If you volunteer to help out at school, are you allowed to work in the class your child is in?

[Aero]

I'm just wondering if it's normal to be refused. I haven't offered to help out as yet, mainly because out school has a policy about not allowing parents to help in their own child's class.

I agree with this to a point, ie, if the parent is a teacher or TA in the school, but I would have thought as a volunteer parent helper (not necessarily regular), that they would allow you to help out in the classes your children are in.

My thoughts are that atm the school is short staffed (TAs are off sick etc and SEN children are not getting the 1:1 support they should) and because of this, my child and others are missing out on valuable support from TAs. I would be happy to offer to help out in dd's class if I thought this would free up the TAs to support those who need it, but current policy won't allow it, so I've not even asked.

Is this normal practise?

I think schools quite often don't like to have parents volunteering in the class their child is in.

Most parents I know who volunteer go into their own child's class. However, I was a bit surprised when I found this out - I had assumed that it would not be allowed because of the potential disruption (DS1, on the afternoons that I'm around, spends quite a lot of time following me around being my 'helper', and I'm constantly having to shoo him away).

its three or four years ago but i helped out in my dc's class- infact a lot of mums are in ds;s class hearing readers

I am about to start helping out on a Friday at DD's school. I will be spending all my time (bar the hour the younger children are at swimming) in Pre-prep infants) so yes, I will spend some time in DD's class.

That's the sort of thing I mean. Happy to listen to reading, cut out stuff, help anyone who needs a hand etc. Not just to help dd in class, but so that I can benefit hers and her friends learning by freeing others up to do what they should be doing, but can't due to staffing issues.

I volunteer at DD's school in the nursery where she attends and when I asked the teacher about it she jumped at my offer! Although I think this is largely because the TA is training, and I am qualified and doing my degree so need the 'experience'.

We did have an agreement however, that if my being in the nursery at the same time as DD had a negative impact on her, for example, her following me around or being 'difficult' because I was there, I would go and work in reception. So far, this hasn't been necessary although I think I would quite like to venture into reception once in a while!

well in lincs i was specifically asked to help in ds1 class when we moved and i volunteered they said they were v strict about not putting parents in same classes? so i suppose it depends on the school.

i have always done prep work for dcs classes ie cutting out 30 tree shapes etc and sticking stuff in books bcing pics etc etc along with mundane tasks lost property and washing paintpots.

i now have 2 sons in secondary and home school youngest son ....so joy is me no more millions of leaves to pva glaze of a night time

I have to say that DD's school was also very pleased to get my offer and jumped at the chance. \Possbly helps them as I am a qualified teacher (albeit seconmdary and no longer working as a teacher) and I have current CRB checks (although I may need another one f they want be to do unsupervised work) The Head of pre-prep did say that they have never really had parents offer to volunteer before.

They allow it in our school, but I choose not to. Partly I worry about being distracted by my own child, or distracting them from what they are supposed to be doing, and also as I have three children at the school it wouldn't be fair to help out in the classroom of only one of them.
So I listen to readers wherever I am needed most and I think that is best really as otherwise you can have an oversupply of helpers in some year groups and not enough in another.
But I don't see why anyone would refuse to volunteer just becauase they can't be in their own child's class. Surely, if you are helping the school, you are helping all the children in it?

Lazylou - I'd be happy with that agreement. If dd was adversely affected by my helping out, I'd be happy to help elsewhere. it's the blanket resounding 'no' I object to. It would seem pointless to me to voluntter if my own children would see no benefit from it at all. I'm happy to help any of the children in the class, just can't see why my own dc should lose out if I do iyswim.

I go in to hear the kids read and have only ever heard kids from dd's class. It makes me quite sad, as up until last year the classes were mixed ability but divided for subjects. There are about 6 kids I used to hear regularly who really needed the help, but who are now in the other class and I can't see them. The ones in dd's class don't really need my help.

