Is this normal secondary school behaviour?

[Jux]

DD has come home without her bag, so without all books, equipment, homework diary, lunchbox, etc.

It seems that some pupils/a pupil thinks it's a bit of a jolly jape to grab a bag and hide it somewhere in the school. This has apparently happened many times (others' bags too, this isn't targetted); so much so that teachers are getting very annoyed about it and constantly reading out announcements in tutor group.

Bags are not left unattended, as such. For instance, dd is doing drama and they had a lunchtime thing, so her bag, blazer and shoes were left in the corner of the drama studio along with everyone else's. No one saw anyone come in and take it. They may have been working in a different part of the drama suite, but it's quite dark in there.

I assume the bag will come to light and be waiting for her tomorrow.

What astonishes me is that this isn't primary school.

having taken my 15 year old god son out for dinner on saturday and heard what happens at his school, nothing surprises me now. I'm truly worried for my young DCs. I don't want them growing up with this to contend with.

report it to the tutor as bullying ...

its ALWAYS gone on
but now schools are under more pressure to stamp on it, particularly as bags often contain electronics nowadays

Is it bullying? DD has not been targetted; it has happened to other pupils too, and this is the first time dd has been involved at all. I think someone just crept in and grabbed the first bag they came to. It happened to be dd's.

Luckily, she doesn't take electronic stuff to school. If she has her mp3 with her she keeps it in her pocket. I'm pissed off because we don't have a spare lunchbox, and when it comes home tomorrow it'll be really gunky! Also that all her books are in it and so she hasn't a clue what h/w is due in tomorrow or whether she's done it (she's a little idiotic absent-minded ) and I'm worried she'll wind up with an after-school detention, which would be a pain as public transport has become completely crap.

Mckenzie, really? I am gobsmacked! If we'd tried anything like that in secondary we'd have been in really bad trouble. Really bad.

At DCs school a kid had his bag thrown from a moving bus in between towns ....
its low level bullying and the perpetrators need to realise its either that or theft

Stealing and hiding bags is fairly normal secondary behaviour between male friends. Taking random bags of people you don't know and hiding them would be rather more unusual. Has the school got CCTV it could make use of to track down the perpetrator?

Your DD shouldn't get in trouble for not doing her homework, if it's a known problem at the school. However, could she phone a friend to check?

Yes, boys do mess around with bags, my son returned last week with a mud encrusted PE Bag ( containing over £80 of sport equipment) which had clearly been kicked around by all his 'mates' - you could still see the stud marks on the bag. It is 'messing' - but the items would cost a lot to replace.

I was really cross about it and threatened to call the school and report these mates IF it happened again... so far so good. If he had had his rucksack stolen for a 'prank' I would be equally as cross - it not only contains all school work/books/calculators/house keys and a bit of cash, but also an irreplacable and necessary medical kit ( epi pen and inhalers) - as talkin says, it is theft and the school should come down hard on it, particularly as it seems to be happening a lot, by getting the Police involved.

Unrelated story but reminded me: My friend's DS attends a ££ prep. His pencil case went missing complete with all the demanded 'kit' in it, calculator, drawing instruments, proper protractor set etc etc. £50 odd to replace. Which my friend did through gritted teeth. Shortly later, it happened again, but again, only discovered 'missing' once back home (though the school bag was done up well). Another £50.

Happened again but this time in a lesson so the teacher made every boy empty his bag onto his table, and lo. There was his kit in another boy's bag. This boy had been taking my friend's DS's kit in order to miraculously 'find it' and get praise! But the opportunity to 'find it' hadn't arisen, so he'd chucked the other 2 sets over a school wall (where the janitor found it). Offender's parents offered to pay for all the misappropriated, now ruined kit, at least! And the 2 boys are now good mates!

However, back to your issue, I'd make a fuss. Go and see the Head of Year. S/he must raise this in assembly. Put the wind up the perpetrators. A mention that it can be construed as theft and the police will be involve next time should do it! Remind the school that bags can and do contain stuff like money, epi-pens, house keys etc.

I must say that at my DSs' secondary (state comp), a bag completely disappearing so a DC comes home without it wouldn't be regarded as 'normal' boy behaviour! DS (Y9) tells me bags get 'moved' around during a lesson, sometimes, but it 'doesn't get out of hand'.

DD's year 9 too. Moving them about a bit in the same room, hiding it behind a curtain or something, OK. But these kid/s remove them completely. I was very pissed off when dd first told me, and she was furious too.

Luckily, she doesn't need a key, nor are they encouraged to take money in - they have a 'cashless' system where everything is done through Wisepay. It's things like her geometry set, calculator, fountain pen - all of which we have had to replace several times.

At least on this occasion we know it's happened to other people too, so we're not considering this is aimed at dd. however, the loss of all her books etc is a bit of a nuisance. She won't have notes of this term's work, if the bag doesn't turn up tomorrow.

Do you think I should call the school? I'm wary of doing so, especially as it has happened to others.

Should I write a note about the lack of homework? (Really, she should have done any due in tomorrow before now, but of course she hasn't.)

