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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be concerned that a Mum from another class is still in our class WhatsApp group?

138 replies

ImageNet · 06/02/2026 08:07

DC's in reception and at the start of the year I noticed a number in the class WhatsApp group whose name I didn't recognise. I assumed it was possibly a grandparent of one of DC's classmates, Anyway, I also felt it was a bit busybody-like to look into it especially as I'm not even a class rep so left it. Fast forward five months and after I posted in the group offering some items for a school activity, the mysterious number messaged me asking if I could pass them one. I joked that I hadn't met them yet and they said that their child is in one of the other Reception classes. I'm not sure what to make of it as although our class WhatsApp isn't very active, some parents do post photos of their children after a party and to me it just feels weird (with privacy concerns) that this mum is still in a class WhatsApp group when her DC isn't in it. My question is: is it something I should mention to a class rep as she's been in the group for almost half a year already. WWYD? AIBU to mention it to a class rep?

OP posts:
ilovesushi · 06/02/2026 15:58

Is she a school mum with a reception age child but there is more than one class and they are in the other class? If so, no big deal. She probably thought others in her child's reception group might be interested as wel.

CaptainMyCaptain · 06/02/2026 16:04

SpryLilacBird · 06/02/2026 13:05

Ours do loads!

Here is just some of what ours do:

  • send a reminder message every Sunday of what's happening the following week at school
  • they send ad hoc reminders (e.g. forest school, dress down days, school trips etc)
  • meet termly with the headmistress and other class reps.
  • copy and paste all school e-mails and text messages into the whats app chat to make sure that everyone sees them.
  • arrange Mums termly coffee mornings and occasional nights out.
  • organise christmas gifts and end-of-school-year gifts for class teachers, teaching assistants, headmistress, deputy head, receptionists and lolly pop lady.
  • arrange ad hoc gifts e.g. if a teacher/teaching assistant is going on maternity/paternity leave.
  • attend termly parent consultations and provide feedback (which is particularly useful for any parents who couldn't attend).

To the OP,
I personally wouldn't worry about it at all and it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. We have a Mum in our whats app group whose daughter has moved school! The family still live in the same village though, so we still see them all the time.

Who appoints these people? I retired from teaching 11 years ago. We didn't have WhatsApp groups or Class Reps. It was obviously the Dark Ages.

Skybluepinky · 06/02/2026 16:32

No idea why anyone epuld want to be in the playground mummy mafia WhatsApp groups!

cocoromo · 06/02/2026 16:39

disappointed124 · 06/02/2026 08:49

Omg how do you have the time 🙄

Exactly this - I feel like I live on another planet sometimes with posts like these. Get a hobby.

Notsosweetcaroline · 06/02/2026 17:46

cocoromo · 06/02/2026 16:39

Exactly this - I feel like I live on another planet sometimes with posts like these. Get a hobby.

Me too, the level of drama. So unwarranted. All that’s required if there is any concern, is hey who is this to the class rep.

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 06/02/2026 17:56

ClearFruit · 06/02/2026 12:02

Jesus Christ...

Thank God it’s not just me..

igelkott2026 · 06/02/2026 19:13

GalaxyJam · 06/02/2026 08:49

‘Still’ in it from when? Why did she join in the first place if it’s the wrong class?

Maybe her own class doesn't have one, or she can't work out who the parent who runs it is to ask to join?

They are not run by schools are they? Parents set them up themselves so you need to know who's set it up to join.

Westcountrymumof2 · 06/02/2026 19:38

BabbiCoke · 06/02/2026 14:07

Same. To me this is the same sort of lazy misogyny that insists that all mums at the school gate are cliquey.

Some people find a class Whatsapp helpful, some don't. Assuming they're all full of drama just makes a person sound like an idiot.

Is that in response to me l? 😂 I've never been called a lazy, misogynistic idiot before but I guess there's a first for everything. But of a leap to make after one comment though...

stichguru · 06/02/2026 19:43

The idea that people are posting things that are ok for parents of one class to see, but not ok for parents of another class in the same year group in the same school to see is very concerning. Also aren't their lots of things the classes do together and so parties etc that might involve lots of children from both classes, therefore useful to have all the parents on?!

Rainbowdottie · 06/02/2026 20:35

Haven’t read all the replies, sorry
personally I wouldn’t have an issue with it, from my understanding of what you’ve written, she’s a mum in the same year group as you.

as a now retired teacher, it’s quite common to have 2/3 reception classes, I suppose it depends on your school and local authorities. But it’s quite common to have a whole year group on one WhatsApp…it means that reps etc can cover for each other, saves keep writing the same message etc. it’s quite good for whole group reminders etc and of course anything like homework you don’t understand.

are you new to the school? Does your school have a school nursery? Very often the mums know each other well from school nursery, they just get split into different classes for reception, but the mums know each other and the kids well.

tbh if you’re concerned that “a random mum”
is on the WhatsApp , I’d question what are you putting on there. Teachers aren’t stupid, they know there’s more to the WhatsApp groups other than when’s mufti day or where is my child’s missing jumper…but tbh as long as you’re sticking to those types of conversations, you shouldn’t have to worry about any mum in WhatsApp groups.

SpryLilacBird · 08/02/2026 15:27

CaptainMyCaptain · 06/02/2026 16:04

Who appoints these people? I retired from teaching 11 years ago. We didn't have WhatsApp groups or Class Reps. It was obviously the Dark Ages.

A couple of parents volunteer to do it when the children start in reception and then at the end of every school year, the class reps will mention if they're happy to stay on or would like to step down. If they are stepping down they'll ask in the class whats app group for volunteers for the following school year.

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 08/02/2026 15:41

Christmasinmecar · 06/02/2026 08:41

The 'drama' of modern life. 🙄

Agree totally.

idontgetitdoyou · 18/02/2026 21:51

My son was in a prep school from age 3 to 13. Small cosy prep, 40 ish kids, about 30 were together all the way through so 10 years of school. Friends with many of the parents and we all know each other and the kids pretty well.
Kids are Y11 now but the group is still going with the odd message and we have occasional meet ups.
there’s a mum whose boy left in year 2 so this would have been in probably 2017 and she’s still on it and reading messages. I cannot understand why and it does bother me!

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