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Primary education

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Original poster

Is this really a breach of data or just plain ridiculous???

128 replies

ishouldprobablygettherapy · 11/10/2023 16:40

So I need to send birthday party invites out fairly soon. My daughter has not long started reception. I've asked the teacher yesterday morning if I can please have a list of either all of the children in the class with the girls highlighted, or just a list of the girls. So I am able to write the invites with my daughter.
This is a fairly normal question - in my opinion.. as how else would you go about it ? (No school WhatsApp groups etc)
She told me this was probably not possible, and they will have to essentially hold a talk about this, as handing out the children's names is not allowed.
I can somewhat understand.. but on the other hand I find it ridiculous.
When I was at school (which isn't really that long ago) we are able to request register lists from the teacher to play with at breaks, lunchtimes ... and they weren't accounted for and nearly always came home.
Forgive me if I'm being stupid... but I cannot think of another way to go about doing the invites without having the children's names !!
What do I do?

OP posts:
Manchestermummax3 · 11/10/2023 16:42

The school I work at don't allow us to give out class name lists, even just 1st names.
Instead we spend a break/bit of lunch with birthday child & they are allowed to write a list of children in their class... not sure how that would work for a reception aged child though 🤔

Lindy2 · 11/10/2023 16:42

We were given a list of all the children names. I think sometimes first name only but no one regarded it as a problem.

Malarandras · 11/10/2023 16:43

Names are personal data as per GDPR so the teacher is likely correct. My kids just always received invitations with no name, just with the party details and RSVP contact number. If my kids were going I RSVP’d and included their name.

Beamur · 11/10/2023 16:43

I'm not at all surprised they didn't hand you a list of names.
Ask your DD how many girls are in the class and ask the teacher if she will put the invitations in book bags. Make it a generic invite but with your contact details on it.

Vickim03 · 11/10/2023 16:44

If they won't give you a list then I'd ask how many girls there is in the class and ask the teacher to hand out. Failing that get there early at pick up and hand them to the child as they leave the classroom. I have also got the class list from the teams groups. Another idea if your set up on teams for the school.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 11/10/2023 16:48

When l was teaching we couldn’t even name a kid in an email. GDPR

wereonthemarket · 11/10/2023 16:48

Just ask how many kids in the class and send that many invites in? (If inviting everyone). If not just ask your child who their friends are and invite them?

Original poster
ishouldprobablygettherapy · 11/10/2023 16:48

I do understand that it's personal data, but I've never known it to be a problem. I had younger siblings and it was never an issue then.. maybe 10 ish years ago. First names surely shouldn't be a problem, but I can see they need to be careful.
I think the best bet then would be finding out how many girls in the class and asking the teacher to hand out the invites.
Silly me, I didn't think of that!!

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 11/10/2023 16:52

My kids are teenagers now but their primary school never gave out names either so it's not a new thing

Hopingforno2in2023 · 11/10/2023 16:54

We have given out invites without names on in the past and received the same in kind. It seems to work fine.

Frlrlrubert · 11/10/2023 16:56

We were given a list of first names at some point, but as DD has a September birthday I send unnamed invites in Reception.

Growlybear83 · 11/10/2023 16:56

Why can't your daughter give you the names of the other girls in her class?

Brilliantlydone · 11/10/2023 16:58

I did a whole class party so just numbered the invitations 1-30. Perhaps you could send in, say, 17 invitations with a note for them to go in the girls book bags.

Fireisland · 11/10/2023 16:58

Yet when it was lockdown and they were on teams, we had complete access to the whole class' names including surnames!

I don't see how it would be a data breach to provide a list of first names.

ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 11/10/2023 16:59

We've always had lists.. my eldest's secondary issues a booklet with all the rules/dates and the full name and birthdate of every child, which I was a bit surprised by, but then any prize giving their names are read out, sports teams etc.

Orangewall · 11/10/2023 17:01

We have a list and a parents whatsapp group but my friends DD school won’t allow birthday name lists out.

BoohooWoohoo · 11/10/2023 17:03

I believe that the school is technically correct but a nightmare for Christmas card season too when you're not sure which spelling of a name somebody might have or whether your child has misheard a name incorrectly so you end up getting the name completely wrong.

evergreener · 11/10/2023 17:04

I am a secondary teacher, and I am not allowed to have a list of class names in my planner. Children are not allowed to write their full names onto their exercise books, or on their work on the walls

evergreener · 11/10/2023 17:04

BoohooWoohoo · 11/10/2023 17:03

I believe that the school is technically correct but a nightmare for Christmas card season too when you're not sure which spelling of a name somebody might have or whether your child has misheard a name incorrectly so you end up getting the name completely wrong.

why waste time, money and resources on christmas cards? They are obsolete now, nothing to do with GDPR

Marblessolveeverything · 11/10/2023 17:10

A lot has changed in ten years. Data needs to have a legitimate reason for release and permission would be needed.

Party invitations don't make the cut.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 11/10/2023 17:10

evergreener · 11/10/2023 17:04

why waste time, money and resources on christmas cards? They are obsolete now, nothing to do with GDPR

Show quote history

Cos kids still like doing them! My daughter hand makes cards for her class and spends ages doing them as she loves it.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 11/10/2023 17:16

DDs school also do not allow a list of pupis first names to be given for invitations. However I was told that they wouldn't stop me looking at the coat pegs in the hallway and making my own list. (which is obviously ridiculous, but there you go.)

I asked DD to tell me all the names she could remember, and then checked the pegs for any she missed.

Concernedfriend2023 · 11/10/2023 17:17

Our school has always provided a list of first names for Xmas cards and parties.

TookTheBook · 11/10/2023 17:19

Why would you only invite the girls?

Our school permits giving a list of just first names.

cariadlet · 11/10/2023 17:22

It is petty and ridiculous but it is also a data breach.

I'm a primary school teacher and always used to give out class lists to help parents with invitations and with writing Christmas cards.

I haven't been allowed to do that for years.