Teacher gives 6 yr old a (not kind) nickname - WWSTWD?

Definitely out of order, it would be one thing for teachers to have nicknames for pupils that they use in the staff room but if they're used in class or in front of pupils elsewhere then that's at best very unprofessional. If it's used to demean the child in front of his peers then yes that's bullying.

Yeah, that

I'd intervene there, just not a good example to set. A sensible chat not full on parent rage.

I'd also tell laddie to stop with the whining (for all the good its likely to do)

My first thought is the check the accuracy of the information you've been told. That doesn't sound like something any sane teacher would do.
If it is correct then I think you're right to be peeved and I would be speaking to the school. But I'd definitely want more info and the clarify the facts first.

yeah, needs fact checking...initially my son told me and I immediately thought (which I feel awful about) 'i'm not really surprised...' but said to him 'well, that's not very nice - I'm sure she didn't mean to be mean' but then I heard from two parents that their child had told them about it. Which clearly means the children either thought that is was funny or out of order themselves.

That's not acceptable in any way shape or form.  Go to the school about this.  Behind the closed doors of the staff room may be, but for it to become common knowledge, or actually used directly at the child the teacher needs setting straight.

I'm with FuzzyWuzzy on this one. I have no doubt my teachers (in secondary school) would have had a few names for me but to say it in the classroom is out of order especially if other kids are saying it.

My first thought is the check the accuracy of the information you’ve been told. That doesn’t sound like something any sane teacher would do.

Another parent told the OP and the OP agrees that their child is whiney so it seems pretty clear to me. It is completely out of order and I agree with the above responses that you should arrange to speak to the teacher directly and explain what you have been told. Don't accuse them of anything, just give them the opportunity to give their version of events and, if they admit to it, ask them to stop and ask them what are they going to do to de-escalate the issue in the playground. If you aren't satisfied with the response then take it to the head. TBF, I am angry on the OPs behalf here.

So, you'd go to the teacher direct? My thoughts at the mo is go to the Head (she is v approachable) and give her the op to speak to the teacher so they can come to me and explain themselves. Interestingly it's parent's evening tonight so nice timing for an uncomfortable exchange...

My favourite teacher in primary school called me knobbly knees. It made me feel very vulnerable about my skinny legs when I was a kid and still does now.

I’d raise with the head to let them investigate.

So, you’d go to the teacher direct? My thoughts at the mo is go to the Head (she is v approachable) and give her the op to speak to the teacher so they can come to me and explain themselves.

I would as it feels like a reasonable escalation - going straight to the head could potentially land the teacher in trouble when there was actually a reasonable explanation. I'm not sure there *IS* a reasonable explanation, but at least it gives the opportunity. And don't do it tonight - you won't have time for a proper discussion.

Unprofessional of the teacher to have let whatever nicknames they might have for kids leave the privacy of the staff room.

One of the reasons I could never be a primary school teacher; you're stuck with the same kids all day, every day for a year at least. At least as a secondary teacher we get hundreds of kids a week through the doors and I can barely keep track of their real names and whatever gender they'd like to be this week, never mind nicknames; in fact I don't recall ever having had a nickname for a pupil - nor amongst my immediate colleagues.

I think going to the head at this point is too extreme.
Context means a lot, this can get lost, especially when Heads get involved.
Email the teacher direct, give him chance to explain and take it from there. Definitely try and find out if your son id whining lots and why he is whining.

Running to the head to complain? I can see where he gets the whining from...

If not clear - that's a joke 🙂

My first thought is the check the accuracy of the information you’ve been told. That doesn’t sound like something any sane teacher would do.
If it is correct then I think you’re right to be peeved and I would be speaking to the school. But I’d definitely want more info and the clarify the facts first.

This

I wouldn’t rely on the word of a 6yr old, or the 2nd hand word of another 6yr old.

Talk to the teacher direct, especially if you have a parents evening later.

I wonder if the teacher said it once as opposed to the idea that it is a nickname.

I'd most definitely have words.
My son has an unusual name and when he used to go to a weekend sports club, one of the instructors thought it amusing to call him a similar girl's name. Not for long though. It's definitely bullying and you know what bullies can't take.. nah, I didn't go that far, but I let my feelings be known. The sports club has gone out of business now, I wonder if related 🤔

Parent - "I am really not happy about the phrase you have used in referring to my son"

Teacher  - "ah, now I see where he gets it from"

*just to be clear this is a tongue in cheek comment

Do the parents evening at the end as you walk away address your child thusly.

