Possibility of notes in my DDs school papers - moving school - should I request acces?

[misscph1973]

Last year I received a phone call from DDs headteacher where she explained that some one had gone to the office and reported that I had smacked my DD in the school playground before school in the morning. Obviously this is not true and although I had told my DD off that morning, I would never smack her. I had held her arm while telling her off and I guess someone thought they had seen something that actually didn't happen (it can be a gossipy school playground where parents are concerned). The head teacher didn't seem convinced when I told her and asked me to go and see the SFA, which I did, and it was a but useless as there was nothing to discuss. What the head had't told me and which I only found out later was that she had got my DD in her office to ask if anything was wrong. So I am thinking that this whole thing could be in DDs school papers.

This is all a long time ago, and it doesn't really bother me, it was a misunderstanding. But we are moving schools as we are moving house and I am getting a little concerned about what the head teacher might have put in DDs school papers. On the school admissions form I ticked YES for "Has FSA been involved with your child?" But I don't know what the school papers might say and as we are moving to a small village I am a little concerned. Should I ask to see the papers or should I just not worry?

If it is you wont see it I think because anything child protection related is usually kept separately. I would also be unhappy about this but there is nothing you can do so I would try and put it out of your mind.

Oh, okay, thanks. So it's confidential even when it involves myself?

I can put it out of my easily if there is nothing I can do ;)

I think so. Definitely put it out of your mind. Even if there is something it wont be read by your child's class teacher just the person in charge of safeguarding and this one incident is unlikely to be made anything of.

Despite the hand wringing on here it's not actually illegal to slap your child.

What is the sfa?

There's a new(ish) system in place online nowadays, whose name escapes me, whereby all such information is posted electronically. HT can log all interactions with parents on there, for instance, and I highly doubt that it's accessible to anyone outside relevant agencies. So there might not be a paper trail (as in actual handwritten evidence) following this incident anyway. The other thing that is very hard to control is what may or may not be said verbally on a child's transfer. Head Teachers do talk to each other, you know!
That said, in comparison with what most HTs see and hear about children in their care these days, I doubt what you describe would rate highly in their consciousness. As someone else said, smacking is not illegal in this country. Yet.

cauldron, SFA is Family Support Advisor, most school have one.

clam, thanks for info. The head teacher is just a bit odd. I gave the secretary the filled out leaving form, and asked if she could fill out the part of the admissions paper that the old school fills out, and just gave her the relevant page. But the head teacher wanted the whole form that I had filled out. They wanted to prevent fraud (!). I nearly asked them if they wanted to post it themselves. They are very paranoid and suspicious. The infant school, which is on the same address, were much more accomodating and just filled out the part for me no questions asked.

So because the school is so suspicious and paranoid, I am just a little concerned. But seeing that there is nothing I can do, I am going to stop worrying.

Nocomet, I didn't know smacking isn't illegal! I'm not British. Doesn't mean I smack my children, though.

You have the right under the DPA 1998 to access these notes (electronic and paper, safeguarding etc). Details here: ico.org.uk/for_the_public
I often submit SARs (Subject Access Requests) because I am a bit paranoid like to know what data is held about me/my DCs

Oh, how interesting, runnerblade, thanks! Is this a bit like acces to your medical records?

What does it usually cost you and did your find out anything interesting?

It can cost, depending on what kind of records you access. Medical ones can cost £50. I've accessed my health visiting records, besides others. Yes they can be very illuminating (especially seeing HVs judgment of my home, attachment to baby). I wanted to see them because she had tried to hide what she was writing about me. She clearly didn't realise I could access the notes myself. Submit a sar and see what the notes say. If you encounter obstacles, please pm me.

It doesn't cost you anything to see them but they can ask you to pay (and may ask you to do it) to photocopy them. Once your is 12 they have to give permission.

Interesting.

I know that the relationships between HV and mums aren't always the best over here, I get the impression that some HV take their responsibilities very serious and the whole duty of care thin gis a bit over the top. Both my kids are born in Denmark, and I had excellent health visitors, I really felt that they listened and I had complete confidence in their abilities.

But now I am here in the UK, and there is deifinitely an element of misunderstood "concern" in a big brother way every now and again. My neighbour is a social worker, and my other neighbour is terrified of her, she thinks she will report her to social services for shouting at her kids. Obviously my neighbour is not like that at all, I am just trying to illustrate my point.

It's a shame it's like this. I probably won't acces my files or my childrens, but it's nice to know that I can.