Primary school 3 party advertising in school bags

omega42

As title says, my daughter started school on Monday and already has come home twice with fliers for different out of school activities. These activities are not school related in any way.

So my question is why are the schools participating in this (there the ones that are putting the fliers in the bags)?

Are the schools charging for allowing such advertising?

Does the department of education endorse this practice.

And is this not a anti competition issue ( prioritising 1 group over the other.

Personality I think this is a dispicable way to advertise to kids but what's your thoughts?

wirelessdude01

Juat ignore if not for you or your kid. Assume they are locally based activities.

byhookorbycrook

Are these activities run directly after school?If so, parents might be glad of such information , as part of after school care. Most unlikely that the school is getting paid to distribute them.

glack

I very much doubt the school is getting paid. In my school, we distribute flyers from local organisations- local GAA/soccer team, camps being run nearby etc. Generally you might get a small box of sweets for the staffroom or similar as a small thank you for the hassle. I only actually give them to the students if I think some family would appreciate it.

kirving

Local, non-profit sports clubs (for example) would be ok in my opinion.

For profit, after school activities such as speech and drama or art lessons should not be advertised in kids backpacks.

A monthly summary of local clubs produced by the school, or noticeboard is a better solution.

glack

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Local, non-profit sports clubs (for example) would be ok in my opinion.

For profit, after school activities such as speech and drama or art lessons should not be advertised in kids backpacks.

A monthly summary of local clubs produced by the school, or noticeboard is a better solution.

I get your point but a monthly summary is not really workable and in the vast majority of primary schools only a handful a parents see the noticeboard - most parents would have no reason to be inside the school on any kind of regular basis. Maybe sending them home should just be scrapped altogether-I can see why parents wouldn’t like it.

AndrewJRenko

I doubt that the school is getting paid either, but there is a question about commercialising the school environment and the relationship. I have seen cases where teachers are involved in running after school activities or giving music lessons on school premises, which raises some questions about liability, responsibility, child protection and more.

The OP might like to bring it up with the school or the Parents Association to have a clear policy on these things.

Big Bag of Chips

If you're not interested in the activities, bin the leaflets. For many parents it could well be the only way they have of finding out what activities are available locally for the children. Obviously school is only back, and activities are starting up. So this is the time when local activities will be letting parents know what they can sign up to, if they wish.

School absolutely wouldn't be making money from this. And of all the things to be outraged about, I think this is fairly far down the list!!

evolving_doors

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Local, non-profit sports clubs (for example) would be ok in my opinion.

For profit, after school activities such as speech and drama or art lessons should not be advertised in kids backpacks.

That's the only way I get to find out about them. So I looked at it and said,'ya sure coding, sounds good, I'll sign you up'.
If the company makes a profit it's not a sin, I get a service in return. If I think the price is too high or quality of lessons not good enough then I don't sign them up.

No big deal.

glack

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I doubt that the school is getting paid either, but there is a question about commercialising the school environment and the relationship. I have seen cases where teachers are involved in running after school activities or giving music lessons on school premises, which raises some questions about liability, responsibility, child protection and more.

The OP might like to bring it up with the school or the Parents Association to have a clear policy on these things.

In some schools these activities are School Completion funded (DEIS schools) and as such are school activities. For paid for activities, those running them are required to have their own insurance and set of Child Protection procedures that exist for any activities that include children.

AndrewJRenko

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

School absolutely wouldn't be making money from this. And of all the things to be outraged about, I think this is fairly far down the list!!

I agree with you about the priority of the issue, but it would still be a good idea for a school to have an open and transparent policy on how they deal with these - are they going to issue ALL notices to ALL parents? Are you they going to 'filter' based on suitability of the activity? Who decides what is suitable? What if the school issues a notice for a class that has no/poor child protection policies?

byhookorbycrook

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I agree with you about the priority of the issue, but it would still be a good idea for a school to have an open and transparent policy on how they deal with these - are they going to issue ALL notices to ALL parents? Are you they going to 'filter' based on suitability of the activity? Who decides what is suitable? What if the school issues a notice for a class that has no/poor child protection policies?

It would be up to parents to satisfy themselves ,as to child protection, as it is with any extra curricular activity. The activities aren't compulsory for the children or during school hours.

AndrewJRenko

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

It would be up to parents to satisfy themselves ,as to child protection, as it is with any extra curricular activity. The activities aren't compulsory for the children or during school hours.

Agreed, though in the interests of transparency, the school should make it clear that distribution of such flyers is not an endorsement or recommendation of the services.

GalwayGrrrrrl

I’ve also seen clubs handing out flyers just outside school gates which is just as annoying, and would probably increase if school didn’t pop them in bags. Our school teacher says to the kids - anyone interested in X activity, and the kids that say yes are given the flyer.