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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mobile calls from school

30 replies

Honeypig · 12/12/2022 14:11

I’m after people’s opinion on the use of mobile phones in school as i can’t find a specific answer and can’t decide if I am being over sensitive.

My child’s school has a zero policy on the use of mobiles and say if there is an emergency then we ring school. I get this and fully support this.

However, instead of ringing me from the schools number, a teacher told my child during the day to ring me from her own mobile (i.e my child to ring me from her phone not the teachers). It was not an emergency call just something to do with parents evening. I was working at the time and had to excuse myself thinking something bad had happened as for anything else such as an appointment i would have expected school to call.

I really think this is wrong and that the teacher should have rung from the school line. Am I being over sensitive?

OP posts:
Farradaymange · 12/12/2022 14:14

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

MRSDoos · 12/12/2022 14:16

You are over reacting

Original poster
Honeypig · 12/12/2022 14:26

I forgot to add that i work in an emergency centre so we can’t readily take calls.

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 12/12/2022 14:27

Seems like a one-off.

Glad to read about the school's policies on mobile phones.

Burgoo · 12/12/2022 14:30

I am struggling to see what the actual issue is here. Genuinely.

Farradaymange · 12/12/2022 14:30

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

gettingolderandgrumpier · 12/12/2022 14:32

So you’re annoyed that you were contacted when it wasn’t an emergency? In your line of job I vs. See why that would annoy you . Just explain to school you can only be contacted in emergency. Can you put another contact down ?

racingcar · 12/12/2022 14:32

YABU. Surely you'd be more concerned to receive a phone call from the school than from your child's mobile number? I had a similar situation when I was teaching. A boy in my form (Y7) had walked out of home early that morning after an argument with his mum. But he came to school as normal and was in form time. My next class contained his sister (Y10) who asked if he was in form because he'd walked out and the mum didn't know if he'd come to school or not (mum hadn't contacted the school directly). I gave Y10 sister permission to step outside and use her mobile (usually banned) to call her mum to reassure that the brother had arrived at school and was safe. I don't understand why you would see a phone call from your child's mobile and assume something bad to any greater extent than a phone call directly from the school number - if anything, I'd imagine a parent is more likely to answer because you know the number.

SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound · 12/12/2022 14:33

What difference would it have made if the call was from the school line? Wouldn’t you have had to answer anyway in case it was an emergency?

racingcar · 12/12/2022 14:33

If you're only to be contacted in an emergency then your child should know that.

lanthanum · 12/12/2022 14:36

I can see why it would be worrying, but on the other hand, it is not as easy as you might think for a teacher to make a call from the school number - phones are usually only in offices and staffrooms (which may be busy and noisy). Would a text have been enough? That might be less worrying to receive.

I had similar once, in that I had a call from the school on my mobile, which I only expected in an emergency (our landline was supposed to be the first point of contact). It wasn't a big deal for more than a minute.

If you work in a job where you can't take calls, it may be best to turn your mobile completely off and give the employers' number as the contact for real emergencies. If you'd need to be covered to enable you to collect your child, then it's actually easier if the the employer knows before you do, as they can be sorting that out.

Siepie · 12/12/2022 14:36

SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound · 12/12/2022 14:33

What difference would it have made if the call was from the school line? Wouldn’t you have had to answer anyway in case it was an emergency?

This. In a true emergency (child missing/injured/etc) it would be school calling.

racingcar · 12/12/2022 14:50

lanthanum · 12/12/2022 14:36

I can see why it would be worrying, but on the other hand, it is not as easy as you might think for a teacher to make a call from the school number - phones are usually only in offices and staffrooms (which may be busy and noisy). Would a text have been enough? That might be less worrying to receive.

I had similar once, in that I had a call from the school on my mobile, which I only expected in an emergency (our landline was supposed to be the first point of contact). It wasn't a big deal for more than a minute.

If you work in a job where you can't take calls, it may be best to turn your mobile completely off and give the employers' number as the contact for real emergencies. If you'd need to be covered to enable you to collect your child, then it's actually easier if the the employer knows before you do, as they can be sorting that out.

