Parent voluntary reader

[user1486416586]

Hello,

I'm new to mumsnet as I cannot find any information on the Internet with regards to whether as a Mum I should be informed a parent is now in my child's classroom and being a 'voluntary reader'.

This was only made aware to me through my son's year group social media page last night, the woman said she had spoken to the children and they had told her what they need with regards to book changes etc.

I am fuming!! Why on earth has a parent who's child is in the same class as mine been allowed to have access to my child without my prior knowledge? I had to find out on social media.

The reason I'm annoyed is my son has sen issues. What right has a fellow parent got to know them issues? I have read many articles today and it is suggested schools have parent readers in classes different to their child. Why on earth have the school done this, what makes it worse is this child has tormented my child for over a year!

Clever thinking on her behalf but I'm outraged.

Does anyone know if a school should tell you if a parent helper is around your child? I'm led to believe by a good TA friend children under the age of 14 you have to be made aware.

Please help!!

I personally volunteered for years aswell with people who were vunerable. I have become annoyed tonight as mums seem to respect anyone who have taken a CRB through a school. Life experience has taught me differently. When ot came to my son I asked fo advice tonight and got annoyed. If you actually knew the person I was talking about, youd agree she would not be fit to see any of the kids at my sons school. Bare in mind this is a stupid forum I have not used before, I will deal with my issues in person properly. I will not use the internet again happpily.

MOTHERS AND FATHERS THAT DECIDE TO READ IN THEIR OWN CHILDS CLASSROOMS ARE A DISCRACE!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you for real?
I helped every week for years. The teachers were crying out for the support. Whether that was listening to readers, changing books, helping for special activities, sorting resources or sharpening pencils - I was happy to do whatever the teachers needed.
I had the time and I wanted to help. I don't care if you think that makes me a disgrace.

I sort of understood your initial point having had concerns that a parent I knew but didn't trust was going to be reading in a class that included both our dc. I didn't want her to know about my dc's SEN.
However you're dragging irrelevant issues like making other dc feel bad because their parents work. That could make you look a bit unhinged.

Not after a fight but just letting you know how it is in our small village Primary (which three of my children attend). I volunteer once a week at the moment and read to whichever child the teacher would like me to read to, in each and every class in the school. This has been going on with other parents volunteers since my eldest started the school and I have been in regularly in all of the classes over the years, doing various jobs. The teachers have been extremely grateful for any help they get. I had to be DBS checked and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Honestly OP you need to pick your battles when you have a sn child. How is this fury towards the school and against mumsnetters taking the time to answer you helping your child? Or you for that matter? Speak to the school. Tell them for personal reasons you don't want her reading with you son. Sorted.

Bare in mind this is a stupid forum

Nice.

OP. I do completely understand why you are angry. This is obviously more than an issue about parents volunteering and more to do with someone who you do not want to have access to your son. The posters on here are trying to help, please try to hear them. It is totally normal for parents to volunteer even in their child's class. That's not really the issue though. The issue is this particular volunteer.

I had particular concerns about a volunteer in DS1's class. She was actually a friend so I knew that she was nosey and a gossip. She told me my son's SAT's results. I went straight into school. She is no longer allowed to volunteer.

My advice would be to take a few breaths, get a clear list of the issues with this particular volunteer and take them to the head. If you are calm and reasonable then the chances are you'll get the right outcome.

Unfortunately volunteering opportunities attract fucktards as well as people genuinely trying to make a difference.

She was actually a friend so I knew that she was nosey and a gossip. She told me my son's SAT's results. I went straight into school. She is no longer allowed to volunteer.
That's a fault with the school - I cannot understand how she had access to the SATS results at all.

She was in left reading with a child during assembly. She sent the child to assembly and waited in the classroom for everyone to come back. While she waited she snooped in the teachers drawer and found the SAT's results. The school admitted their negligence in leaving her unattended in a class room. School should have followed proper protocol and admitted as much but they did not imagine that she would actually rifle through drawers.

MOTHERS AND FATHERS THAT DECIDE TO READ IN THEIR OWN CHILDS CLASSROOMS ARE A DISCRACE!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, every single one? I'm a disgrace because I read in my child's class?

ODFOD.

It could be a mutually beneficial arrangement. If her dc are having behaviour issues her time spent in school may be seen as a positive effect on her parenting, assuming that is the issue, or at least give her alternative strategies. She may even develop a better understanding of learning issues and development from children such as yours. When I was a "reading mum" we read with the children individually on a rota, less often children experiencing difficulties as they tended to have more teacher/ta sessions. Can you volunteer yourself?

The reader may have broached school confidentiality by speaking about it on social media (though if she just said "I'm reading in X class" then, unless the children have all sworn and signed a vow of silence about her presence, it's probably already well-known to most parents) but the OP blabbing her SHOUTY gob off about this woman, her family, her past and her own child on an internet forum regularly scoured over by the DM for juicy Kyle-esque stories (SHOUTY handbags over the READING books!!) etc might well be on a stickier wicket.

