Should I say something or keep my nose out?

coolcait

Janepig wrote: »

I drop DD/DS (10 & 7) off at breakfast club every morning at around 7.45am (school starts at 8.30am so breakfast club has to be open that early) before scooting off to work. I drop them in the parents car park then sit and wait in the car until I see them going in through the door into the hall from my vantage point.

Anyway, as I was waiting this morning, a taxi pulled up on the road next to the car park and out gets one of DS's classmates, taxi does a u-turn and drives off and he strolls into school. He's 7 (8 in February I think). Now I'm not one of your helicoptering, bogeyman around every corner type of parents at all, but I was really surprised, shocked even.

The child's not a particularly nice kid, DS has been beaten black and blue by him over the years. He used to have a lift (I thought he still was) from DS's classmates's mother who lives in the same street, but when I talked to DD about it she said that he had been violent to the boy whose mother had given him a lift so they stopped.

I hope it's a one off, but if I see him again, do you think I should maybe have a word with the head? Although technically it's not his problem. I just don't know how this boy's mother can go about her day not knowing if the child has got to school or not. I'm also thinking it's going to be dark at that time in the morning soon and although there are houses on one side of the street, the other side is the car park and a large playing field/trees.

Jx

So, you're sitting outside a school.

You see:

- a taxi draw up
- a child get out
- the taxi drive away
- the child stroll into school

And your reason for reporting that to the head teacher would be...?

Edited to add: I have just read a couple of posts which talk about children being dropped off by bus, rather than taxi.

It strikes me that it's a good comparison. A few years back, when the kids were at primary school, some of their classmates were dropped off by taxi; others were dropped off by bus; many were dropped off by parents.

Not all of the drivers (including parents) waited to see that the children had actually entered the school building.

Vicky123

It's all about whether the child is in a taxi because of special needs or other reasons, if it's special needs then usually there would be an escort if no special needs then it's transport only and no escort.

FBaby

It is highly likely the Head knows already because the breakfast club will know (if only because the child will have mentioned it). I would stay out of it.

All the breakfast clubs I know require the parent to hand the child, so this would not be possible. If your school allow it, it means that they allow the kids to come in without supervision to the door. In that case, there is no point saying anything.

You don't know the circumstances of that family and you don't know the level of maturity of that child. I could have trusted my two children to get off a taxi and walked into their breakfast club at that age without any worry.

I would stay out of it any concerns would be better raised by the staff.

Tenyearstogo

I drop my seven year old outside the school for breakfast club. Everyone does at my son's school.

Why don't you trust your children to go into the building by themselves? How will your 10 year old manage the transition to secondary school in a years time if they don't do parts of their journey unsupervised now.

Keep your nose out because you're going OOT and will only make yourself look bad.

peachyprice

A taxi service is just that, hired to get the child from A to B, why would anyone expect them to take responsibility for making sure the child gets in to school?

Several children at DD's primary school were brought by taxi due to distance, they were dropped in the car park at the bottom of the lane and picked up from the same place. The car park was not the school's car park and it was still a walk from there to the school. I presume parents were happy with the arrangement, they knew where the children were dropped, it was up to them whether to use the service or not, many chose to.

I really can't see what there is to report in this case, the driver is doing his job.

nonnatus

Good Grief!

The OP saw something which caused her to wonder. She hasn't DONE anything about it yet, she's popped in here to ask what other people think - a good way of seeing a viewpoint different to her own. You've probably convinced her she has over reacted a little and she will probably heed the advice given. I don't think the tetchiness was called for though! Telling her to Mind her Own Business etc.
I think we should ALL be keeping our eyes more open for signs that children aren't treated right.

OP is obviously not a shy flower (judging purely from post count!) but if she had been a newer Forumite, un-used to all your charming opinions, it may have influenced how she reacts to similar events in the future.

Calm Down Dears

Tenyearstogo

Janepig wrote: »

Now I'm not one of your helicoptering, bogeyman around every corner type of parents at all, but I was really surprised, shocked even.

The child's not a particularly nice kid, DS has been beaten black and blue by him over the years. He used to have a lift (I thought he still was) from DS's classmates's mother who lives in the same street, but when I talked to DD about it she said that he had been violent to the boy whose mother had given him a lift so they stopped.

I hope it's a one off, I just don't know how this boy's mother can go about her day not knowing if the child has got to school or not.

Jx

nonnatus wrote: »

Good Grief!

The OP saw something which caused her to wonder. She hasn't DONE anything about it yet, she's popped in here to ask what other people think - a good way of seeing a viewpoint different to her own. You've probably convinced her she has over reacted a little and she will probably heed the advice given. I don't think the tetchiness was called for though! Telling her to Mind her Own Business etc.
I think we should ALL be keeping our eyes more open for signs that children aren't treated right.

OP is obviously not a shy flower (judging purely from post count!) but if she had been a newer Forumite, un-used to all your charming opinions, it may have influenced how she reacts to similar events in the future.

Calm Down Dears

I was more offended by the judgemental attitude. It's all a bit nice family/rough family.

Gra76

If it were me I'd be keeping my nose out. Maybe the parent of the child wasn't well enough to bring them that day or had other commitments they couldn't get out of? Either way, I'd rather see a child turn up to school in a taxi than not at all.

emz118

I teach and I have a 6 year old in my class who comes by taxi (Long walk, mum has twin babies and doesn't drive) She is brought in to school by the driver and collected from the office each day.

Following all the recent child protection cases where schools are blamed for not reporting things, I personally would just mention it to the head. "It's probably not important, but it just didn't sit right with me when I saw Fred get out of his taxi and they drove off before he was in the building." That way the head can either do something or not.

Dumbe

Sorry guys but those who think this is a problem, could you explain why exactly?

I am amazed and to be honest a little bit confused as try as I might I can't see anything wrong with a child being dropped off near school and walking in .. Why does it matter if the child arrives by Parent, bus, bike, foot or taxi ? Subject to distance individual child ability and work commitments of parent.

And why should the taxi wait for him to enter? Genuinely curious not to have a go..

And what concern of the school is it if the parent chooses to pay for a taxi to get his/ her child to school?

Please can someone explain how this is bad?