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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Are you allowed to help out in your own childs class ?

42 replies

mumto2andnomore · 29/09/2009 18:22

Im a teacher and my head has just announced that parents will no longer be able to help out in the own childs class (for reading, helping with crafts etc ) Just wondered how common this is ? Seems daft to me, its not like we have had any problems before.

Cant see us getting much parental help now !

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mrz · 29/09/2009 19:07

We have had children who have been "upset" by having their parent in the class and others who have compared other children's reading levels but in most cases it isn't a problem. Perhaps the head has had a complaint?

Hulababy · 29/09/2009 19:11

I work in a Y1 class and the parents who help out with reading, cooking, etc. are parents of the children in our class. It seems to make more sense that way. If you are offering your time to help out, then you'd want it to be your own child's class to benefit really I guess. It has never caused any problems yet. Only time we put parents off is if their child hasn't yet settled at school, as better to wait til they are before they come in.

I have also helped out in DD's class when she was in Y1 and Y2, and in the other infant classes, up til last year. Was never a problem. I was doing it on a more formal basis though, gaining experience f a primary school setting.

Friendlypizzaeater · 29/09/2009 19:13

Not at our school - I've helped out 1/2 a day a week for nearly 3 years and have never been allowed into my DS class.

clam · 29/09/2009 19:14

Yeah, we had this. Stemmed from a couple of parents gossiping in the village about their children's classmates' abilities. The Head then set up a list, where people were invited to sign up for helping out generally, in any class but their own child's. Needless to say, hardly anyone signed. Then, they could help with their own child's class, but not in the same room (!) and I've lost track now, to be honest. Although there are parents out there (not MNers, of course) who use the opportunity to spy on what's going on. Teachers get twitchy about that, being sensitive souls.

happywomble · 29/09/2009 19:19

I help out in my childrens classes. I would be less inclined to give up my time for another class.

jalopy · 29/09/2009 19:23

I think it's quite common. Volunteers at our local primary are not able to work in their own child's class.

Wilts · 29/09/2009 19:31

Not in our primary. Small village school, certain parents gossiping etc. I personally think it's a good thing.

Also if you want to support your local school surely it won't matter where you are asked to help?

HSMM · 29/09/2009 19:38

Our school head just says we are not allowed to help in our own childs class in their first term at the school. After that parents are allocated to the teacher who needs them (could be any class). I did a lot of reading with the Year 1s, including my own DD.

piscesmoon · 29/09/2009 19:40

Seems daft to me. I supply teach and am always thrilled if I turn up at the school and get adult help.

needmorehoursinaweek · 29/09/2009 19:44

I've always helped in primary but never in my own DC class. I asked to help in another class. I've done craft work, cooking, heard readers, help dress the little ones after swimming. You either want to help or you don't. If someone only wants to help in their own DC class then maybe they are doing it for the wrong reasons. I suspect they are the same people who can't help sneeking a look in a visiting child reading bag on a playdate.

CADS · 29/09/2009 20:02

At our school, parents ARE allowed to help in their DC's class. I have recently started just to get a idea of what ds (Y1) is learning at school as he never tells me anything.

I have done alot of filing and haven't had the time or bothered to look at what kid is doing what. However, I do stop and look at ds's work.

All the other parent helpers that I know have always helped in the DC's class.

Highlander · 29/09/2009 20:22

jeez, if I was in the same class as DS1 it would be a nightmare.

epithet · 29/09/2009 20:23

I help out in dd1's class. Parent helpers are always attached to their dc class here - hasn't ever occurred to me that it might be problematic because it never has been.

piprabbit · 29/09/2009 20:26

I help out in my DDs class, all parent volunteers work in their DCs classes.
But, I don't get to work directly with my DD, and the reading work I do is away from the main classroom so she barely knows I'm there.

wilbur · 29/09/2009 20:27

Allowed and very gratefully received in our school.

Smithagain · 29/09/2009 20:27

No, we're not allowed to help in our own children's class.

bellissima · 29/09/2009 20:28

I used to help with the guided reading in DD1's class and in fact asked to switch to another year. I just felt awkward suggesting that so and so go up or down a group, when I knew the children and their parents. TBH in that year probably no one would mind, but some of the mothers in my younger DDs class are unbelievably pushy and quite frankly they would be comparing reading levels if/when allowed in (school only gets parents in from Yr 3) - so actually I agree with the policy. Is it so difficult to get parents to help out if it's not actually their DC's year? Surely they can see that some reciprocal, neutral help is of benefit.

happywomble · 29/09/2009 20:31

Wanting to help in your own childs class is not necessarily for the wrong reasons needmore. How dare you make such judgements. I am not in their actual classroom most of the time anyway..I sit in a seperate room and the children come in one by one to read.

DrZeus · 29/09/2009 20:31

When I volunteered at school, I was in ds2's nursery class. Now I work at school as a TA, I'm in the same year as ds1 but def NOT the same class.

happywomble · 29/09/2009 20:34

I also don't have a problem with other mothers I know listening to my child read. I don't care if they know what reading level my child is at. What does it matter?

bellissima · 29/09/2009 20:35

I'm sorry happywomble but needmore's judgements would definitely apply to some of the mothers in DD2's class. I'm afraid some people are just like that. I know of one of her classmates who was grilled from reception as to who was in which reading group (she told DD2).

primarymum · 29/09/2009 20:36

When I started as a parent helper it was in R and Yr2 where my children were at the time, the following year it was R/1/2/3 as my children moved up but the previous teachers "held onto me"! When I was helping in R/1/2/3/4/5 and 6 I gave up and trained as a teacher

piscesmoon · 29/09/2009 22:44

There are lots of ways to help without hearing reading.

Clary · 30/09/2009 00:30

Parents always help in another class at my DCs' school. It's a good thing IMO.

It works for me as DS2 in partic would be all over me if I were in his class.

It's a big intake so if parents want to help in the same year (eg to get a view on the curriculum etc) then there is always at least one other class (and often 2).

I have been helping in FS2 for the last 4 years and it wasn't because I wanted to be in DS2's class. I have only been in the right year once IYSWIM! I do it because I enjoy it and I like to help the school.

I don't agree you would only want to help your child's class. After all, they are only one child of 30; you have to be doing it because you want to help the children in general, surely?

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 30/09/2009 00:58

We are allowed to help in our DC's class. I have always chosen not to. I do see why some schools choose not to have parents in their DCs' classes though - I have seen some parents do it from very poor motivation. Most, of course, just want to help.
I really don't see though, why it would put anyone off helping not to be in their child's class; surely if the school as a whole is benefiting that's good for your child?

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