What sanctions in UK for primary teacher who calls pupils names?

[Bonsoir]

What would a typical sanction be for a primary teacher (Y5) who called pupils names eg "you big idiot", "sleephead"?

sleepyhead

It all depends on the context, for without that it is impossible to gauge the nature of the incident.

'you big idiot' ?!?

Goodness. I have no idea re sanctions, but some are clearly needed!

'sleepyhead' if said in an affectionate tone of voice isn't necessarily calling names, but I assume there was no affectionate tone of voice involved

No, no affectionate tone of voice!

These are comments directed by a teacher towards individual children in her class when she isn't happy with them.

Have you spoken to the teacher or headteacher about this?

Not my child nor my child's class - it's going on in another class and the parents' association is trying to think of ways to tackle it.

I wouldn't expect any sanctions - "sleepyhead" isn't offensive, IMO, it's describing a child who is either yawning or nodding off or day dreaming. It's an affectionate way of pulling them back into what ever it is they should be listening too.
It's all in the tone of voice / context / way the pupils and staff interact.
Not something to be making a fuss about.

If parents do have an issue with a member of staff - then any of those individuals should go in and speak to management, not sit there gossiping about it in a parents' association meeting

You think it's acceptable for a teacher to call children names?

I have experience of this, but in a higher year - year 7. Ds's teacher referred to children in the class as muppet, idiot and numpty. He also had nicknames for all the children.
I spoke to the head as this is completely inappropriate and teacher ended up with a written warning.

It's not gossiping - the official procedure in our school for dealing with these issues when meetings with teachers and the head have failed to sort them is for the PA to tackle them.

Linemanager would speak to you and tell you not to keep doing it. That's it.
Sleepyhead not a problem imo, idiot would be.

Shanghaidiva - that sounds pretty close to what is going on here.

Hmm. i've called children in my class 'dafty' and 'numpty' about silly little things. I don't see the issue... if it said said in an affectionate tone. I don't think this is unacceptable in a caring, fun, classroom environment where all the children feel liked and valued.

However, if my headteacher were to approach me about it and say there had been complaints, I would be mortified and would stop using such terms with the class and also look to rebuilding my relationship with the child who had complained.

One of the pupils who has been called names by the teacher is very distressed about it and has "shut down" psychologically. The teacher defends her actions and says it is not her business and he should see a shrink if he is not able to cope with the demands of school.

I don't have a problem with 'sleepyhead' and have undoubtedly said it to children in my class at times when they were daydreaming or yawning. I think it would take a very sensitive 10 yr old to be offended. However 'idiot' is not appropriate in any way - I refuse to let children use it in lessons let alone the teacher.
I would have a meeting with the Head if speaking directly to the teacher hasn't worked. I would assume they would issue a verbal warning at first and then if it continues, it would move to a written warning.
I know if anyone informed me I was offending children I would be mortified.

Sleepyhead is a bit of a grey area and would very much depend on the context of the comments. I can see it as both just a jovial and non-threatening comment or as something that can become a real problem. When you put it together with "big idiot" then it is veering very much to the unacceptable.
To put it in an inspection context, if I heard "big idiot" in a classroom directed at a pupil, it would unacceptable and start to ask questions about safeguarding aspects of the school.
The fact that you are as the PA now getting involved after talks with the staff and head teacher have not bought any resolution would suggest that this is an independent school rather than a state school. If it is a state school it has a very strange complaints process in place. If you are in an independent school I think that you have limited options around the PA exerting some influence and then the nuclear one is to move the child to another school.

Sleepyhead is probably inoffensive and would most likely not cause a problem. (I can easily imagine a teacher saying 'come on Sleepyhead, there's work to be done). However, I cannot imagine a context where it would ever be acceptable to call a student an idiot. Personally, for me that would cross the line.

If there were a student complaint, then I would imagine it would start the disciplinary process with a warming issued.

Just to clarify: this is not a UK school. However, the child in question (who is not British) was in a UK school until a couple of years ago and does not believe that a teacher in his UK (private prep) school would ever have namecalled a pupil.

I can't imagine "sleepyhead" being said in anything but an affectionate, jovial way... How on Earth do you call someone a "sleepyhead" offensively?

Clearly, if a child is upset by it, you apologise and don't do it anymore, but I don't think nicknames are automatically cause for concern. "Big idiot" is pushing the limits, admittedly; it's not a term I would use, and I wouldn't allow the children to do so either.

But children in my care will be called muppet, or wally, or numpty, or sleepyhead, or dozy, or monster, or monkey, or show-off, or any of a number of nicknames that I care to call them. It's a part of the relationship I have with the children; if I know they don't like it, I don't do it.

Idiot is def a no no and teacher would be spoken to by line manager regarding this.

Other nicknames would be looked at but ime all teachers use jokey terms with children. I can't really see sleepyhead as being a nasty one though. I use all sorts with my classes but would never be aiming to upset!

Fwiw dd goes to a uk prep school and pretty much all her teachers use nicknames and names like sleepyhead, dilly daydream, etc in the same way as any other teacher I know, again all meant gently and not unpleasantly.

Idiot would be seen as a no no both in her school and the state school I work at, so no difference here between the two.