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Headteacher used a biscuit in Maths and tried to feed our Coeliac daughter and when told not to, laughed about it

235 replies

RLBo · 29/09/2023 15:44

Our daughter has Coeliac Disease - (the school is well aware of this as she is hyper sensitive). She had a 1:1 Maths lesson with the Headteacher who used a non gluten free biscuit to demonstrate fractions, the head teacher broke the biscuit apart and put it in our daughters face and said 'go on eat it, it's yours' pushing the biscuit towards her. Our daughter said 'no I can't eat it, it will make me ill' to which the headteacher laughed and said 'oh I will eat it then, yum yum yum' putting crumbs all over our daughter and the desk.

I was shocked at this behaviour and made a complaint. To which the reply was; the headteacher said she had forgotten that our daughter was Coeliac and that she wasn't wrong in doing this?

How would you respond? because in my eyes, it's once again a school brushing something that is serious under the carpet and dismissing it.

Interested to know your thoughts

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RLBo · 30/09/2023 09:01

You’re missing the point

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IncomingTraffic · 30/09/2023 09:02

Jk987 · 29/09/2023 20:50

How do you know the exact story and what was said?

Almost certainly because she’s taken her 9 year old’s word for it.

Grimchmas · 30/09/2023 09:06

It wasn't a great lesson plan. Wych is a shame because I bet they thought they were making a dull subject more interesting.

Send HT some Celiac society quick to read leaflets that explain why what they did was so dangerous.

IncomingTraffic · 30/09/2023 09:06

if you take all the nonsense about shoving biscuits into the child’s mouth and dropping crumbs on her, the actual issue is that the school needs better procedures for checking dietary requirements before any activity involving food.

That does matter (I have a coeliac child, so I do know that it’s not a minor thing). And it is a problem if the school are not acknowledging that.

I’d leave all the bits that are likely an upset 9 year old’s mis-recollection out and focus on the real issue when contacting the school. You need to know that they’re properly planning and risk assessing activities involving food to keep children with medical conditions and allergies safe.

CatkinToadflax · 30/09/2023 10:20

Those saying that the OP is overreacting clearly have no understanding of being coeliac. Would they say the same if the child had a peanut allergy and the headteacher split peanuts in front of her? I doubt it.

EnidSpyton · 30/09/2023 10:26

RLBo · 30/09/2023 09:01

You’re missing the point

If you mean me (your posts are very confusing as you don't refer to anyone when posting), I don't think I am missing the point.

Yes the headteacher has admitted they forgot your daughter was coeliac. But the school thinks it's no big deal, which is suggestive of them not realising/understanding the severity of coeliac disease. If this had been nuts, I think you would have a very different response.

The school clearly don't have the knowledge of coeliac disease to be able to risk assess properly for activities involving your daughter. This is a safeguarding risk and they need training. You are not wrong to complain, and to be honest I am very surprised at the dismissiveness of the response - the Headteacher is not coming across well here at all - but in order to move forward, you need to ensure they are informed while also complaining, otherwise they may make all the right noises about having updated risk assessments and so on, but nothing will have actually changed in terms of their ability to keep your child safe if they still have no idea what coeliac disease is.

I would write to the Chair of Governors, with something along the lines of the following:

'I am writing with reference to the Headteacher's decision to use a biscuit in a 1-1 lesson with my daughter last week. My daughter has coeliac disease and needs a strict gluten free diet, of which the school are perfectly aware. The Headteacher has admitted she had forgotten my daughter has coeliac disease, but I have had no apology or recognition of the seriousness of this incident. As such, I am escalating my complaint to the governing body; the lack of risk assessments and control measures around allergies is a serious safeguarding issue, leaving children at X school at risk. This cannot continue.

I appreciate that the lesson involving the biscuit was meant in good faith as an engaging activity, and I also appreciate that the Headteacher may not be aware of how serious coeliac disease is. My daughter's condition means that ingesting any form of wheat - even in the tiniest amount, such as a crumb - causes agonising pain and other distressing physical symptoms that could keep her off school for a week while she recovers. As such, her food intake needs to be very carefully controlled to ensure she stays healthy and pain-free. I therefore need urgent reassurance that an incident like this involving my daughter being offered and exposed to non gluten free food will never happen again at school - not just for the safety of my child, but for the safety of all other children at the school who may also have allergies. In a different scenario, a mistake like the Head's could have been fatal.

I rely on the school to keep my daughter safe while in their care and at the moment I cannot trust the school to do this. I enclose information about coeliac disease. I would like all staff at the school to have training so that they understand my daughter's needs and can ensure all activities are properly risk assessed in the light of these. I am happy to come into school to deliver training to staff on coeliac disease if required. I would also like to see a copy of your risk assessments involving use of food at school to ensure that you have adequately factored in my daughter's needs.

I look forward to your response. If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 7 days I will refer this safeguarding incident to the LADO myself.'

Good luck. Don't let them close ranks - if you don't get anywhere after the offers of training, etc. contact your local authority safeguarding team. That will get things moving.

Out of interest though, I would appreciate a response to my previous question - what do they do to keep her safe at lunchtime and break time? Many schools are now nut free, but I've never heard of a gluten free school - so how do they avoid cross contamination if everyone sitting near your daughter is eating sandwiches?

skewed · 30/09/2023 10:31

I'd write a letter to the HT politely reminding her of my daughter's condition, and leave it at that. I'd also be grateful that my daughter was receiving 1:1 tuition and want it to continue.

Userwithallthenumbers · 30/09/2023 10:53

'Put it in our daughter's face' = held it out, offering to the child.

'The headteacher laughed' = inappropriate nervous reaction on realising their error.

'Sprayed crumbs all over...' = a few crumbs landed on the desk.

