Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

AIBU?

Teacher showed 15 film to Y7

167 replies

Littlepopsicle · 17/09/2023 07:23

DS has just started Y7. All going well, loves his new school and is very settled.
Drama class last week, teacher told them the theme for this half term is something about haunted houses. She then showed them the trailer for The Woman in Black. DH and I eye rolled each other as soon as we heard this as we knew what was going to happen....no surprise, DS has been unable to sleep alone since seeing this. We are very careful about anything he watches as he has an overactive imagination, is easily scared and sleep is easily disrupted. DH is annoyed at having another disturbed night with DS and thinks we should complain to the school. Do you think we should complain and say this is inappropriate to show to 11 and 12 years olds, or at least parents should have been warned that this was going to be shown? Or would you say it's a non-issue, get over it, he's just an over sensitive child?

OP posts:

Thanks

Share

Report

Am I being unreasonable?

AIBU

You have one vote. All votes are anonymous.

Mrshook · 17/09/2023 07:25

What rating was the trailer? A 15 film doesn't necessarily have a 15 trailer.

Thanks

Wtfnowseptember · 17/09/2023 07:26

There is definitely already a thread on this from not too long ago. Same film.

Thanks

malmi · 17/09/2023 07:26

Just the trailer?

Thanks

yogasaurus · 17/09/2023 07:26

It’s a 12A, isn’t it? Not 15

I wouldn’t expect to be warned they were watching the film, no.

Thanks

Oysterbabe · 17/09/2023 07:27

Trailers don't have the same rating as the films. I think you would be making a fuss over nothing.

Thanks

TooManyAnimals94 · 17/09/2023 07:27

It's a 12

Thanks

TeenDivided · 17/09/2023 07:29

Showing the trailer is not the same as showing the film.
Trailers are not always the same rating as the film.
eg You can have 'PG trailer for 15 film'.

Therefore I wouldn't complain. But I would maybe do a 'heads up' to the teacher. 'The trailer you showed DS gave him sleepless nights. Please can you give us warning if you are going to show anything else similar'.

(Though if you find the trailer online and it is itself rated 15 then add in 'the online trailer itself seems to be rated 15, can you assure me you showed a lower rated one').

Schools generally are hot on not showing over age films. When DD went to Paris end y7 (so most were 12, a few were 11) they were only allowed U/PG rated DVDs for the coach.

Thanks

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 17/09/2023 07:29

It's a 12A. Which they will tell you if you complain.

Thanks

Dragonwindow · 17/09/2023 07:32

It's not a kind module to start with, when the kids are new, on their best behaviour, have no relationship with the teacher, and are very unlikely to speak up if they're uncomfortable.

Imo it would be different if they'd already started their own work and were in the mindset of pulling it apart and thinking about techniques etc and THEN they were shown the trailer.

Thanks

whatnext3 · 17/09/2023 07:32

It's 12A and they showed the trailer only. Your DS is at high school. You are going to look like some right idiots it you complain about a 12a trailer. Ridiculous idea.

Thanks

yogasaurus · 17/09/2023 07:33

They only showed the trailer?! Please don’t be that parent.

Thanks

Arthurnewyorkcity · 17/09/2023 07:33

You need to slowly start introducing your ds to these things. Seems oversensitive to me. Majority of year 7s would be fine. You can't shelter him forever. Woman in black is often a text studied in English class too. Complain but you'll become 'that parent' and will have people eye balling when they read the email

Thanks

TeenDivided · 17/09/2023 07:39

My DD didn't do it in Drama until y9 (or possibly 10).
Drama can be difficult for a more sensitive child, at DD's school they used Drama to explore peer pressure, drugs, knife crime etc.

Given others have said it's a 12A it is still worth an email but definitely on a 'heads up' wording not a complaint.

Thanks

HavfrueDenizKisi · 17/09/2023 07:39

Oh dear. You really need to build your son's resilience as a priority. He's in secondary now and they grow up and change fast. Woman in black is most definitely used as a text (think mine did it in yr8) so they will likely watch the film as part of that. The school won't ever show an inappropriate film as they will have carefully thought their syllabus through. But you guys also need to get a grip and don't become 'those' parents.