Given the details about this appalling woman WHO WE DO NOT KNOW!!!! posted by the OP, were she to read this THREAD!!!! she'd soon know it was her being talked about.

And all that with the OP working "in law" and "childcare" too.

WELL I NEVER!!!!!

Wow! I pick my battles having two Sen kids and I'm also not rude to people offering assistance on "a stupid forum". If you don't like this woman reading to your son may I suggest you speak directly to the school and to his teacher. I feel for teachers as they're under a lot of pressure especially if you talk to them the way you've spoken to us who are trying to help you.

Does anyone know if a school should tell you if a parent helper is around your child? I'm led to believe by a good TA friend children under the age of 14 you have to be made aware.

No, school don't have to tell you. You need to talk to your dc's school, though. Good parent helpers are invaluable. Bad ones are a PITA.

A parent helper should NOT be sharing anything that she sees/hears/learns at school with anyone, in RL or on social media.

If you are concerned, talk to the school.

I read to dc in both my children's classes for years. Never had any problems. We were DBS/CRB checked and had to sign a confidentiality agreement. So don't tar us all with the same brush.

It's usually helpful for the teacher to have another adult helper in the class to hear the dc read more often, whethey they have SEN or not.

Just seen your comments about 'a stupid forum'. Charming. Off you go and use your legal/childcare training to have a pop at your dc's school.

YOU SHOUND UNHINGED

YOU SOUND UNHINGED

OP, I came on to this post ready to help and offer advice having been a parent volunteer. I leave, just asking did you really mean to be so rude?

Also I don't know who reads with my daughter. It's mostly her 1:1 tho I have no issues with a parent reading. She has autism and I'd actually rather have people know so they understand that she might not be like other children and it would explain if she was rude or blunt. Again take it up with your children's school and again I seriously hope you're not as rude to them. I'm sure you're an utterly delightful parent.

I think you are over-reacting BIG time! Firstly, the volunteers won't be 'in charge' of your child at any time or given access to any individual academic profiles due to the nature of educational settings...Teachers have to follow confidentiality policies and procedures at work!
The class teacher & staff will be around whilst the volunteer will be listening/reading 1:1
Obviously a 'parent reader' won't be replacing teaching staff at any time & work under strict instructions given by the teacher.
I have been a parent volunteer for many years and never allowed access to children's individual profile & children with special needs were not on the parent-volunteer's readers list.
Teachers are not suppose to disclose, share or discuss any personal or academic details of individuals in their class with parents volunteers... If you know for sure that the parent in question has discussed your child on social media you need to inform the school. The school doesn't have to inform every parent about who is doing the reading every day because the list of volunteers might change every week! At my children's schools reading was done only ONE hour outside classroom in the clear view of the teacher and the list of readers was drawn by her beforehand. If I were you, I won't panic.

Sorry... I wouldn't panic if I were you.

I used to listen to readers in my dd's class, her school required a full dbs check. Before becoming a volunteer we were told very clearly about the need for confidentiality but I would never have discussed anything I saw or heard in class anyway. Chances are your dc will come into contact with lots of people during his school life that you might not know about until afterwards. It isn't up to you to decide who is suitable though that is up to the school. I imagine you could ask the teacher not to allow your son to be listened to by the parent but your dc might be disappointed and the teacher might think you petty particularly if the volunteer is a willing and able one that she values.

I do get where you are coming from, OP. Once, having a casual conversation with a mum who helped out with swimming, she divulged that they were going to get special needs kids to wear yellow swimming hats and then carried on in a this'll be great and really help managing them vein. I was kind of struck dumb with disbelief/shock/being in denial that she could mean MY CHILD. Not pleasant. But...I can't imagine you could do anything about it. Doesn't it specify in the SEN code that not just the child's teacher but all staff should know about the child's SEN so that all can be primed to be sensitive/understanding about it. So it would be counter-intuitive if on the other hand it was to remain a closely guarded secret from any volunteers. And of course there are parents who are also qualified teachers at their children's school. I often wonder just how much such mums with kids in my kid's class get told (pretty much everything I would imagine!).

Parent volunteers reading with children in primary schools has been going on since time immemorial. Teachers don't have enough time to hear every child read every day which is what would happen in an ideal world, so parent volunteers are invaluable and it really helps children progress in their reading. I did this for many years, both in my own child's class and in other classes. I was never told about any children with SEN, but I did pick up on which children had greater needs than others over time.

That said parents are supposed to observe confidentiality, and I would have expected there to be some sort of policy in school about this.

If you have concerns about your son or this woman reading with your son you should speak to the class teacher and if you are still not satisfied, go to the Headteacher.

And I do know what it is like to have a child with SEN. I had two. They are both grown up now and one still has SEN.