Daughter's MP3 player stolen at school today

HairyHandofDartmoor

My daughter's MP3 player worth £69 was stolen at school today. What makes it worse was that someone handed it in to the lost property at the school and they let a girl walk off with it! :mad: They have a system where on the last day of term they put all the lost property in the hall and let anyone take what is theirs. Only in this instance a girl took what WASN'T hers!

Now is it just me or is there something wrong with this system? Fair enough put out ties, jumpers, etc, but an MP3 player?!! My OH said they had a mobile phone there as well! It seems to me that at best it is naive, and at worst careless to just let something walk off with a valuable MP3 player without even taking their name. :mad: My daughter is very upset, and so are we because we will have to buy her a new one.

I know that some people will say she shouldn't take valuables into school, but to be fair all the children do. They all take in mobile phones, MP3 players etc, and if she had lost it and it had never been handed in I would have thought, fair enough. But, it did get handed in. The school authorities had it safely in their possession, and they let a thief walk off with it! :mad:

My OH went in to sort it out and the deputy head apologized, but said it would have to be sorted out in September as most of the children had gone home by then, and that he would bring it up at their next meeting.

Well, we are not going to leave it there. The head teacher is going to get a very strongly worded letter in the next couple of days, suggesting that they change their policy to a more responsible one! It may be too late for our daughter, but at least we can stop another child's belongings being stolen from the lost property due to gross negligence. :mad:

Please tell me that no other schools have this ridiculous policy. Anyway, rant over. I will try to unwind and enjoy the holiday.:o

rayday2

When you write address a letter to the board of governers too, will add more weight to your argument.

It is very simple to have an effective lost property system we had one at Travelodge, it was bagged up and stickered with who found it and where. Of course any lost property system relies on some honesty with handing in etc but on claiming if someone can describe and say where they last think it was its much better than a free for all.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thank you, I will do that. It just seems so avoidable, that is why we are cross!

rayday2

Well yes common sense would have shouted its not a good idea! But whats obvious to me and you obviously is not to all!

Was it an expensive MP3 - or what I mean is one that you just can't replace I know play.com do some reasonable priced ones in the meantime.

earwig

at my daughters school the child has to sign a book to say that the item is theirs before the teachers hands it over i thought all schools done this

HairyHandofDartmoor

Rayday, it was her favourite birthday present and cost £69! Earwig, your school is much more sensible than my daughter's school!

I'm sure we can make them change their policy over this, but good grief, we shouldn't have to, should we?

This will be the second policy we've made them change, because previouslyif the children missed the register they recorded it as an absence, and when we got our daughter's attendance record we nearly hit the roof because it said 87% attendance and she had only been away 2 afternoons and 1 morning! When we complained they adjusted it and said they would change their policy!

I wonder what other policies we need to review with them?

HairyHandofDartmoor

I see what you mean, Rayday. We can replace it. She had some pix on it and loads of her favourite songs, etc, but we can replace it. But it is money we could have done without spending.

Dead_Eye_Jones

That does sound annoying, but to be fair schools have a million things to do and the staff really do try their best. My partner is often on the receiving end of angry parents and its often a slap in the face when she has been busting her guts to do something that really she shouldnt have to do. If I were the school, I'd simply ban all valuables. Job done. No further arguments and no cross parents.


Hope you get it back OK, my point is only to not take it out on the school - they are only human and tbh your daughter was the one who made the first mistake! A valuable lesson learnt im sure .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Dead-eye, it is because it is unpleasant for the school as well as for us, that I want them to change their policy.

I know that valuable are best left at home, but the reality is that noone can stop children taking them in, so you have to deal with the situation that exists, rather than a situation you would like to exist.

I don't want to get any individual person into trouble (apart from the thief of course), but I would like a better system put into place to avoid upset all around.

asp746

I think if anything valuable is handed in a letter should go in all registers so the form tutor can advise classes an item has been handed in and for anyone who thinks it could be theres to go to the office to make a claim - it only being handed over to the person who can point out distinguishing features and phone nos/songs on the item.

I know some people fear going to the office to say they've had something lost/stolen for fear of the office staff being unsympathetic ie, the 'i told you so syndrome'.

i'm not a fan of school office staff - think they run the show - well the ones i've come across do.:mad:

petite_anglaise_2

Most schools have a policy that children/parents choose to allow children to bring in expensive equipment at their own risk.
The majority of good schools I've worked in have a ban on things like MP3 players. All they do is cause serious hassle with kids trying to listening to them in class or accusing each other of nicking them, leaving them lying around etc. Kids in my school tout them round showing off about how expensive they are and it drives me mad when they then get nicked.
Agree that they could have a better policy for giving lost property back but schools are not expected to take charge of expensive equipment.

Sorry that this doesn't help your daughter, its very sad that she lost her MP3 but she is very lucky to have such a caring parent.