Can a teacher have their own child in their class?

[Hattie07]

Hi All, does anyone have any advice or knowledge when it comes to schools allowing their staff to have their own child in their class?
Thank you xx

Not ideal- if there’s another option better to take it if possible. But perfectly legitimate if not and many teachers have been in this situation.

Presumably in a one form entry school with 'Child of staff member' as a priority oversubscription criterion, the school could hardly not allow it? Ditto secondary school where the parent taught in a very small department or was the only teacher of a particular subject.

Thanks for the reply! Do you know if its something you can appeal and if so how do you go about it?

It’s happened a few times in the schools I’ve been involved in. If it’s a bigger school with multiple classes within year group the child is generally placed in one of the other classes from parent but smaller schools with 1 class per year it’s been unavoidable

Do you mean you don’t want to teach your own child?

There’s no “rule”. Most people would try to avoid it ime but in rural areas it’s really common as an unavoidable thing.

They can always swap years. Primary teachers aren’t fixed to one year only. Similarly in high schools, there is rarely just one class per subject teacher. The number of cases where it is entirely unavoidable must be very low.

@Hattie07 what is your concern?

Are you the teacher who doesn't want to teach their child or another parent?

I'd expect the head and the teacher to have discussed options before classes were allocated.

If you're another parent, you can talk to the head about any specific concerns but I'd expect reassurance rather than change.

‘Appeal’ in what sense?

No there is no rule on it, though of course some schools may have their own internal rule.

I was taught by both my mum and my dad in my school career. At my now (secondary) school we have staff who teach their children. My own child’s teacher was the mum of one of his friends.

there are no rules against it.

Yes not unheard of at all.

I taught secondary and there were a number of staff whose DC were at the school – chances are they might teach them or be their head of year.

In primary I guess you might want to avoid it but that might not be feasible, especially in a small school.

@Hattie07 is it that you want to teach your DC or you don't? Or you don't want someone else to teach their child?

I don’t understand what you want to appeal…

Yes. In my school I'm a TA at, I can think of it happening at least 6 times. It'll happen again next year too. Are you wanting to appeal your own child going in with you? Or is it the teacher of your child's class, having their own child in with them?

What are your worries?

I taught mine at A level. We looked at switching round groups eg I taught Year 12 all lessons when they were in Year 13 but it wouldn’t have worked. I did not mark mock papers etc and I kept work and home personas completed separately. Eg Mrs x at work and Mum in the car.

My DC have had classmates who were the child of the class teacher. That was in a primary school with one form entry.

Although in retrospect I do wonder why they didn’t move the teacher to a different year group for that year because other teachers had switched years before and since.

@Thunderstormsandsunshine although I never forgot and called Dad “Dad” at school, I once did forget the other way around and called him “sir” when we were having breakfast which my siblings were keen not to let me forget for a long time 😂

True, re changing years (although, I know its ultimately the HT's say as to who teaches which year group, but I can imagine some people not being keen to be told they have to change next year because Ms X the Reception teacher's DC is starting?).

Re secondary, thinking back to when DS1 at least was there, there was something like Citizenship which may have been a bolt-on to another subject for the particular teacher, but I'm pretty sure he was the only teacher of that and so would have had his own DC (if he had any there) in his class for that, if only for half a term or whatever, iyswim.

I taught my wife when I was an NQT, she is still very annoyed I have absolutely no recollection of it!

I've taught DS, its not ideal of course, but as said upthread, is very common in rural / smaller schools.

Are you concerned about favouritism or something OP? IME the opposite is actually
more likely.

I'm another parent and I'm aware there are other parents who don't agree. So just looking for some advice and knowledge around the situation.

Relates to Primary School and I'm aware the teacher has taught other year groups so I would see that it could be avoided.

The teacher is being moved from their current year group.

I don't think you will get foar with this, it will not be up to you. The head will be deciding what is best for all the children in the school and that may well be this teacher. Often teachers who are parents end up stricter with their own child and generally anything behaviour or friendship related would be dealt with by the ta or another member of staff.

The school doesn't need your agreement in this matter.

Is there some specific problem? If yes, focus on it.
If not, this isn't a way to force the school ylto give you the teacher you'd prefer or whatever you're hoping to achieve.

Again, what is your actual concern?