10 year old taught age inappropriate material ....any advice ?

[recall]

My daughter ( 10 ) attended a two day personal development course organised by her school in order to help prepare them for the move up to secondary school. After the first day, I received an email from the school saying that some parents may have found the content of the course inappropriate, and gave the contact details of the course provider. I didn’t see my daughter until the end of the second day ( she was at her dad’s ). I asked her what they had learnt on the course, she said they told them about a boy who went up to secondary school and started to get bullied relentlessly, in the end he committed suicide. Then their teachers were asked to leave the room ( ? ) and they were told the story of a 15 year old girl who went to a party and was raped.

Apparently four of the children left the room upset, one of whom had a panic attack. My daughter was certainly disturbed by it all. The move up to Secondary School is daunting enough without horror stories.

I read the information e mail before she went and it just said they would be discussing challenging issues, nowhere did it mention suicide and rape. I am really angry that she has been subjected to this and wish to complain.....any advice on how to proceed ? Also ....AIBU ?

I’m wondering whether to contact the local education authority....

@Hellocatshome

HelloCatshome - I will call tomorrow....was only made aware of the content on Friday evening

In that case to answer your question mu advise would be

1. email the school to find out if the teachers left the room or not
2. read the course information on the course providers website
3. call the course provider to discuss
4. don't take everything children say as gospel (especially when they get to Secondary school age)

All of this.

For goodness sake. Contact them, say you have some concerns, take it from there.

Lose the hyperbole & recognise that there is a significant chance that some information you are hearing from the kids is not exactly true.

@recall

I’m wondering whether to contact the local education authority....

Why not get all the facts first? You are being massively unfair to the school too.

They have provided you with a mechanism to bet more information. So avail of it.

Once you are then in possession of all the facts, and if you still have concerns, you can take further action, as appropriate.

That’s what I meant

I will check first ....but the children’s accounts all seem corroborate

Are you bothered about the school being identified? Because I can see the name of the asst head clearly on your post and a quick google identified your school. Perhaps ask Mnhq to remove?

That's shocking. YANBU, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Complain to the head?

OP, I think I can still see the head's name even after you blocked it out.

The buck stops with the school. The school invited this organisation onto their premises and let them have two days with the children. The headteacher should be asking questions about the course content not directing individual parents to do it.

seventyone They were bused out to a neighbouring School, where they met up with other year 6 pupils who will be moving up with them to the secondary school

The school should not have sanctioned this course without being aware of the full details of it.

I am absolutely sickened by schools farming stuff out to organisations who are in it for the money, rather than just doing it themselves. The teachers know the children and can be sensitive to their individual needs.

And what is this with the teachers leaving the room - beyond belief! They are the ones who will be having to pick up the pieces.

Bloody outsourcing - it has been the ruin of so many public services.

I understand why you are concerned OP and hope you get answers to your questions tomorrow.

Thank you

I’m now chatting to several other mums ...they are all upset by this. I said that I didn’t think my daughter had an understanding of rape ...and one said her son didn’t either

@recall

I'm so sorry this has happend I think it's awful

I'd complain

contact.ofsted.gov.uk/online-complaints-schools

Omgthepain Thanks for that link ...that's the sort of thing I was thinking of

OP, are you taking on board that people are telling you that there are still identifying details on your screenshot? Also I understand you are upset about the course content and desire to complain but please allow the school the opportunity to respond before complaining to Ofsted, the LEA and anyone else you can think of.

Yes...I’ve asked for the screen shot to be removed.

I spoke to the Headmaster today, he apologised and said that he totally agreed with me and that he too was unaware of the content. He is attending a meeting tomorrow regarding this, with the other Heads who’s schools attended. He asked me to put everything in an e mail so that he can use it for reference and possibly read it out at the meeting.

I spoke to the CEO of the course provider after a fairly heated half hour discussion, she apologised to me and asked me to apologise to my daughter. I’ve asked her to forward me the content of the course including any images or videos.

I spoke to Student Support at the Secondary School who were quite shocked, and then the head of year. He thanked me for informing him and said he will now know how to pitch his on line transition talk to the year 6 next week.

My daughter is attending a Summer School at the Secondary School which I think will be more of a help for the transition up.

Thanks for all your replies 🙂

So did the CEO accept that your DDs account was truthful? They didn't try to say she was mistaken or exaggerating?

What on earth was their justification?!

I'm glad that all the various people are taking it seriously, but bloody hell! Your poor DD and the other kids - all the apologies in the world aren't going to make her unhear what was said.