Sniggering classmates

[ImStillMe]

KS3 DD is in one particular class with students from mixed forms.
A group of them snigger when she answers questions in class. She didn't want to tell the teacher whom she barely knows so I emailed him asking him to listen out for this.

He replied saying he has never known those girls to mbe unkind and he won't change the seating plan because of this issue. Last year another department did change the seating plan because of those same girls.

The sniggering happened again today, with more girls taking part. What should I do? Email his HoD requesting a solution and CC him in?

We rarely reach out for help so I'm so disappointed in his response.

Absolutely email HoD but don't CC him in. Explain your DD's experience on each occasion, that she felt she couldn't approach the teacher, you emailed, include what he emailed to you and ask for a solution to your DD's belief that these children are sniggering at her in class which makes her feel uncomfortable. Good luck an absolutely don't let this go.

I'm a teacher and his response is wrong. It's so entirely basic to rejig a seating plan that he should do that as a bare minimum.

Thank you. It was such an odd response from him. I don't really like going over someone's head, especially when the HoD will tell him anyway,

But if he can't do this basic thing, I suppose there's no point in engaging with him and I should escalate.

They need to be made to stop. If this is going on in class then the teacher needs to end it and be seen to end it.
Don't communicate with him now. He's had a chance to deal with a classroom situation and blown it.
Email his Hod and make sure you say how the teacher reacted when you asked for help