The school I worked in when I was a teacher didn't have any phone for staff to use to call parents. The office had a phone and contacted parents when they needed to but if I needed to phone a parent then I did that from my own mobile with the number withheld - my husband's current school is the same. I'd make about 10-15 phone calls each day to parents so, assuming 50 staff are the same, there's no way we could all queue for a couple of phones.

lanthanum · 12/12/2022 14:54

The other problem with school phones is that if the teacher doesn't get through, and the parent calls back, they reach the receptionist, who hasn't a clue who called the parent and why. That can create even more issues!

Plumbear2 · 12/12/2022 14:57

My child's school don't allow phones to be used in school. If I got a call from my child in school time I would assume it's an accidental dial from getting knocked in his bag. A call from the school number would have me much more concerned because it's more than likely due to my child being ill or injured. I certainly hope you don't ignore calls from your child's school.

Original poster
Honeypig · 12/12/2022 14:59

Thanks guys for your responses… I think it was probably because my child should have known better but probably didn’t want to get in trouble with the teacher neither. School do know my role.

Work were a tad annoyed with me which made me wonder.

Never really thought about the lack of phone lines as not an issue where i am.

OP posts:
MugginsOverEre · 12/12/2022 15:07

My two teen girls text me all the time from school. They also phone when required. I'm much prefer a call from my kid than the school. The school's number usually mean something's wrong.

Our high school doesn't mind mobiles at all and kids are often asked to take theirs out and google something (though they have access to school tech should they need it (but no one ever wants to) or take a photo of something.

Just the other morning DD(12) was suffering from a migraine and her awful pupil support teacher (absolute nasty piece of work in my experience of her) wouldn't listen and shoo'd her out and told her to see how she felt at lunch. Meanwhile poor kid's in agony, seeing auras and almost puking. She texted me through it all so I texted her big sister who offered to go take her painkillers, rescue her and tell the office to phone me to pick her up. School phoned within 10 mins of DD getting involved.

Pieceofpurplesky · 12/12/2022 15:22

Basically the teacher was doing your kid a favour by letting them
contact you without going to the office.

Many schools do not have phones available for staff. My last school
Only had them in the offices - a good five minutes walk away when I only had about a minute between lessons

HotChoxs · 12/12/2022 15:34

YANBU what warranted a call about parents evening?

coldec · 12/12/2022 15:37

I really think this is wrong and that the teacher should have rung from the school line. Am I being over sensitive?

What difference would it have made?

Orangelover · 12/12/2022 15:46

Eh? I used to text my mum from school if I needed to tell her/ask something. Don't really see that it's a problem as long as your DC understand that you're not going to be able to answer immediately whilst you're working.

Original poster
Honeypig · 12/12/2022 16:05

It was to see if i was coming.
I had already booked appointments

OP posts:
HotChoxs · 12/12/2022 16:07

Honeypig · 12/12/2022 16:05

It was to see if i was coming.
I had already booked appointments

YANBU!

zingally · 12/12/2022 16:33

I'm not really seeing the issue tbh. Frankly though, your child is old enough to know that you are an emergency contact only during your working hours. The teacher isn't at any fault. They don't know the working patterns/preferences of every kid they teach!
Your kid could have text you this information!

WonderingWanda · 12/12/2022 16:43

Our school only has 8 phone lines and limited phones in offices, so not always accessible I could use my own mobile but I'd have to faff about blocking my number first because I'm certainly not sharing my private number with a parent. Also if it's a busy moment I'd also have to log into the relevent system to find your phone number, and I'd have to log the call afterwards which involves writing a brief transcript of the conversation. Seriously, if your kid knows your number I would first get them to ring you using the school phone second ask them to use their phone. Third go through all the faff of sorting my phone and looking up the number. Imagine if I have 4 members of my tutor group who have forgotten PE kit that day, I'd spend my entire break time on the phone or logging phone calls.