Data protection- Christmas cards?

[guccigirl666]

Today I asked ds's teacher for a list of the other kids in his class to give Christmas cards to but she said she can't due to data protection? What should I do about cards? Is this standard practice?

[AChickenCalledKorma]

It's standard practice in our school. You have to have a very, very good reason indeed to be given a class list - like organising something on behalf of the school. They are not given out on request.

As someone else has alluded to, there are children at our school who are under child protection orders, who could be put at risk by class lists going into general circulation. And it's not actually the school's job to facilitate Christmas card bonanzas/birthday party invitations etc.

[SE13Mummy]

I've always taught KS2 so, when the card-writing-frenzy time of year comes around I tell the children to copy down the names of anyone they want to send a card to using the tray labels. On occasions I've helped children write down the correct spelling of their friends' names/rewritten alongside names so they are legible but wouldn't want to perpetuate the 'everyone must send a card to everyone else' feeling that seems to be rife. I also tell them constantly that I only send cards to people I won't see over the Christmas period.

My own DD1 has never really sent Christmas cards to friends because she's never shown any interest in doing so until others are handing them out and she receives a whole load. I've offered to help her make some, but she hasn't taken me up on it. She's now 8.

[nancy75]

I don't understand how a list of first names could put any child at risk, Dds school does the list first name only.

[QuanticoVirginia]

How odd! My sons' schools produce a booklet each year with the full name of each child, which class they're in and a symbol to show if they have a sibling in the school!!!

I'm more about why they feel the need to produce it especially as it's junior and senior school where the boys are more than capable of telling me who they want to send cards to or invite to their party.

[sashh]

Since all i want is a list of first names, surely the programme contravenes data protection more than a hand written list of first names?

The school has to have a data controller and must state what and why the data is processed.

A programme for a show is something reasonable a school can process data for, providing class lists to parents is something they may not have registered to do.

juniper904
You really need to check out data protection and confidentiality. I'm quite suprised you don't already know this.

[EIizaDay]

People spout out "data protection act" without any real knowledge of just what that act entails. It's a get out clause for them not knowing what to do.

[mrz]

ElizaDay we know exactly what to do regarding giving out class lists having sat through 90min PPP

[PeppermintCreams]

I asked, and got a list of the first names. Nothing that my son couldn't have told me. We managed to piece together a list of 26 names between us before we got the list. I could have always just got the names off the coat pegs at Parent's Evening if I needed to as well.

[bunchamunchycrunchycarrots]

I got round this by asking DD to tell me who she sits beside, and worked my way around the tables/chairs on the lay out asking her who sat where. Eventually got every name, as she knew everyone in her class.

[EIizaDay]

mrsz - yes but you really don't know enough about the Data Protection Act. That's obvious.

[mrz]

The Class list issue was safeguarding not Data protection

[mrz]

You obviously haven't read what I wrote or you would know

[EIizaDay]

Oh for goodness sake. "Safeguarding" What a lot of bollocks some people speak. A list of childrens' names in a your child's classroom. FFS I'm sure all the OP wanted to do was to spell the childrens' names properly. It's not as if she was asking for addresses. What has happened to common sense ???

[mrz]

"Safeguarding children" otherwise known as Child Protection
Do you know for certain that there are no children in the class who have been removed from parents and revealing their general location (ie the school) could put them in danger?

[EIizaDay]

mrz - so are you really expecting children in the class not to know the names of the other children in their class??

I'm out of this conversation. Trying to reason with teachers just doesn't work.

[mrz]

Eliza I know that children in the class won't know the names of the other children ...why do you think parents need class lists?

[lopsided]

It's all very well responding, why send cards to children you don't know? Didn't you read the responses from the op? The child has speech and understanding delays and is unlikely to be able to tell the mum many names. I think its a shame. Though its a pain I think some children like to give and receive cards.

I would get the ones he can name, then return any that he receives and ask the teacher which kids he likes or plays with and do those too.

[Xenia]

Just give cards to his few friends or to those who give him cards once he has them.

On the names issue parents may well not have consented for their details to be distributed which is why parents usually draw up a list having asked parents if they want to be on it - it is very very common for ap arent to draw up a class address list and of course a parent could if they choose decline if they are unsociable or hiding from a violent partner or famous.

[exoticfruits]

Ask DC who he wants to send cards to and write them-simple! I can't think why he wants to do the whole class.

[exoticfruits]

If he can't give you the name it is a good indication that it isn't a friend and he doesn't need a card for them!

[CaptainNancy]

We're given a list with forenames only, on request only. Sure, my DD could have told me everyone in her form when she was reception, probably everyone in the other form too... DS, not a clue, probably couldn't tell you who he'd sat next to that day!

[Startail]

You just need to speak to the parent who does teas for the PTA, they always know everyone.

Or you need DS to find your classes equivalent of DD2, who knew everyone's name at the nursery she went to one day a week when she was 3.

Personally I'd be very tempted to write the HT a very strongly worded note, since this sort of rubbish really discriminates against DCs like DD1 (who's dyslexic and has real trouble with faces and names), she'd want to be friendly, but end up getting made fun of because she'd get mixed up, call Bill, Ben, miss spell someone or forget someone.
Also we have split years and I always forgot one very tall, slightly older looking girl was actually in DD1s year.

Likewise working parents who don't live at the school gate don't know every one either.

[expansivegirth]

I found the class photo really helpful. Just sat down and asked my children to tell me first names from that, double checking spelling of difficult names on pegs. I'd have preferred to have been given a list of first names from the class teacher, but it was not to be.