Should I tell my child?

[Ioverslept]

Hi, I only just found out that a child in my child’s class (KS2 in small school) lost a parent very recently, unexpectedly. Children start school tomorrow, I don’t know if said child will attend or if other children know. Should I tell my child before they go to school or let them find out there? Presumably school will know and tell the children tactfully and will know how to handle the situation?
Thanks

I wouldn’t expect too much from the school. When my niece returned to school after her mother died not one teacher said anything to her at all.
I’d tell them myself.

How sad. Yes I personally would tell my DD.

This happened to us recently (well in DCs class). We told DC as the child was a good friend and we wanted to help them understand the child might be sad, angry, withdrawn etc and to try and help them and not take it personally if the friend seemed mean or different - children will react so differently to bereavement.

Thanks, they are not particularly close, but it is such a small school everybody knows each other.

Also wondering whether to tell my other younger child in same school, different class but still knows them.

That's appalling @OraettaMayflower your poor niece should of had support at every turn :(

Thanks all, We told them in the morning, they seemed rather unmoved but then apparently when they got to school the one in the same class told a friend straight away who went and told the teacher who seemed to not know (despite the headteacher having already responded to my email telling me about all the support in place). Other children already knew, bereaved child was not in school but is expected to return on Monday. Headteacher told the class on Friday that the child had a close relative die (didn’t specify it was the mum but kids know anyway, maybe family asked for privacy) and that they should treat the child as normal on return. I just hope they get all the support they need, poor child and poor family.

even if he is not close it might be nice to say x has lost his mummy he might be sad so hope you will all be kind to him

@Ioverslept you did the right thing. Poor child. The school sounds dreadful.