Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Is it normal or is there a law against it?

22 replies

Mummy281987 · 15/05/2016 21:12

My 10 year old daughter went away on a school trip for 3 nights while away the girls and boys were in separate dorms and there were female staff in the girls dorm and make staff in the boys dorm which I thought was normal but when my daughter would get up in the morning or before bed while she would be getting dressed a male member of staff would walk in and a few times my daughter was in just her knickers he wouldn't turn around and leave he would stand there trying to make conversation with her room mate while my daughter would awkwardly turn around and try and cover her body!!!!!! Surely there has to be some kind of law against that considering the other male member of staff never once ventured into the girls dorms and the female staff never ventured into the boys dorms someone please help me I have a meeting with school about to it tomorrow but wanna know if there is a law against this xxx

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 15/05/2016 21:32

Don't know about a law, but definitely bad practice and not good safeguarding.

janethegirl2 · 15/05/2016 21:33

I'd complain, not normal IMO

GretchenBeckett · 15/05/2016 21:34

I've worked in primary schools for many years and this definitely isn't normal at all.

Haggisfish · 15/05/2016 21:35

Odd. I would complain, too.

Ilovewillow · 15/05/2016 21:35

Not sure about a law but I wouldn't think it was allowed to safeguard children and staff.

Original poster
Mummy281987 · 15/05/2016 22:09

I reported it to the head and he said it was "normal" and "fine" I have a meeting tomorrow my child is petrified of the teacher who done it and he seems to have a dislike towards her being mean to
Her giving her dirty looks all te time she has left school 3 times in tears because of him zz

OP posts:
Mishaps · 15/05/2016 22:24

This is definitely not right. The head is not right either.

Girls at this age are often prepubertal with breast buds and the idea of a male teacher in the dorm when she had no top on is simply wrong. At our local primary school there is great care taken to make sure that the top class girls have proper privacy - they have their own toilet in fact.

This situation needs to be sorted out - write to the head, copy to chair of governors and to safeguarding governor. Do not let it pass. It is a serious breach of safeguarding. You might like to look at their safeguarding policy which should be available on their website.

Original poster
Mummy281987 · 15/05/2016 22:43

Thank you so much for your help will deffo look into this further and take your advice xx

OP posts:
IDontBelieveAnything · 15/05/2016 23:12

How strange. You would have thought one of the girls would have said something at the time.

Drinkstoomuchcoffee · 16/05/2016 08:49

@I don't believe: Children in this position find it very difficult to challenge the situation at the time. That is what makes them so vulnerable. Poor safeguarding practice.

Original poster
Mummy281987 · 16/05/2016 10:40

A couple of the girls have spoke out now the school are going to investigate it too thank you all for your help x

OP posts:
FuzzyOwl · 16/05/2016 10:46

Very inappropriate. I already had my periods at that age and would have been mortified if a male teacher had been in the same room as me when I was just in my underwear.

soapboxqueen · 16/05/2016 11:00

Tbh I think the only time I ever went into a children's dorm was when other children had reported a child was upset (homesick). I didn't avoid it. They're just wasn't a need. Part of point of these trips is to foster independence and self reliance so no need to baby them.

So in essence, I think what your child has reported seems odd. Though not necessarily illegal unless there is evidence of a nefarious nature, just poor judgement.

However, just to be clear, if there was something going on eg a fight, dangerous behaviour or medical emergency, I wouldn't hesitate to go in whether it was the girls or boys dorms, naked or not. That's because at the end of the day, I'm legal responsible for those children. Don't think this applies here though.

admission · 17/05/2016 17:21

It is incredibly poor judgement on behalf of the male teacher at the very least. I question what the female members of staff were doing and why they were allowing this to happen.
If safeguarding is a strong point in the school then the response of the head teacher should have been one of surprise that this happened,that they will immediately establish what happened and which other pupils were present at the time. Saying this is normal is way out of line and worrying.
Not sure how the meeting went today but unless you are 100% satisfied with the response of the head teacher then I would be tempted to contact the person in the LA who is called the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), who will be someone in the social services part of the organisation. It is their responsibility to handle all safeguarding / child protection issues / queries. I would say to them that you have had a meeting at the school over this and you are not completely satisfied that they are treating it seriously enough. When you explain that the male teacher came into the female pupil dorm whilst your daughter was in a state of undress I would expect them to be interested. If the school have done what they should have done and made a referral themselves about the incident then that is fine and you can be assured that it is being handled. If the school has not referred it then you can expect the LADO to start some kind of investigation.

Original poster
Mummy281987 · 17/05/2016 18:40

Meeting went fantastic finally feel like I was being listened to there investigating it all and taking it very very serious will keep this post updated as and when I get new information xx

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 17/05/2016 18:46

I am pleased to hear that Mummy. Very surprised that the member of staff in question thought it appropriate behaviour. Also that the Head said this was normal behaviour.

Who was your meeting with today? Did the Head change his/her mind, or were there others there?

Original poster
Mummy281987 · 17/05/2016 19:32

I had a meeting with the second in acting head and the head who I first spoke to has called me full of apologies saying he was sorry he didn't realise how serious it was xx

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 17/05/2016 19:39

Maybe first Head has had his responsibilities pointed out to him! Glad he has apologised though, and that things seem now to be being taken seriously.

Willow2016 · 17/05/2016 20:26

I am shocked that a head of school didnt think/know that a male member of staff repeatedly going and standing in a room with half naked girl pupils in it was unacceptable Shock

Did he think if he didnt say anything you would just go away and he wouldnt have to do the unpleasant investigation bit? Arse!

HereIAm20 · 18/05/2016 15:31

Is there another member of staff (other than the head) who is the designated safeguarding lead. Report it to them and if still no joy to the Governors and then Ofsted.

urbanfox1337 · 18/05/2016 19:45

Out of interest: Primary schools don't have changing rooms, if a class has a male teacher what happens when they change clothes into sports gear. Or indeed when they go to a swimming pool?

soapboxqueen · 18/05/2016 20:01

Most schools can manage a female TA. Particularly for swimming. They generally need more staff because it's off site anyway.

It's usually finding male members of staff that's an issue.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page