"I see what you mean, he is a ****"

Tell your son to get the other kids to start calling the teacher sir bleeds a lot!!.....

Not really, but yeah you need to ha e words with either the head or the teacher themselves. Not on that.

My primary teacher gave us nicknames, particularly to the quieter class members to try and bring them out of their shells. I carried mine through secondary school, eventually dropping it at Uni (I shared a room with my best friend from school!). It was not derogatory and I rather liked it. To the OP, I'd check the facts carefully, but any nickname should not be derogatory.

Yep, needs fact checking obvs.

Having said that, we had a supply teacher step into Year 6 last year and she would i) walk around the class and hit pupils on the head with a book if they got a question wrong, and ii) send children to the dunce's corner facing the wall for various other acts.

Complaints were made and she didn't hang around any longer.

Bring it up at parent's evening in a different way: say your son is being called this name in the playground and what can (s)he do about it?

Bonus points for being as passive-aggressive as possible, obviously (but not obviously) blaming them. Then you have plausible deniability should the real story be different 🙂

I know of a few kids in our school who go by nicknames with everyone - students and staff. But this is by mutual consent and none are derogatory.

If it's an ongoing thing and wasn't a one-off, it deffo needs looking into as it's not meeting Part One, section 1 nor Part Two of the Teacher Standards.

Who to speak to though is a trickier one. I'd err on the side of raising it with the school and not directly with the teacher (unless you have an already strong relationship with them).

Perhaps you could write to the teacher/headmaster and ask what they recommend when your son is being subjected to name calling bullying. Explain that you know the main perpetrator, but do not name them, and ask what measures should be taken as it is now spreading across the playground and you want to stop it before it becomes an issue.
Once they have explained what they would do to correct the situation - flog the culprit etc - share the name of the teacher, preferably in person and in front of both the teacher and headmaster.

Interestingly it’s parent’s evening tonight

Open to the teacher with "Hi, I'm Whine-a-lot Senior" and then base your further actions on how they react. 😁

going straight to the head could potentially land the teacher in trouble when there was actually a reasonable explanation.

This is the "should I report it to the police?" argument from previous threads. Be honest and objective, it's up to them (not you) to decide whether further action is merited.

Tell your son to stop whining and then approach the teacher ask them directly and if they have ask them the context and ask them to stop.

Or just go full linch mob which seems to be the way everyone seems to go these days demand they are named and shamed in public and sacked!

Does this not sound like something that started with the kids, not the teacher?

Nothing to add other than I once arrived at a teachers desk at parents evening, ‘00/‘01, with my mum and dad, to be greeted by the teacher ‘Ah! It’s pie eating Tom!’

The ridiculous thing was the teacher was a short, fat troll, I was a 6ft, keen MTBer. Still got a bollocking for not eating properly. School didn’t even sell pies. I’m not bitter.

If Sir Whine a Lot didn’t whine, we wouldn’t be here.
Tell him to stop whining.

A lot depends on tone, it could be friendly and playful. I'm not saying it's right (encouraging name calling? No not right) just misguided rather that mean.

How did the parents evening go then?

I'd open my laptop and whine on the internet to whoever would listen

At least as a secondary teacher we get hundreds of kids a week through the doors and I can barely keep track of their real names and whatever gender they’d like to be this week,

Bit whiney but as a teacher I'd hope you wouldn't vocalise stuff like that whether you believe it or not.

So…I had a chat with the Headteacher. We get on quite well and she agreed she wouldn’t like to hear her kids spoken about like that.

Parents evening was great. Turns out the feedback loop was fast. Teacher was incredibly apologetic (thought she was going to cry) and explained it’s just bants between her and my son who she loves. She didn’t say bants but that was the vibe as she is about 28 going on 16. She recognised it had gone into the playground and is mortified by what’s happened.

Tbh I think my son is probably OK. But 6 year olds don’t say a lot. And name calling at that age is not cool.

Think the teacher just a bit young and naive and actually seems very nice. Maybe a little bit stupid too…

Good outcome! Hopefully the lesson is learned by the teacher. Times have changed for the better I think. This kind of thing would have been ignored 20 years ago.

"Name calling at that age is not cool". "Maybe a little bit stupid too ...."

Oh the ironing.