes all her reports and they are not system generated - 3 schools so far and never had them system generated!

OP I would definitely raise it, but I would be more inclined to go straight to the head and point out you have repeatedly spoken to her about it, your son has mentioned it and point out it has obviously not been picked up in the proof reading process.

I would ask for it to be reissued.