Bias at school in selection of teams and positions

[GiftOfGob]

At our child's Primary school, there has always been a tendancy for roles in sports teams and positions held in school to be allocated to the same children, often the children of teaching staff or friends of.
Has anyone else encountered this and if so, did you do anything about it?
My sister lives in a different part of the country and says there was none of this at their primary school and it's weird then there were no children with parents on the teaching staff at the school.
AIBU to think this is unfair on other kids who don't get a look in or is it a fact of life, it's who you know, get over it?!

I think at times it can become a self fulfilling situation. The same kids volunteering or being given responsibility as they have proven themselves.

Thanks for your reply.

The kids don't volunteer for these roles, they are selected by the school.

This happened at my child’s school and it hugely damaged his self confidence. He’s now at a different school where everyone gets a chance and he is absolutely flying. If I was you, I’d write a letter to the head and copy in the chair of the governors and say that you are thinking of reporting this to ofsted but thought you’d raise it with them first. Stress that as a parent you have equal rights to access the schools facilities which includes team selection and that you feel it is currently subject to a huge bias which is not diverse or fair or inclusive. Then ask how do they propose to solve this issue? Your suggestion is that each child has equal numbers of selection per term and that information is published. I think you have a right to push this and you should fight for your child’s rights. They are behaving badly.

It wasn’t children of teaching staff, but definitely a solid core of kids got the top spots in the play/nativity/assembly/sports teams etc. Usually the confident ‘Hermione Grainger’ “ooh! Me, me, me!” types! Occasionally it would have been nice to see more diffident kids who put themselves forward for stuff (ds ) be given some encouragement to step out of their comfort zone and given a chance to rise to the occasion.

Thank you twoandeights.

At your old school were they the teaching staff's kids or their friends?

I have already asked both the school office (who I caught off guard and claimed they didn't know, would have to ask) and the Headteacher at a PTA meeting what the selection process was for teams. The answer was some sports are considered competitive, ie, football, cross country with the strongest performers being picked, other disciplines are open to all. The thing is the line ups rarely change. Same kids throughout school, unless they move away.

I also mentioned it in the OFSTED questionnaire, however it didn't get picked up.

Funny thing is the school has picked up on lack of confidence!

It's the last year of primary so don't want the disruption of moving him.

Sense I've exhausted school channels...was thinking of contacting the PTA/OFSTED anonymously then the school will probably know it's me as I've called them out on it before. Anxious about making our last year at the school more awkward, suspecting I am already out of favour and they think it's just sour grapes, at the same time it stinks!

The teaching staff and their kids are oblivious to it, they think they've been chosen because they're special!

Thanks Hunky Punk.

I'd forgotten about nativity and school plays with the pandemic, definitely those too!

To me, it's always the over confident kids or those with a parent working at the school or on the fund raising committee. These kids already do activities out of school and don't need the extra kudos. Some of the kids from lower income families can't afford clubs, they would benefit. Just think it's wrong on many levels. Guess it's an early lesson of who you know!

In my experience, the children chosen to do things are usually the ones who are capable, show commitment, and often are confident. They also have parents who support bringing them along to practises/rehearsals etc.

It's not nepotism or favouritism, its choosing the best child for the job.

I am not a teacher or PTA member or in anyway linked to the school and have two children. One is hard working, determined, committed, turned up to every practise, always learnt her lines/practised her music/did any prep work required, was well behaved, always volunteered. She got picked for things all the time, she also put effort into doing the best job she could do. My other child, whilst perfectly capable is inclined to be lazy, puts in little effort, is scatty and will miss practises (or prioritise a more fun activity), will leave things like learning lines til the last minute, can be prone to mucking about - he often (but not always) volunteered, but would be picked far less often that my other child. Rightly so, simply not as committed.

If your child really wants to be picked, then they have to make sure that they consistently show the behaviours that make them the best child for the job.

This continues in Secondary BTW, and is even more pronounced. Prizes at prize giving will go to either the best or the one who has consistently made the most effort. Sports teams are picked by the best player. Choir/orchestra are usually filled on talent. Form captain/sports captain/house captain/Head boy/girl are picked based on how a child behaves. There's no more "everyone gets a turn to be Star of the Week". If you don't put the effort in, you won't get the reward.

