3 children with the same name reception class - would you be annoyed?

[Twozealotmorethan1]

My son is due to start reception in September. It's a large school with a 3 class intake per year. We got class lists through this week and I was surprised to see that there girls with the same name have been put in the same class rather than spread between the three. They are the only three girls in the year with that name and the name is relatively common around here, but not overly so (for what difference that makes). For the purposes of this post, let's say they are called Sophie. Aside from not making it easy for the class teacher of that class, I think it's quite unfair on the girls, especially as in this school, unlike some others I've heard about, the classes stay unchanged throughout the primary school and so these children will be together until age 11 at least.
I can't help think that it's inevitable that the girls will become known as Sophie P / Sophie E etc according to their surnames and may even be more likely to attract unkind nicknames as they get older e.g. 'Big' Sophie, 'Fat' Sophie etc.
I realise it's not always possible to avoid having more than one child with the same first name in a class and I know various factors are taken into account when setting class groups but I can't help think that in a school with three class entry this could have easily been avoided? I would be a bit irritated if I was one of their parents. I have a younger child who will go to the school too in due course and am tempted to feed back to the school politely that I don't think this approach is helpful. What do you think?

[Odoreida]

There are parents of children in my kid's class like the OP. It's not just about being 'that parent' - it actually makes things more difficult for everyone if they are harassing teachers / school management about tiny pointless irrelevant things. There's so much else to worry about!

[WyfOfBathe]

DD is one of SIX with very similar names in reception (e.g. Sophie/Sophia/Sofia). Two form entry but they spend a lot of time together. It hasn't caused any problems!

DD's school send out letters which give their class for next year, which say something like "Dear Mr and Mrs Bathe, DD Bathe will be in Mrs Smith's class for the school year 2017 - 2018." I wouldn't be happy for her full name to be given out to all parents, so I prefer this way. Although on the day the letters come out there are hundreds of text messages flying around as people try to work out who else will be in their child's class.

[Hudson10]

I'm a bit confused as to why a few people are saying this is none of my business. It's my son's school! Are parents and carers no longer allowed to give feedback on school policies? Or are only these three sets of parents allowed to have a view on this scenario?

It's normal I suppose to think "ooh, that's a lot of Sophies in one class!" for a moment.
To "complain" (feedback to school) about it though, seriously, why? Especially if it's not even your kid in the first place, it's a bit mind your own business and save your battles for things that really do matter otherwise you'll be known as one of THOSE parents and you won't even have started yet!
Even if it is your child really, does it really matter? My ds2 has a fairly common name and all through nursery/school/Cubs there's always at least one other with his name too!
Seriously, it's a non issue.

[Luluandizzy]

Your over thinking massively. It's not that simple to just put them in different classes as the class they are going into is selected to the one that suits there needs/learning style best. Does it really matter that much? A name? first world bloody problems

[OwlOfBrown]

MrsOverTheRoad

They'll be mates and known as "The Three Sophies"

We had "The Three Joannes" in my school!

Famous they were!

Yes, by the time they finish secondary, my DD and her best friend who shares her name, will have spent all but 2 of their school years in the same class. They are widely known both in school and at various clubs as 'The Abigails' (not their real name) and us parents even refer to them as that.

Sorry, OP, but you would look ridiculous feeding back to the school about this, even if it was your own child affected.
Dear teachers, although I trust you to be able to teach my child, has it ever occurred to you that you could split up the children with the same name so they are not all in the same class? So glad I could give you the benefit of my perceptive insights. There are plenty more where that came from.
Yours helpfully,
"Zealot"

[SparkleMotions]

I think you're making a big deal out of this, they aren't your Children & I also don't think the school will appreciate being told how to arrange their classes!

[mrz]

"Are parents and carers no longer allowed to give feedback on school policies? " I very much doubt they have a policy of putting all the children with the same name in one class

[ClarkWGriswold]

It's just life! When I was in reception over 30 years ago we had 3 Matthews and 5 Marks. We all coped.