Rosa - it's because the only classes I wouldn't be allowed to help in is those my own are in. If I offered, say, two hours a week to help, it'd be nice to spend some of that time in dd or ds1's class and the rest elsewhere. Thing is, in dd's class, there are at least six children needing SEN support, one of which is meant to have 1:1. this isn't happening atm as two TAs are off sick, (as is our SENCO), so one TA from another class altogether is trying to spread herself rather thinly, and 1:1 child just isn't getting 1:1, and if he is, the others have no TA support.

I'm a qualified nursery nurse and have current CRB checks, so no problems there.

I can see where you are coming from Aero, but I wouldn't see it as pointless, because as Rosa says, if you are helping out at the school, you are effectively helping all the children in it.

I can understand your frustration, however. You have recognised an issue and are considering ways in which you can contribute to putting it right, or at least, helping to make things easier. Could you not put a letter in to the powers that be and state your case to them, as you have done here, but add that if your dc are 'struggling' with the arrangements, you would be happy to swap with another volunteer in the school? That way, nobody is losing out and the school is getting another volunteer who is there because they want to help with the current issues?

I think if the school refused to allow you to help out, based on what you have said after that, then they are being plain foolish to themselves and to those children.

Well, just seen your most recent post, and for them to turn down a qualified NN with checks seems a bit ludicrous, especially as it is volunteering, rather than paid work!

It's daft if you ask me, but then I am fortunate to have been given a chance in the nursery which DD has responded to well. The school took copies of all my certificates, and my uni thing (can't think of the word off the top of my head) and said I could start but because I couldn't find my CRB (which is current) they wouldn't let me start even though I would not technically be left alone with any of the children. It's all been sorted now though. But what a palaver and all for the sake of a couple of hours of help

I see what you are saying Aero, but I can sort of see the school's position too. It seems like they ought to bend their rules where you are concerned, because they clearly could do with your help, but it is possible they have had bad experiences before with parent helpers in their own child's classrooms (checking up on teachers and gossiping in the playground for instance) and fear that if they bend the rules for you, there will be complaints from others who they might not want to allow in the classroom.

I was surprised but my dd's school recruits parents/grandparents/guardians/aunts etc to help in the class to which their child belongs. I've helped out in many a workshop at my dd's school.

I once helped out with the other class once - I hadn't realised that they'd swopped classrooms for the session and confidently walked in to find the other class but dd's teacher in there, mid-craft session. She then proceeded to introduce me as 'LaComtesssesjunior's mum' which then confused the children further since there was already a child in that class with that name and they knew I wasn't her Mum . Anyway, that aside, it was great fun, apart from burning my figers on the glue gun.

Well, I haven't asked yet, but I might write and see what HT says, explaining what I've just said. I'm honestly really happy to help in other areas too, but I would like to be given the chance to help out in dd's (in particular because of need) and ds1's classes too. I do think the policy goes a bit far - I wouldn't be in that often really as ds2 is still in pre-school. The help is needed in dd's and I don't think it'd be wrong to try and see how it works out.

Good point Rosa, and if that were the case, fair enough, but HT has only been there a few years and the policy came with her. I can't say for sure what previous HT's thoughts were, but I don't think this was an issue then. I do take the point though that there might be parents who they don't want to help in their child's class, and bending the rules for one, in that case, would be wrong I guess.

It's just that dd is one of those who needs additional support and naturally, I want to do what I can so she gets it, and in doing so, helping other children too.

I may live to regret saying I'll happily sharpen 100 pencils and cut out 100 butterflies etc when my fingers start to bleed!

My current task is walking a class to the swimming pool and back once a week (over a mile each way) and standing by the side of the pool for the entire hour-long lesson to make sure the little darlings don't drown. I will be glad to get back to listening to readers.

Lol Rosa.

Actually, today ds2's pre-school supervisor asked me if I'd do them a favour and come in one morning next week and work as they will be one staff member short. I was delighted to be asked (first time and this is my third child in the pre-school), and it might be a useful tool for getting a little bit of part-time work now and again when ds2 starts school.

Strange how it should happen like that following my thread last night. This way, I'll be helping out and ds2 won't even notice I'm there really I reckon (although he's really excited about me coming in for a morning). I'm looking forward to it.