DS and DD have always been picked for all the sports teams, because they are both very strong on sport. They work very hard at it, both in and out of school. There are DC at school that wouldn't be put forward for say cross country, because they can't complete the distance. The same with rugby, both DD and DS play and it's a contact game for both now. Putting children into the rugby team that haven't been trained in contact rugby could very easily see children hurt. Just a couple of weeks ago, I watched one of DS's team mates take another child out with a high tackle, the child had to go off in an ambulance. DS's team mate doesn't play rugby outside of school and I was surprised he'd been selected for the A team.

That said, they don't get major parts in drama productions, nor choir, orchestra etc because they don't do drama out of school nor play an instrument. I think their school tries to be fair and ensure all the children get to shine at something.

Funny thing is the school has picked up on lack of confidence!

Absolutely! The same happened with ds, yet when he put himself forward and auditioned for a (not huge) speaking role in the school production of The Lion King, he didn’t get it, and was given 3rd Hyena on the left (non-speaking) by the very teacher who had raised it with me only weeks before! Baffling…
Seemed to happen throughout his school career, and has affected his self-confidence to the extent that he no longer tries out for things
Hope your ds gets the vital chances he wants, to ‘have a go’ at things. I know I’ve always felt that it only needs someone to take a punt on the less confident children, and give them the opportunity to rise to the occasion, to change their whole mindset. Isn’t building up children’s self esteem just what schools should be trying to do? So often all the attention seem to be focused on those whose self-esteem is already very robust!

I have 3 kids and one of them was picked for everything. I wasn't teaching staff or friendly out of school with teaching staff.

I think it's a personality thing - he didn't get stage fright etc but importantly teachers really liked him. I know I'm his mum so I'm biased in thinking he's great but at parents evenings etc, his teachers were more complimentary about him than his siblings even though they are more academic, better behaved etc Ds is average sports wise so I think he was picked because he wasn't going to kick off if the other team scored a goal which apparently happens a lot during playground football.

It can be the same in private schools too, only there its about who donates most money, who has lots of kids in the school so pays more fees, whose parents can benefit the school most etc..
We moved our ds from his last prep school because of this sort of shit, it was damaging his self esteem. He's in a new school now and suddenly he gets to participate in things, it's done wonders for him.

mrsm43s,

My child is capable and committed to practises, training and tournaments. Conscientious, well-mannered, articulate, kind, to boot.
Funnily enough, I don't subscribe to 'star of the week' either, however when half of the roles available are allocated to 5 out of the 6 children of teaching staff or family friends, if that is not nepotism or bias at play, I don't know what is! Oh yes, remind me again 'Best child for the job!'

OFSTED will only look at a complaint after you have followed the schools complaints procedure.
The complaints policy will be on the school website - and if not ask for it.

I'm an ex teacher (secondary) and my first thought in these issues is always to defend the teachers.

But then I remembered how, in the L6th, I was believed by everyone in my circle to be a shoe-in for the post of house captain (which was almost entirely a sports role) as we moved into the U6th. I had consistently played not only in a wide range of house teams but also in school sports, all through school, including the best first 11 hockey team in the county.

I was given vice captain - the captain's role went to a girl who was pretty and more popular and hadn't played school sport since Y8.

They came back to me and asked me to be captain when, a few months into the U6th, she discovered she was pregnant and left...

edwinbear,

Our two both play for clubs outside school which gives them an entirely different perspective. Not all kids at our school have that luxury.

Funnily enough, our eldest did get picked for the competitive sports team and given one of the roles, did not get chosen for performing roles, not into that.
He then got selected for everything going...badminton, cross country, tag rugby, bowling! I said to the school just because he performs well at one sport does not necessarily make him good at everything. When we declined participation in one team and to give someone else a chance, it came with a caution that he may not be selected next time!!!

There's no more "everyone gets a turn to be Star of the Week

I think the OP's point is that not everyone does get a turn to be Star of the Week. I know what you mean, OP, I used to think hell would freeze over before my son got chosen to do anything.