If she is so severely affected, I assume she never eats anywhere in public in case of risk of cross contamination, eats separately from all the kids with sandwiches, wears a medical tag etc.

Scrape off all the hyperbole and embellishment, and calmly go back next week and ask how they plan to prevent a repeat incident.

FatandRoundBouncingontheGround · 30/09/2023 10:53

Please don't post pictures of children who died of anaphylaxic reactions after exposure in school. It's irrelevant in this discussion. Just like children who died of measles would not be relevant in a discussion about smallpox.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. Not a food allergy. Thankfully, exposure, whilst unpleasant and cumulatively serious, doesn't cause sudden death.

WrongSwanson · 30/09/2023 11:06

FatandRoundBouncingontheGround · 30/09/2023 10:53

Please don't post pictures of children who died of anaphylaxic reactions after exposure in school. It's irrelevant in this discussion. Just like children who died of measles would not be relevant in a discussion about smallpox.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. Not a food allergy. Thankfully, exposure, whilst unpleasant and cumulatively serious, doesn't cause sudden death.

It's entirely relevant.

If the processes were in place to protect children with anaphylaxis they would also protect children with coeliac.

And their parents shared those pictures because they want everyone to sit up and take food on schools seriously.

You don't get to be the thread police.

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:16

They were very aware that my daughter is coeliac because she is hyper sensitive and not the first time the school has failed her on it. She has been excluded from school meals because we have been told they cannot cater for her. I’m not suggesting the school goes gluten free what I am suggesting that as a head teacher she should know better than to put a primary school age child at risk and to abide to the safe guarding or duty of care policies. But instead, the reply from the headteacher and governors was that she (headteacher) did nothing wrong. THIS is what I have a problem with. I don’t want her sacked or anything like that, I want her to admit she wasn’t compliant and to review their duty of care. it isn’t much to ask - we send our kids to school in the hope they are looked after properly. This is a headteacher we are talking about here.

thank you for your reply by the way

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RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:17

🙄

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ErinAndTonic · 30/09/2023 14:19

You seem very over the top!

Was probably just trying to offer it to her, not forcing it!

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:20

This is absolutely my point. It’s a H&S issue. We preempt what would happen in order to prevent accidents. Just because she didn’t take a bite out of the biscuit, doesn’t make it ok like some have suggested. It’s a crazy mindset that some people have. 🙄

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RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:21

🙄why bother commenting?

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ErinAndTonic · 30/09/2023 14:22

RLBo · 29/09/2023 19:21

You’re missing the point and it’s a primary school. Coeliac Disease is serious. Duty of care - she’s a headteacher of a village school - 99 pupils, 5 in my daughters year. I guess it was fair of her to laugh about it too??? Have you seen a child in pain that has coeliac disease after eating gluten?

But she didn't eat it so I don't see your point. Kids are going to come into contact with gluten, it's everywhere, and probably hard for teachers to remember all kids allergies off heart nowadays as they're so prevalent.

But she knew not to eat it and let them know so no harm was done. So what exactly is the problem? Sure could have had gluten free biscuits but then a child
Might have a dairy allergy.. nut allergy.. soy allergy...

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:22

Absolutely!

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RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:23

Whatever - you clearly don’t understand. Go and seek something else to comment on. Weirdo

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ErinAndTonic · 30/09/2023 14:25

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:23

Whatever - you clearly don’t understand. Go and seek something else to comment on. Weirdo

Nice. You sound like a fantastic parent - calling people weirdos on the internet just for making a fair point.

I understand your concern but your daughter clearly has her head screwed on and challenged the teacher and no harm was done. So I'd just let it go and move on, and be proud of her for doing so.

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:25

You have no idea what this is about so take your opinion elsewhere because it’s pointless

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skewed · 30/09/2023 14:26

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:16

They were very aware that my daughter is coeliac because she is hyper sensitive and not the first time the school has failed her on it. She has been excluded from school meals because we have been told they cannot cater for her. I’m not suggesting the school goes gluten free what I am suggesting that as a head teacher she should know better than to put a primary school age child at risk and to abide to the safe guarding or duty of care policies. But instead, the reply from the headteacher and governors was that she (headteacher) did nothing wrong. THIS is what I have a problem with. I don’t want her sacked or anything like that, I want her to admit she wasn’t compliant and to review their duty of care. it isn’t much to ask - we send our kids to school in the hope they are looked after properly. This is a headteacher we are talking about here.

thank you for your reply by the way

Did she have a physical reaction to the biscuit crumbs or just an emotional one?

The Head made a mistake. If she isn't bending over backwards to apologise it is likely to be because of your attitude and because her version of events is less hyperbolic than your daughter's. You may also have developed a reputation at school for being a bit over the top.

ErinAndTonic · 30/09/2023 14:26

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:25

You have no idea what this is about so take your opinion elsewhere because it’s pointless

That's a bit presumptuous. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean their opinion isn't valid.

I've said I understand your concern but effectively the issue is done, your daughter is fine and hopefully the school would have had a prevalent reminder about her allergies to prevent it happening again.

Getawaytoblazes · 30/09/2023 14:30

God help the school based on Op's behaviour on here 😬

RLBo · 30/09/2023 14:30

If you are coeliac then you should actually be fighting to raise more awareness? I don’t get it. If you want to play it down then that’s your choice but to suggest I am blowing it out of proportion is extremely concerning. My daughter consumed gluten at the same primary school and was extremely poorly for a week. She was bleeding, sick and very very poorly. Why would you think it’s “ok” for a headteacher with authority to put a child with coeliac at risk? As a coeliac yourself you should know better. Shame on you.

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Justhereforthebabynames · 30/09/2023 14:30

I would just totally forget about this.