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Original poster

The saddest thing is that l’m not surprised to hear how badly this poor teacher has been treated.

253 replies

HedgesNotFences · 05/08/2023 14:31

The teacher taught a Yr 6 boy how to use a glue gun. He didn’t follow the instructions and gave himself 2 “tiny” blisters from a glue gun burn.
The teacher was unable to tell the parent straight after school as she had to deal with a serious safeguarding issue.
The Yr6 parent took to social media then the newspapers. She then went to A&E (for 2 “tiny” blisters - recorded as such by A&E). She then went to the police. She then went to the Health and Safety executive. Then she contacted the school.
In the week after the incident she was outside the school gates setting up a petition to get the teacher sacked (the teacher had already been asked to resign by then and had left her position).
The teacher had to face a government tribunal where it was found she brought the profession into disrepute and wasn’t safe (because she didn’t have a TA to constantly watch over every single Yr6 who was using a glue gun).
Because of the shortage of teachers and the fact that she was actually pretty good, the tribe kindly allowed her to continue being a teacher. Though God knows why she would want to.

The parent gets to remain anonymous.

I hope the teacher has been supported through her ordeal - her mental health must have suffered terribly.

OP posts:
mariiiaa · 05/08/2023 19:27

@Icedlatteplease

I'm not sure why a primary school teacher should be using a glue gun.

There's no way in a class of 30 kids a teacher could ever possibly supervise effectively.

Seems like abject stupidity as opposed to blame culture

Really?

You don't think KS2 students (those with SEN aside) can't be expected to follow simple instructions when using potentially dangerous equipment?

Nobody in their right mind would leave 30 kids in charge of glue guns Willy nilly.

However, children can be asked to get on with other activities while the teacher/ta makes their way through the class to use the glue gun 1-1.

Have you ever tried to do certain craft activities with a shit glue stick that couldn't glue paper together effectively (that's if you can find a glue stick) or with PVA glue dripping everywhere.

It's learning about how to fix things together using the most effective product, an introduction to basic H&S, building independence... it's no wonder so many people grow up to be utterly useless and lack any common sense and independence if people are seriously up in arms about the use of a glue gun in a controlled environment.

This was blown out of proportion by an idiotic parent, because of a child that probably has no boundaries at home due to said parent.

Skodacool · 05/08/2023 19:29

Outerlimit · 05/08/2023 16:38

So within the next ten years, the non-procedure following child of the non-process following mum who gave him the vanishingly rare name will be heading for the world of work.
I hope he appreciates his mothers outstanding efforts to make him memorable and get him noticed.

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Well said! Excellent sad face pics in the Sun article too.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 05/08/2023 19:32

MisschiefMaker · 05/08/2023 17:44

Ok my bad, I was basing this off the mums account in the Sun article.

Another poster said that the kid hid the burn so she couldn't see how bad it is.

All a bit confusing anyway.

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Not that confusing really.

The Sun printed what the mother told them the day after the incident, with no attempt whatsoever to contact the school for comment first. So totally one-sided.

The TRA report includes both sides, and corrects various errors in The Sun article. Quelle surprise.

MissRoo1982 · 05/08/2023 19:37

This is why I would never do activities like that as a teacher. I tend to play it as safe as possible because whilst they may go on about providing fun and wonderful learning activities or trips - when push comes to shove if something goes wrong I firmly believe schools will not back you and blame you instead.

Another reason I would not want to go on residentials - done them in the past but don’t see the point anymore and would not volunteer for them again when a colleague told me a parent had complained when said colleagues had given up their own time and evenings/ overnight to a trip to receive little thanks for it.
to be fair it’s not all parents - lots are mainly nice but it only takes one to make you think why did I bother putting in the extra effort.

dapsnotplimsolls · 05/08/2023 19:38

The teacher made mistakes, which she fully acknowledged. The bloody Mother could have waited until Monday to speak to someone at the school about it but nooooo, she had to have her pound of flesh (and buckets of sympathy/publicity).

watermeloncougar · 05/08/2023 19:49

The mother sounds like an absolute cunt

FoodFann · 05/08/2023 19:53

Sad. But it’s not unique to teaching. I am a teacher, but in all areas of life, I tend to go for a ‘take no risks’ approach - I wouldn’t use a glue gun in my class, I didn’t even let my year 6s use knives… in a cooking class. They had to bring everything in pre-cut. Sad, but just not worth the risk

FoodFann · 05/08/2023 19:55

@MissRoo1982 absolutely agree. I won’t do residentials either. Can of worms!

saraclara · 05/08/2023 20:04

FoodFann · 05/08/2023 19:53

Sad. But it’s not unique to teaching. I am a teacher, but in all areas of life, I tend to go for a ‘take no risks’ approach - I wouldn’t use a glue gun in my class, I didn’t even let my year 6s use knives… in a cooking class. They had to bring everything in pre-cut. Sad, but just not worth the risk

I couldn't have carried out the curriculum without glue guns and knives when I taught in mainstream. How do you get away with your own 'rules'?

