Son's school has lost his coat

milliemonster

Well, not quite true but Monday last week my 6 year old little boy went to school with his coat on and when I picked him up, he couldn't find it and said it was lost, since then I have asked his teachers to look for it but they have told me they have and can't find it.

Now, who's responsibility does this lie with? I am really annoyed as this is a school embroidered coat which wasn't cheap, it had his name in it and I just feel that once my child leaves my care and goes to school then him and his school belongings are their responsibility, (unless parents don't put their childs name in their clothes)

I know you could also argue that my son should take better care of his things and yes I agree but he has only just turned 6 and I am trying to explain to him that he needs to watch what he is doing with his belongings!, I have asked him when he last saw it but he can't remember.

There have been occasions before where he has come home without his jumper and one of the other children have taken it by mistake but it has always come back within a couple of days, I now feel after a week that the very least the school could do is send a letter out to the parents to ask if anyone has taken it by mistake.

I appreciate that young children lose things all the time and the teachers can't keep their eye on everything, but I can't afford to be buying new coats all the time for my children. It is a small school with only 100 children in total (there are 15 in his class)

What do you think I should do?

busiscoming2

First I would look in the lost property box, and check it every few days. Asthe weather has been nice, check it hasn't been left on the playground or field. IMHO if someone has taken it home, by mistake, then as you said it will hopefully reappear. Schools do all they can to ensure children's belongings are kept safe and I don't think it is right to blame the school.

Krystaltips

This exact same thing happened with my Aunt's son.. It took 4 weeks but his coat eventually came back... No idea where it had been all that time, and my Aunt even went in and looked for herself and it was nowhere to be seen... She'd resigned herself to not finding it and getting him a cheap replacement...

brightonman123

might be worth putting up 'lost coat' signs.. giving any guilty party a chance to come clean.. some one may have taken it by mistake.. but then someone would have had to taken theirs..

failing that, get another and fit a GPS chip, or electric shock device which zaps the wearer if their sampled dna doesnt match your child's..

i

January20

I work part-time in a primary school. Kids lose their stuff all the time because it doesn't matter how many times the teacher says to put coats and other belongings in their correct place, children get distracted easily and don't follow instructions.

In my school there are about 30 children per class. Teachers can't be expected to know exactly where each child has put their coat! How can you imply that the school is responsible! Do you think their budget would stretch to buying new clothes for each child that doesn't pay attention to his/her things?

Was your son's name clearly printed somewhere on the coat?

Evie82

I my daughters school they have a weekly newsletter, could you maybe aske them to put a note in that with a description?
I agree, go and check the lost property box daily and maybe ask to have a wonder around school before it opens, as i have myself found my daughters "lost" cardigan hung on someone elses peg - when the school is empty its easy to spot things like this.
Sometime well meaning kids hang stuff on the wrong pegs and its not seen as lost then.

Hope you find it soon.

rosie-marie

Mine loose things at school on a regular basis. They always turn up eventually. In the past when someones coat has gone missing there has been a mention in weekly letter. I personally wouldn't hold school responsible - its just one of those things that happens when raising children.

jem16

milliemonster wrote: »

Now, who's responsibility does this lie with?

It's your son's responsibility to look after his own things. I realise he is only 6 but it's a necessary skill he has to learn just like reading and writing.

I just feel that once my child leaves my care and goes to school then him and his school belongings are their responsibility, (unless parents don't put their childs name in their clothes)

The school is responsible for your child's welfare not his belongings.

I have 32 children in my class. A lot of them, especially the boys, take their jacket out at lunchtime/playtime and then take it off and leave it lying around in the playground. They then forget to pick it up at the end of lunchtime/playtime and do not remember about it until hometime. If they mention it I will send them to look in lost property. If they still can't find it I'll ask them to look around the cloakrooms as well. Most of the time there are no names on items of clothing and everything looks the same.

At the end of the day I often have pencils, rulers, rubbers, sweatshirts etc lying around the floor or on chairs. I always tell them to check that they have everything but most kids haven't a clue whether it's theirs or not - and this is 9/10 year olds.

Children have to learn that the only person to look after their stuff is themselves. Otherwise you are teaching them that it's always someone else's fault.

mrcow

Can you not go in and have a look yourself with him after school one day?

I wouldn't give up hope just yet.

rosie-marie

jem16 wrote: »

Children have to learn that the only person to look after their stuff is themselves. Otherwise you are teaching them that it's always someone else's fault.

Absolutely, well said

mandragora_2

When it turns up again (and it almost certainly will) you could do like they used to in the Welsh valleys, and stitch him into it.