Do your children attend the school you teach at?

[PenguinSaidEverything]

Considering whether to move DC to the school I’m teaching at. It’s a lovely school, just wondered if there were any pros or cons I hadn’t thought about yet!

Yes, PM me and I’ll give you the lowdown

Not yet, they're still at the local feeder school. But, I think we have at least 10 staff/student pairings. Including the deputy and assistant head. It's a popular and successful village school so it's quite close knit anyway.

I did and ended up moving youngest once older one went to high school. Elder one was absolutely fine but boys in sons class made his life hell and as he'd be going to a different high school anyway it seemed for the best. We are both much happier and wish I'd done it sooner. I've colleagues who have kids in school and they are debating too if it's actually best thing.

It is lovely to see your child at school and makes drop offs and pick ups easier. When it is going well, it is great. However when it goes wrong it can go spectacularly wrong!
In our case, a senior teacher took a dislike to me and decided to take it out on one of my children. It was truly awful and had a very negative impact on my child. Things were so bad I ended up leaving my job and the children left the school. I wouldn't ever teach in the same school as my child. It is also hard to fit in as you have a foot in both camps- so 1/2 teacher, 1/2 parent which can be awkward.

I do. One in Year 10, one in Year 8. Has been nothing but positive for me, especially for my son who has SEN, and feels safer having me around most of the time (am 0.8).

I have sometimes thought about going back to primary teaching and working at my child’s school. But I think the ‘foot’ in both camps aspect would be too hard to navigate as teaching staff.

The other aspect is that I always felt a little bit sorry for children who needed to hang around after hours while their parent was in staff meeting - just my own view. But I can see there would be advantages too...

Yes, but our school has 4 different "pathways" in one iyswim, (not UK) and she is in a completely different one to me. I catch sight of her in the corridor and she ignores me

I am lucky in the respect that I don't teach classes with any teachers that she has, so when there are parent meetings, I am just another parent, quite rightly. Nor do I ever speak to any of her teachers about her outside of the allotted time for parent-teacher meetings.

We do have other teachers' kids at school, and nine times out of ten it's a disaster, because the teachers come to the school, or put their kids into the school specifically so they can be there together. I've heard people actually say "I came here because dd is here" or they have pushed to get their kids into that school, into that specific class.

A friend of mine has found herself in serious hot water at the school she teaches at, and where her sons are, because she is always getting involved with parent stuff, because the parents are the parents of her sons' friends, but in her capacity as teacher (giving out info she shouldn't, adding all the world to FB etc etc) She has had a disciplinary after another parent complained about her.

It's not a fine line, it's a great big whopping one, but unfortunately, when our own kids are involved, it's hard. Dd will tell me stuff about one teacher in particular and I just grit my teeth and think "he'll be retiring soon, he'll be retiring soon".

Slightly different scenario so I don't know if this will help but my aunt, who is very close to my mum taught in my primary school and was my year five teacher.

It had pros and cons, I was close to her and it was nice to see her every day. She would sometimes take me home from school but more often than not had to stay behind.

She was one of better teachers (not just personal opinion everyone liked her) but it felt very strange calling her miss in school.

I was a high achiever in my class though, and praise or good marks were always taken as favouritism by the other kids in class which wasn't exactly pleasant.

My mum was one of my teachers at secondary, bit weird to start with as obviously had to call her Mrs xxx. She was very clear from the start that whilst at school i would be treated exactly like her other pupils, she did not want any negative feedback that could impact on her so boundaries were set and stuck too! Was also very handy when i had forgot my lunch, mum hated the knock on the staffroom door asking for lunch money 😂

I did. Hated it. Ended up moving them at year 6 (school goes to year 8) and was then gradually ousted out of my job as punishment for my lack of loyalty towards the school, as taking your kids out "early" sends the wrong message to other parents, apparently. Private school. Glad to be rid.

I did, it worked well for me. Could see their productions/ assemblies etc but that is very much the culture do the school. Lots of parents as teachers and TAs. Confidentiality strictly enforced, one parent/TA had a disciplinary about this last year which focused everyone’s minds. She was definitely an outlier though, as in nobody else was gossiping so she really stood out.

I started v part time initially though as supply and gradually increased time and responsibility there, now SLT but only since last year when my youngest was in Y6.

AceAcer- that is the same experience I had (private school too). At my appraisal I was harangued about my child changing schools, rather than anything to do with my teaching. Everyone closed ranks- it was so horrible and really affected me as well as my child.

Thanks everyone, plenty to think about...

My sister was taught by my mum in infant school after her teacher went on long term sick leave. It wasn't a problem for her. I think I was only taught by her once when she was a supply teacher.