Personally, I would ring the school, the fact that it has happened to others suggests that you have fuel for your complaint, as it is clearly something the school has to address. IF the bag doesnt reappear, you will have to replace everything which is lost, and this is something the school should be aware of - this behaviour is costing parents money, plus your child is missing valuable work/books etc, I would certainly be writing a note about the homework issue. This behaviour would not be acceptable outside the school environment, so they should be putting a lid on it, and getting the police to come and talk to the kids involved/getting their parents involved etc.

Jux- yep, I'd go on the offensive here. I am not a huge believer in 'marching up to the school' for every little thing but this isn't a little thing: this is her kit, your money (in replacing it), possibly her academic success if books and notes go missing. It's just 'fortunate' that on that day when her bag went mission she didn't have an irreplaceable book or piece of coursework, or medicine she needs in it.

I'd do more than 'write a note' myself, I'd request a meeting with someone senior- Head of Year, Head of Discipline, whatever. And point out you'll be taking a very dim view of not-done homework detentions as a result if they're not tackling it! It's highly possible the school don't know the extent of it if no-one's dobbing!

Yes, itis good that she's not being targeted but hat doesn't detract from the fact that, when it comes down to it, someone is behaving maliciously and anti-socially.

My daughter, has just gone into Y7 and I haven't heard anything along these lines (yet). The teaching staff sound very nice, but I get the feeling the school strongly expects rules to be followed. Some teachers will give a detention out for lateness to class, not having books/planners with you, so they are not going to look favourably on anyone messing about with other people's bags when they find out who is doing it.

When i was in year 7 my school bag was taken from outside the drama studio, it turned up a week later in a bin,missing my new pencilcase, calculator and library book.
My form tutor really couldn't care less, and my parents informed me that as i was in secondary school now i had to deal with the issue myself......great.

I didn't phone the school or write a note; it felt too heavy handed as I knew they were aware of it going on. We agreed with dd that if her bag couldn't be found by breaktime then she should call us and en we'd talk to HoY and tutor etc. however, the cleaners found it and it was there at reception, waiting for her. Nothing missing.

The school is also pretty strict! Madmog. We were slightly taken aback when dd went into Y7 as detentions were being handed out (almost) left right and centre! I think it's done in the first term of Y7 to ensure the new children know exactly what standards are expected of them. Short, sharp shock. It's not that dd's school become lax that detentions don't seem to happen much, I think it's that pupils behave!

I'm sure that once they are caught the pupil/s responsible for bag snatching will get it in the neck. It's catching them though. The school is not completely covered in CCTV, there's not been a need for it. Not sure there is now either.

I suspect Y7s though . Once they've become assimilated () it'll stop.

I've never come across it (have a ds in Yr12 at one school and a dd in Yr9 at another). Sounds an odd thing to do to random pupils you don't know, necessarily.

Hiding bags is common in lessons, however it should be dealt with. If a bag is hidden in a lesson then the class does not leave until it is returned. If the bag is taken from somewhere else, the school needs to review it's security and the students should have somewhere to leave their bags in the knowledge that they will not be taken. Do complain as this is not acceptable.

You know, jux, I'd still write 'a note' to the HoY. It will also provide 'ammunition', should it be needed, if it happens again and a detention ensues. You may say 'This issue of bags being hidden isn't new' and they'll say 'Wot? First we've heard of it!'.

Sometimes you might find the school are grateful to be alerted to this stuff going on under their noses. You may find it is the first they've heard of it!

No, they definitely know about it. It has been dalt with in Year Assemblies, the tutors speak to their tutees at registration etc. I think dd was unlucky as hers was taken at lunchtime which resulted in it being missing overnight. It is a serious issue, and the school are aware of it. DD wouldn't have said that HoYs and tutors are making announcements about it, if they weren't. I shall ask dd in the morning, again, if she wants me to let the school know our feelings though.

It seems mischievous rather than malicious.

I think you are right, it is a mischievous act really, just more messing about - but as you know, the consequences of such acts could be catastrophic for some kids with important things in their bags - and it really should not be tolerated in a school - although it is obviously difficult to pin down the culprits - as long as the school are dealing with it and taking it seriously, hopefully they can stop it being a constant nuisance.

You need to tell the school so they know the extent of the problem. Doesn't have to be in a confrontational way, just give them the information so they are aware of the extent of the problem. An email to the head of year would do it.

Tracker in the bag? ;.)

Not heard of this at dd's school (she's yr9) that's not to say it wouldn't though. I can imagine the head at ours taking it v v seriously if it did and there would be big repercussions.

I'd be on to the head of year for sure.

DD1's primary were dreadful for this nonsense, especially as one teacher insisted DD1 (who is dyslexic and scanty) had just lost things. Not in the boys loos she hadn't

Secondary, touch wood, as been way better. PE rooms are locked and they do have lockers. I have had to replace games kit, but that was left on the bus on a day it was ferrying other schools about.

Since DDS both take phones and ipods into school I would go ape and probably call the police if they didn't fix it quick.

It is not funny and it is basically theft.