Thanks

FallingAutumnLeaf · 17/09/2023 07:40

The original film had a very small amount of material removed, and was released as a 12A.
Even if the trailer contained the scariest of the remaining bits (I've not seen the trailer), it should be fine for Y7. Not a gentle start to secondary school, but fine.
I'd not contact school, but I would look at if there is anything you can do with DS to see if you can make other things at school less upsetting for him. This isn't going to be the last thing at this level he comes across.

Thanks

MidnightOnceMore · 17/09/2023 07:41

This is interesting because Woman in Black is a 12A, is a set text in many schools - but many people report finding that version very scary!

If you have a sensitive child - and there is NOTHING wrong with people being varied in sensitivity levels, people are all different - I would suggest you politely chat with HOY and ask if this can be borne in mind.

Kids should have the option to excuse themselves, because we each have the right to watch what we want. Video is much more affecting than text, but also the occasional child genuinely can't even read some topics. Schools can usually work around it if you and your child are reasonable about it being a personal matter (rather than bad teaching).

I guess the question is whether you think your child will benefit from trying to push through it or from respecting their own boundaries - this is a tough judgement call!

Thanks

ZolaBudd · 17/09/2023 07:41

I don’t know if someone else has said, but I’m pretty sure teachers are exempt from film classification rules, which always surprises people. Anyway, this is a trailer get over yourself.

Thanks

alwaysmovingforwards · 17/09/2023 07:42

It's a non-issue, get over it, he's just an over sensitive child.

Thanks

ZolaBudd · 17/09/2023 07:42

and don’t chat to the Head of Year, chat to the teacher.

they will have no bloody idea about what the English curriculum is

Thanks

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 17/09/2023 07:43

It’s a complete non-issue.
the trailer isn’t scary. The full film is age appropriate.

Thanks

Littlepopsicle · 17/09/2023 07:43

I saw the film and stage play a few years ago but couldn't remember the rating, so looked it up on Sky and it says it's a 15 🤷‍♀️.
You're right, I don't want to be that parent but it might be worth a mention rather than a complaint as such....trying to navigate how to communicate things like this at secondary school as if it was primary it would be so much easier to have a quick chat with teacher at pick up.
And yes, I know we can't shelter DS forever, we're not trying to but also know how quickly he is affected by things like this....a couple of weeks ago he got scared after watching a Halloween episode of a silly sitcom!! 🙄

OP posts:

Thanks

DrFosterWentToGloucester23 · 17/09/2023 07:43

It is actually fine for teachers to show films outside of the BBFC rating system if there is an educational purpose (e.g the more recent Macbeth is a 15 and we show it to Y9) So, the school trip leader was right to make sure the film chosen was suitable for all students and it is also fine to show Schindler’s List (15) to Y10 History students who may not all be 15 yet.

That being said, as an adult, I couldn’t sleep after watching the Woman In Black so I empathise with your DS! There is just something so chilling about it!

Thanks

MidnightOnceMore · 17/09/2023 07:44

And bollocks to worrying about being 'those parents'. When I was a teacher I liked the parents who cared about their kids.

It's about how the parents approach it.

'You shouldn't have shown this film' is not ok.

'Can I have some advice with this problem my kid has around films' is absolutely fine - and good parenting.

Thanks

littleblackcat27 · 17/09/2023 07:46

Dragonwindow · 17/09/2023 07:32

It's not a kind module to start with, when the kids are new, on their best behaviour, have no relationship with the teacher, and are very unlikely to speak up if they're uncomfortable.

Imo it would be different if they'd already started their own work and were in the mindset of pulling it apart and thinking about techniques etc and THEN they were shown the trailer.

Completely agree with this.

I can see why you're upset and I don't think you're 'ridiculous' for wanting to mention it to the teacher.

So what if your child is at 'big' school - he's still only 11 or 12.

Thanks

horseymum · 17/09/2023 07:50

It's not wrong to complain about films. I complained about this exact film for the same reasons. Children shouldn't have to toughen up and be subjected to disturbing material at school. Films can be far worse than books. There was a quibble about whether the rating was 15 or 12a but there were 11 year olds in the class anyway. I hadn't known about the potential rating exemption for schools but parents want teachers to show good judgement. My DC was excused from class whilst they worked on this topic but it was a big thing for her to come to us about being upset as we never usually hear much about school. You need to advocate for your child in a calm and polite manner.

Thanks

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.