Don't do it! I did and although it started well it did not end well. I ended up walking out and taking my children with me. Luckily they are now in a fantastic school and I teach in a different school. As fantastic as you this people are, they can always surprise you. One of my children was so effected he refused to go to school for months.

*think not this!

My sons have both been taught by a teacher who had a child in their class. Horrendous experience. Hopefully never again...

Gosh, I am also considering this for September... DS wasn't keen when I first mentioned the possibility, but now he says he wouldn't mind if I didn't teach his classes. He's year 7 in a large school so it might be possible
It would be so much more convenient for me than my long commute but I will have to think hard about it before going ahead!

I did for 7 years. No problem with bullying etc. Children in school knew DD was my child, she called me my teacher name in school. She's older now, but says she really liked it when we were at the same school. It depends on the child though. DD was an incredibly well-behaved child, so not one whose name would crop up in staffroom discussions. I didn't initiate discussions about her progress etc with class teachers, and didn't expect special treatment/insider info.

Before/after school, she had to stay in my room, so no wandering the school. She went to after-school club a few times a week so I could work late. I had no discussions re pupils in my room with her present, I would step out/go to a different room.

Cons? Not building friendships with parents. I wouldn't have a parent on my facebook etc. Difficulties with things like playdates, as I liked to keep home & school separate. She had friends from pre-school who I was happy to continue having round though.

I joined DD’s school last year. She was year 11 by then. It was fine as she was hard working/well behaved. Other teachers volunteered information about her but I never asked. It was a shame I taught year 11 as I couldn’t go to her parents evening though there were few pupils in my class that were her friends so it wasn’t too awkward. I did have the odd heart attack moment when random friends of hers called round and I drinking beer and watching tv. This year my youngest DD has joined the school and she likes me being there. I might end up teaching her because of how the timetable works out but that will be fine for her. I’ll not see her teachers again for parents evening which will be a shame. It will be harder to make parent friends though I already know a few from primary school. It’s hard to make parent friends at secondary anyway. I do need to think hard about how much to say that should be known to non staff. Confirming when school starts in September seemed ok but not other things. Sometimes I have to feign ignorance rather than say ‘I can’t tell you’.

I used to have my DDs in the same school.

The main pro is fee remission.
Then commuting together, and the same holidays.

The main con is that the DCs are in school for a longer period, but OTOH, you have to get out of there before prep/clubs end.

You set ground rules about confidentiality - don’t talk about confidential stuff to DH around the dinner table, and don’t spy on your DCs or their friends.

Treat them the same as any other student and have them call you Mrs Crafty.

I did/do. DD1 left just over a year ago to go to uni. DD2 is y13. I taught DD1 in year 8 which was meant to be alternate lessons with my Line Manager, but I ended up teaching them most lessons. We were all fine with it. I wrote everyone's report bar hers which he did.

I taught her again for one unit of an A level. 4 teachers rotated the groups and I was the only one who delivered that part of the course. I taught DD2 for the same thing but her group only did AS so I only taught her for one year.

Pros: all going together, you know all their friends, you can sign forms on the day (especially when they are ranked in order they are brought back!), if they are ill, you are on hand, you get in free to concerts/shows/plays etc.
Cons: when they do something wrong, colleagues come to you straight away. My riposte is "would you go straight to X's mum (who works elsewhere)? Then go through the same channels please." When you are unhappy with something, it is tricky not being personal. DH has been roped into dealing with any issues to avoid this.

My school is great and the DDs have done really well so far. I was there for many years before they started so in effect, they joined my school rather than the other way round. Their friends are fine too. I have no problems being called by my first name outside school but they still call me Mrs X. Their parents are brilliant about it; it's Malbecfan outside school but they are very deferential when we're there.

Ground rules are important and you have to be careful when you know something that students don't. I'm also not allowed to be friends with DD2 on social media until she leaves school.

I do (primary school) and it’s worked well so far. We have a close staff team even though it’s a big school but there’s no problem with my friends teaching my children, they never get preferential treatment and there is never any issue with me bringing things up. We are all very professional! I’m not the only parent / teacher which helps. I was in the same year group (though obviously not same class) as my daughter for her first year and even that was fine.

I have just moved my Dd, in year 9, to the school where I teach. Her previous school is undergoing a lot of changes. So far it is working well and she is happy to have moved schools. Yy to the ground rules though.

It's great for getting homework done/out of the way too. I used to sit and do my marking while DD did her homework, at the same table (sometimes with a packet of biscuits). It was lovely. Now she's older, we still do that sometimes.