On the other hand, it's not odd that the kids who are best at sport are chosen for the school teams; or that the kids who are most articulate are chosen to be narrator at the school play. However, there needs to be some creativity employed to ensure that those who would like a chance get a chance. As was pointed out on the football thread, if you never get to play, you never get better.

At my DS's Y6 leavers assembly there were 6 Head Teacher awards handed out for various achievements. All 6 were handed to a child of a member of staff or the child of a parent governor. It was laughable really.

There was a definite bias when it came to picking teams for sporting events. My daughter used to tell me that she couldn't understand why she was never picked for the cross country team when she always did really well in the trials. Kids who didn't do as well were given a place over her.

When she started secondary school she was immediately marked out as one of the 10 best cross country runners in her year and this was at a very sporty school.

@AngelsWithSilverWings I don't think it's right at all that they trial children, but selection is then made on different criteria, I agree. For cross country at DC's school, trials are open to everyone, it's explained very clearly that they will select the 4 fastest finishers for the squad so everyone is clear.

In my experience kids whose parents are teachers/coaches are considered last for things so it doesn't look like 'favouritism' - I often feel sorry for them as they just want to be treated like everyone else.

Also, you don't see what goes on inside the classroom. My DS would be picked for all the sports teams (on show for school events - parents invited) but very much overlooked within the classroom where he was very much middle of the road. The complete opposite for my DD. All children deserve a chance to shine.

BananaPB,

I agree with your point about personality... our two are chalk and cheese!
Our eldest got picked for all the competitive sports and roles and wasn't really that fussed! Was not a natural student, youngest is.
Funny thing is they've picked kids for sports roles that aren't even sporty.

It's been going on for decades. I remember when I was a school, it was always the same kids picked for certain activities. Fair enough if it's sports or similar, and there are only a few genuinely talented kids, but it was so bloody obvious that there were favourites. Usually the popular kids who could shout the loudest.

In my kids' primary it'd be the same children that won annual competitions, the same ones that got picked to go on special trips out etc. You knew who was going to be the head girl and boy before anyone had voted. You knew who was going to win the competition before anyone had submitted their entry. It just became farcical.

MissyB1,
Good point. Our eldest went to an independent school for his first 2 years. Donations were 'voluntary' yet the biggest donors got a nice little plaque outside the school office! One particular kid was always in trouble and got himself excluded one time, the family donations safeguarded his place. Money talks!

I have a daughter that is in the middle...

She's not a high attainer, she's not a bottom of the class and she's not a child of a friend of the teachers. She's the kid in the class that does the work to a decent standard, rarely.needs help, rarely makes fuss and just.gets on with it.

I've noticed, though she is only 8, that she gets overlooked a lot.
The naughty kid that behaves well for a day, gets rewarded... My kid behaves well every day but there's no reward.
The children of the friends of the teachers get picked as winners of 'homework of the week' or 'book in a box' etc even if they don't put much effort in, my.kid always puts enough effort in but never gets picked.

There's been a few times it's happened, but one that sticks out:
There was a "send a photo of you reading" competition.
My kid and me traveled all over the place and took several pictures reading several books in several situations, most of which rhymed. So we went to a marina and she read a book about Goats near the boats. Went to a forest and read about Frogs whilst sat on logs. We took Hairy Mclairy to an actual dairy...etc
6 of these types of days out, she learned how to edit them into one photo and put borders around etc. Took several hours of days out, picking books, photographing, editing etc. Lots of effort really.
Kid that won lives on a farm, picture was him just sat near some cows with a book open, zero effort entry. The kid is the son of the head teachers bestie and the head teacher picked the winner..

Affected my daughter quite a bit tbh, she's reluctant now to put any extra effort in and won't enter similar activities.

AngelWithSilverWings,

Really glad your daughter's running ability was eventually picked up at secondary school. I'm hoping the same will be true for us at secondary school.

You're right, it is laughable really. Before they were announced, I predicted the results with remarkable accuracy. Only one outside runner, a sporty role for a non-sporty kid!

This has been going on since the dawn of time. I’m amazed that there is actually a school where it doesn’t!