Advice needed please - 4 year old let out of school alone

Fluffyfluff

Firstly hello I'm not a new member I've had to make a new profile as it was a few years back when I joined the site and I can no longer access my old account.

I am wondering how I should handle the situation that happened at my sons school today. I got there a few minutes before hometime and as I was walking towards the playground I noticed my son who's only 4 and the youngest of his class wandering around the playground alone. He looked upset and confused, obviously because I wasn't there!

Not only had they let the children out a little earlier but there are three teachers in his class so why had not one of them noticed him? I can only imagine that they have mistaken another mum for me and let him go :mad:

When he started reception two weeks ago I had concerns then. When I was taking him into school, the teachers seemed distracted and as if they couldn't cope with the amount of children going in. I made sure I got my son actually beyond the school door but when I got home I started to worry incase he tried to come back out after me and what if the teachers hadn't noticed him. This resulted in me contacting the schools office to make sure he was on the register and safely in school. This morning I was worried again and went back to check he hadn't come back out then I hung around the school gates until all the doors were shut just to make sure. I was beginning to think I was being an overprotective mum and then this happens!

When I got him from the playground I went straight to the school office and asked to speak to his teacher. Only one of them came and assured me she would speak to the other teachers as apparently she wasn't there when it happened.

I'm really not happy and I'm definitely not reassured that this is sorted out and will never happen again. It was only a matter of time before he would have walked out of the school gates onto a busy road if I had got there any later. What should I do now? Should I report this to the council/ofsted? Speak to the headteacher and all 3 teachers involved?

He was also holding a letter when I saw him which has the cheek to ask parents to stand back whilst picking children up from Year 1 and 2 as everywhere gets too crowded. No mention of reception and is it any wonder parents stand near to the door if they let children leave with anyone! Why not let parents form a queue and go in for the children rather than let the children out? More time consuming yes but much safer.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

whitewing

Not good.

When my son was at infant school, parents stood around the edge of the playground, children queued up and were let singly to the parent as the teacher caught the parent's eye. If your parent wasn't there at that point you went to the back of the queue. A very effective way of doing it, and each child had a brief moment with the teacher at the end of school as they left.

Fluffyfluff

whitewing wrote: »

Not good.

When my son was at infant school, parents stood around the edge of the playground, children queued up and were let singly to the parent as the teacher caught the parent's eye. If your parent wasn't there at that point you went to the back of the queue. A very effective way of doing it, and each child had a brief moment with the teacher at the end of school as they left.

When I have gone to pick him up before this is what usually happens however theres something about the teachers which makes me feel uneasy. They seem distracted in some way or in a panic. I've seen some children slip past but luckily their parents have been there. My son is always at the back of the queue and alot of times these past two weeks I've been worried sick wondering where he is or whether they've lost him. Then hes appeared at the back. It makes me not want to let him out of my sight now whether that means keeping him off school until I know hes in safe hands or changing schools and voicing my concerns with the new school.

Valli

Fluffyfluff wrote: »

Speak to the headteacher

in the first instance, this.

Auntie-Dolly

and make sure your son understands he must not leave the playground if you aren't there.

Mindless_Clone

OP I do understand your worry. When your little one first goes to school it's constant worry about them and if they are being looked after etc.
My little one started reception last year. The first few weeks were utter carnage in the playground. We all queued up in the same place - 3 year groups, x 3 forms per year x 30 children per form, with assorted adults and younger siblings... it was chaos! The school very quickly changed the way we went in and picked up the children (thankfully all their classrooms have an external door directly into one of three fenced off courtyard areas so they simply put the reception children direct into their own classrooms via these areas).
It was still chaos at first as the teachers were not only learning the children's names but which adults went with which child (and that's not always the parent as some are picked up by relatives, friends or childminders). And then Year 1, new teacher you have to start all over again... except your little one knows the school and the routine and it's a lot easier all round.

Given how disorganised those first few weeks are all round, I would hope this incident is the result of just everyone getting used to everything and not a common occurrence. I don't think you're overreacting though; the consequences could have been awful and they have been negligent in their duty to your child. I think you are entitled to an explanation as to how this happened, if only to reassure yourself it won't happen again. Definitely speak to the headteacher and, if you're not left feeling completely confident that nothing like this will happen again, report the incident to the local authority school's team and/or OfSted.
I would hope, given the significance of the situation, the school have already conducted some kind internal investigation and taken steps to ensure it does not happen again.

Please don't keep your child off school just because of this though, as this will likely get you into trouble, particularly if you haven't raised it with the head first. Or if you must, say it's because he's ill. Go straight in and speak to the head first thing tomorrow after dropping him off and explain your concerns and also your observations of other children who have slipped through and ask for assurances that measures will be taken to ensure it cannot happen in future.

Fluffyfluff

Auntie-Dolly wrote: »

and make sure your son understands he must not leave the playground if you aren't there.

I've already tried to speak to him about this but I'm not sure hes completely understanding. When I spoke to the teacher I did bring up the fact that hes the youngest in his class and that he isn't at that stage yet to understand every danger. Hes still quite babyish for his age I suppose.

madmayo

hi.
Any mothers nightmare. You entrust them into the schools care and dont expect this to happen.
Fortunately he sensibly stayed on the school playground but there have been incidences where kids have wandered off!
Firstly speak to you head teacher and if there is no feedback.
Put it in writing along with a copy to the board of governors stating you have had no comeback from the head teacher.
And if that fails take it to the education authority... because they will keep letting it happen until there is a major incident.
Im a strong beleiver as a parent to make a nuiscance of yourself in schools because they are very quick to brush everything under the carpet.
At the end of my eduvational life with my children it will have been 20 years and schools know me on first name terms becuase i dont sit on my laurels!! I get in there!!
Good luck and hope he remains safe!!

Oh and because I have commented, watch me get berated by the stalwarts of these forums!!

Azari

Fluffyfluff wrote: »

Hes still quite babyish for his age I suppose.

At four years old he's quite entitled to be a little 'babyish'.

Some children of that age (particularly those with older siblings) may appear to be quite 'grown up' but it's usually mainly just a façade. They can act grown up but you can't rely on that behaviour.


On a separate note, and not in any way wishing to downplay your concerns, when I went to school, we were let out of our classrooms en mass and made our way out of the school, across the playground and up the path to the gates entirely without the presence of any teachers.

And in all my years at primary school that never caused a problem.

Things have certainly changed.

ThumbRemote

Fluffyfluff wrote: »

He was also holding a letter when I saw him which has the cheek to ask parents to stand back whilst picking children up from Year 1 and 2 as everywhere gets too crowded. No mention of reception and is it any wonder parents stand near to the door if they let children leave with anyone!

It's quite likely that a large crowd of parents around the door contributed to your son being let out early. The teachers won't be able to see the parents properly and may think they saw you.

I'm slightly confused though, you talk about a large crowd of parents around the door, but then say your son was "wandering around the playground alone". Were there no other parents around?

ThumbRemote

madmayo wrote: »

Im a strong beleiver as a parent to make a nuiscance of yourself in schools because they are very quick to brush everything under the carpet.
At the end of my eduvational life with my children it will have been 20 years and schools know me on first name terms becuase i dont sit on my laurels!! I get in there!!

I'm a strong believer that schools and teachers generally want the best for the children they teach. Anyone who feels they have to make a nuisance of themselves is probably having a significantly negative effect.

Does your 'getting in there' extend to helping out and contributing, or is it entirely you making a nuisance of yourself?