Class What’s App Group

[RNA1983]

I’ve heard that most classes in primary schools have a what’s app group set up. My son has just started P1 and so far there hasn’t been any set up as far as I know but then again I don’t really know any of the other parents in the class. My son is my first born and will be an only child, so I’m very enthusiastic and new to all things school! 🤣 My nieces& nephews all left school years ago so hscd no frame of reference! Basically will I get added to one as I get to know other parents or are they generally very cliquey? I can see most people think they’re a pain but I am having a little bit of FOMO 🤣🤪

my kids school never had them. but then we also don't have a PTA or class reps. we just talk to each other. I do have a wattsapp for my school Mom friends for eldest but it was very much we became friends and then set one up for 6 of us. I assume other friendship groups have similar

are you doing drop offs and pick ups? I'd say just try talking to people like you would in any part of your life and see what friendships natural grow

Some schools have a class or year group WhatsApp, some don’t. Pros and cons both ways! Some have unofficial ones set up / spread by word of mouth and not everyone knows about them, which IMO is the worst of all worlds.

My suggestion is get chatting to some other parents and ask if there is one. Or if you meet parents with older siblings at the school ask if it’s normal for there to be one.

Start one yourself if one doesn’t exist? And please don’t drink the Mn Kool Aid about ‘cliques’, which is largely nonsense from the socially underskilled. DS attended three primaries in two countries and the class WhatsApps were low-key, drama-free, generally used for people saying ‘DS left his homework journal at school — could someone tell me which page for maths?’, lost coats, or suggesting a park trip after school.

Our primary school they just kind of grew organically after a few all class birthday parties once folk had mobile nos

these WhatsApp’s aren’t organised by the school in Scotland

you could set it up yourself. Just ask for nos in the playground

mostly it was just ‘has anyone got wee jimmys jumper’

My neighbour has an older boy at the school and she was added into one when he was in P1, but she may have known more parents as she is a younger parent with friends the same age etc. I’m 42, almost 43 and not from the town. There is a PTA and very good communications from the school (imo but again no frame of reference!) with a weekly newsletter then class notifications/updates. I have read everything that has been sent but still have questions about the school norms - but I wouldn’t be a melt like some people have been describing! 🤣

Well, in my experience, class WhatsApps are always ‘unofficial’, started by parents, not the school, not the PTA.

I didn’t actually discover there was one at DS’s first primary until midway through Year 1 because I didn’t do drop offs and pick ups and knew few of the other parents, but I asked to be included once I found out it existed, and at his two subsequent schools, I was approached in the playground by another parent who asked if I’d like to join. I mean, it wasn’t life-changing in any way, but it was useful to be able to query homework or track down missing jumpers or be reminded of inset days or bake sales.

Ours came about because the first kid with a birthday held a whole class party (invites via the school bag) and then the mum created a WhatsApp at the party from all the people there/rsvps, and word was circulated to the few others not there. Some people left it straightaway but most stayed for the duration.