[WhiteTable]

My daughters are in a small primary (under 100 children in the whole school) and next year they will both have another child in the school with the same name and same initial. I think I will just have to use their surname on stuff!!

[spanieleyes]

I can just see the list of policies on the school website:

The attendance policy
The behaviour policy
The educational visits policy
The names in a class policy


Hmm, maybe not!

[colourdilemma]

Two of my three have more than one with their name in their class. It honestly isn't an issue. Yes, they will be known as sophie E or whatever, but seriously, it's not an issue and actually, i find it quite cute when DS writes "DS colourdilemma" in birthday cards.

[colourdilemma]

Oh and Mother's Day cards too! It's endearing.

[mathanxiety]

How do you know the other two classes don't have Sophie's too?

[BikeRunSki]

I grew up with an unusual name and longed for a common name and surname initial. All my siblings have really common names for their age.

[WombatChocolate]

And no, 'feedback' on every little action taken by the school is not invited or welcomed!

Be a parent who is supportive about education, about them being able to dress themselves, hold a pencil and able to sit for short periods. Be a parent who will do the reading, go to parents evenings and support the pta when it puts on events. Make the voluntary contributions you are asked for if you can afford them. Be interested in your child's progress and how to support at home. Wear the correct uniform and look to be positive about the school in front of your child.

Dont look to be annoyed before you've even started and be able to judge what should cause annoyance and what shouldn't and what is appropriate to approach school about and what isn't - ie get a sense of perspective about what is important at schools.

Work hard to make sure your first 5 or 10 encounters at least with school are positive. If you're the kind of person for whom that might be hard, recognise it and make a real effort. Its not a fight, so don't start out looking for one.

And if you've already bad mouthed the school in front of kids, start being positive. It makes a bigger difference to their life at school than you know.

[JennyBlueWren]

As a teacher I wouldn't mind this so long as they are all spelled the same way!

Next year I'll be getting a boy and girl whose names are one letter different and pronounced ever so slightly differently and two girls with the same name and different spellings. I struggle learning names anyway. I just hope they're not similar in character or grouping!

[spanieleyes]

This year we have a two Jayden's, a Hayden, a Kayden and a Caiden!

[BikeRunSki]

Superb advice from Wombat.

[Dizzybintess]

I have 6 rubys in my guides!

[Whinberry]

My dd shared a class with two other 'Sophie's' and was known as 'Sophie Smith' by all her classmates for years (including in the playground). She hated it. She wished they had been put in different classes.

[sunshineandrainbowsparkles]

Ha! This made me laugh. Children with unique names are going to get bullied.... or children with too common names aren't going to get the attention they need.... I'm stumped!

[Lara2]

don't sweat it - I'm sure there'll be more serious things to worry about soon enough.
My colleague and I somehow managed to put 4 Williams in the same Year R class one year! We didn't notice until it was too late - but honestly, once you have balanced out boys, girls, ages, SEND children etc, the last thing on your mind is names!

[poweredbybread]

Lara - exactly !!!

[ClinkyMonkey]

At the start of the last academic year, I got chatting to a woman who was apoplectic (no exaggeration) that her daughter had been placed in the same preschool class with another child of the same name. Not a common name, but not 'out there' either. I gave a bit of a wry laugh and said I was going to have worse 'problems' than her as my son has the most popular name possible (named after my dad, not following fashion as such) and that at least four children would probably be looking up when the name was called out. Not much anyone can do. As it turns out, he's the only one in his year, but I couldn't have cared less either way. I had squads of Julie's, Alison's, Gillian's and Elizabeth's in my class and we all managed to distinguish one from the other without too much aggro. I wish I had been one of thei number, as my name was usually associated with grannies and great aunts - and it will NEVER be back, unlike some of the lovely old-fashioned names that have enjoyed a resurgence recently!