EveryChildIsCalledFlorence · 05/08/2023 20:12

There is a massive blame culture nowadays. I could go to prison if I make a mistake in my job.

WasJuliaRight · 05/08/2023 20:34

AliceMcK · 05/08/2023 18:21

Wtf have I just read! My yr6 dd had quite nasty burns from using a glue gun this year. She came out of school with the teacher who said she had run it under cold water and didn’t think it was bad. I rolled my eyes and said only my dd could do this. Thanked the teacher. I sent dd to the car while awaiting my other DCs. By the time I got back to the car dd was screaming in pain, her hand blistering ( I hadn’t realised the incident had happened just before pick up) I got dd home while screaming, and smothered her hand in burn gel. When it had settled I made sure it was cleaned and treated correctly. The next day I went into DDs class, said to the teacher, actually it’s come up quite bad, she’s in pain and not going to be able to write. I’ve given her paracetamol and will call up at x time to see if I need to come back to give her more. Right now she’s happy to come back to school but if she wants to come home please let me know. Her hand was dressed and clean. The teacher was very apologetic.

Moral of the story, my dd no longer day dreams and make sure she’s paying attention when using the glue gun!

But your daughter’s teacher brought your child out, had run the burn under cold water which they made you aware of. What if the first you knew about it was when your DD got home from school and had come to you screaming in pain with you being oblivious to her injury? I doubt that you would have been quite so blasé about it.

saraclara · 05/08/2023 20:37

WasJuliaRight · 05/08/2023 20:34

But your daughter’s teacher brought your child out, had run the burn under cold water which they made you aware of. What if the first you knew about it was when your DD got home from school and had come to you screaming in pain with you being oblivious to her injury? I doubt that you would have been quite so blasé about it.

Show quote history

Presumably her class had a TA who could watch the class while the teacher sorted out the injury.

The teacher in this incident was alone. She told the boy to go to run his hand under the tap (presumably in the nearby toilets) and he refused to go. What was she supposed to do?

WasJuliaRight · 05/08/2023 20:47

saraclara · 05/08/2023 20:37

Presumably her class had a TA who could watch the class while the teacher sorted out the injury.

The teacher in this incident was alone. She told the boy to go to run his hand under the tap (presumably in the nearby toilets) and he refused to go. What was she supposed to do?

Show quote history
  • Send two responsible children with a note to the office
  • Most primary schools have classrooms that are close, to literally pop to the next room to get help
  • if she has her phone in the classroom message or call someone
  • take the child to the sink, my children’s primary has sinks in every class.
saraclara · 05/08/2023 21:46

Send two responsible children with a note to the office

For what? There's no-one available. The admin can't leave the office.

Most primary schools have classrooms that are close, to literally pop to the next room to get help

Help from whom? That teacher probably didn't have a TA either, so can't leave their class to help.

if she has her phone in the classroom message or call someone

Adults had to put their phones in lockers at my school. Not allowed in the classroom.

Take the child to the sink, my children’s primary has sinks in every class.

We don't know if this one did. But either way, the child refused. Teachers are not allowed to manhandle 11 year olds across the classroom to force them to put their hands under the tap.

Of course in a real emergency all bets would be off with the above possibilities. But this was just a small splodge of hot glue, and such a small injury wouldn't be apparent at that point. It wouldn't even have blistered yet. It wasn't worthy of any of those responses.
An 11 year old is perfectly able to go and run a small burn under the tap. But he refused. That's not on the teacher, for such a minor accident.

DisquietintheRanks · 05/08/2023 21:51

BlastedIce · 05/08/2023 18:27

Really? They’re 10, soon to be in senior school and you don’t expect them to be able to follow instructions using a glue gun?

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At Forest School we teach them to use knives, and axes and to make fire. And that's from the age of 8.

saraclara · 05/08/2023 21:56

DisquietintheRanks · 05/08/2023 21:51

At Forest School we teach them to use knives, and axes and to make fire. And that's from the age of 8.

Show quote history

My DDs were using glue guns at school in years 3&4.

Parents seem to be behind the de-skilling of schoolkids these days. SO many people on Mumsnet who think that everything is too much to ask of/to dangerous for, their kids. And schools end up having to play safe because of parents like this woman.
The head of the academy involved has already said that all glue guns will be removed. So that's that then for any practical work that Pritt or PVA aren't strong enough for. And then the secondary schools will moan that the primaries haven't prepared the children properly for them.

WasJuliaRight · 05/08/2023 22:09

saraclara · 05/08/2023 21:46

Send two responsible children with a note to the office

For what? There's no-one available. The admin can't leave the office.

Most primary schools have classrooms that are close, to literally pop to the next room to get help

Help from whom? That teacher probably didn't have a TA either, so can't leave their class to help.

if she has her phone in the classroom message or call someone

Adults had to put their phones in lockers at my school. Not allowed in the classroom.

Take the child to the sink, my children’s primary has sinks in every class.

We don't know if this one did. But either way, the child refused. Teachers are not allowed to manhandle 11 year olds across the classroom to force them to put their hands under the tap.

Of course in a real emergency all bets would be off with the above possibilities. But this was just a small splodge of hot glue, and such a small injury wouldn't be apparent at that point. It wouldn't even have blistered yet. It wasn't worthy of any of those responses.
An 11 year old is perfectly able to go and run a small burn under the tap. But he refused. That's not on the teacher, for such a minor accident.

Well thank goodness that it was a burn with a glue gun rather than something really serious because the child would be knackered! Have you not considered that the child would be scared because the burn hurt and might be afraid that it might hurt more which is why the teacher should take charge. The teacher could have done something rather than nothing. And if there was a post on here saying “my child was left unsupervised with a hot glue gun and when we got home from school they showed me that the burns had developed into two blisters and they were crying. The teacher didn’t seek any treatment or even tell me that it had happened. What should I do?” Everyone would be up in arms but because the mother went to the media her son’s injury is less important.

rujik2 · 05/08/2023 22:14

Teachers in schools are very strange. First they use not safe equipment, then they left it with kids. The child got injured. And at the end teachers are surprised that parents are shocked and angry if they don't receive any incident paper.
How unusual.

Sherrystrull · 05/08/2023 22:17

rujik2 · 05/08/2023 22:14

Teachers in schools are very strange. First they use not safe equipment, then they left it with kids. The child got injured. And at the end teachers are surprised that parents are shocked and angry if they don't receive any incident paper.
How unusual.

Unsafe equipment...

A pencil can stab someone in the eye (has happened in my classroom)
A needle can stab someone in the arm when their arm is stretched pulling through a running stitch (has happened in my classroom)
A pair of scissors can cut your finger (has happened in my classroom)
A chair leg can squash your toe (has happened in my classroom)
A drawer can bash you on the head (has happened in my classroom)

All equipment can be unsafe. Children need to learn to use it carefully to prepare them for life.

MrsCobbit · 05/08/2023 22:20

rujik2 · 05/08/2023 22:14

Teachers in schools are very strange. First they use not safe equipment, then they left it with kids. The child got injured. And at the end teachers are surprised that parents are shocked and angry if they don't receive any incident paper.
How unusual.

Really? If you could articulate it properly I might consider your opinion.

LolaSmiles · 05/08/2023 22:20

And if there was a post on here saying “my child was left unsupervised with a hot glue gun and when we got home from school they showed me that the burns had developed into two blisters and they were crying. The teacher didn’t seek any treatment or even tell me that it had happened. What should I do?” Everyone would be up in arms but because the mother went to the media her son’s injury is less important.
For a year 6 student, who is about to go to secondary school, my response to that hypothetical post would be:

  • Speak to the teacher to find out what happened. It's not ok you didn't hear sooner, but speak to the people involved.
  • Your child is Year 6. In the absence of any SEN, they should be capable of following instructions. Did the injury happen when they were following instructions or when they were choosing to ignore basic instructions?
  • If the teacher gave direction on what to do (eg run the hand under a tap), did your child do this so that it could be appropriately dealt with? If not, what do you propose staff do when your own 11 year old opts out of first aid?

There's a handful of posters on any thread who think the answer is to call Ofsted, go to the local press or moan on Facebook, but most people would suggest talking to the school.

WasJuliaRight · 05/08/2023 22:21

Sherrystrull · 05/08/2023 22:17

Unsafe equipment...

A pencil can stab someone in the eye (has happened in my classroom)
A needle can stab someone in the arm when their arm is stretched pulling through a running stitch (has happened in my classroom)
A pair of scissors can cut your finger (has happened in my classroom)
A chair leg can squash your toe (has happened in my classroom)
A drawer can bash you on the head (has happened in my classroom)

All equipment can be unsafe. Children need to learn to use it carefully to prepare them for life.

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Presumably you told the parents that these accidents happened though?

toomuchlaundry · 05/08/2023 22:24

Many small primaries don’t have admins in the office all the time, many don’t have general TAs either. If this particular teacher was also DSL I’m assuming school is pretty stretched for staff.

Crumpleton · 05/08/2023 22:24

The parent sounds a nighmare, but such parents exist and you generally know who they are in your school.

Remember a few parents like this a my DC school some years ago.
Unfortunately they were the one's the head pampered to if their DC were pulled up for bad behaviour, was easier from the heads point of view to have a word with the teachers instead of having to deal with the nightmare parents and having them on their back.

Sherrystrull · 05/08/2023 22:25

I'm lucky enough to have a TA either with me or close enough to call for. So yes. I imagine this story would have been massively different if the teacher had had support.

That wasn't my point though. My point to the poster talking about teachers using unsafe equipment is that all equipment can cause injury. Children can't be wrapped in cotton wool. They need to listen, try equipment and learn that even when you're careful you can get hurt, and that's life.

If we can't use any equipment in case a child is injured then we literally can't do anything.