Teacher broke schools child safeguarding rules - WWYD?

fabforty

Pop_Up_Pirate wrote: »

We don't know the circumstances and just have hearsay to go on.

But the child is in reception, so hasn't been at school for long and already your friend is being irresponsible at home time?
Think she needs to work on her own responsibilities and forget about others who might 'seem' to mess up.

She works part-time (10-2), which usually leaves plenty of time (even allowing for the occasional heavy traffic) to drive home, park the car and walk to the school. If she was out with her friends or doing something else or had been cutting it fine, I would agree that she was being irresponsible but working and allowing over an hour to do a short (about 15 mins drive) isn't (IMHO) but we can agree to disagree on that .

maman

gettingtheresometime wrote: »

I'm either really naïve or old school but tbh I wouldn't have thought anything of it in the first place.

I'm not saying that OP's friend intends to take it further but sadly we are now living in a world where everyone wants someone to blame or, when possible, sue. Years ago, a parent wouldn't have recognised a safeguarding procedure if it hit them on the head. Policies were available in the school office or in a brochure but few bothered to read them. Now everything is available at the click of a mouse.

nkkingston wrote: »

This alerts the head teacher to the fact the teacher went against school policy without making a big deal out of it, and sets out clear expectations for future interactions without speculating about could-have-beens. If it really isn't a big deal, then all that will happen is the teacher is alerted to the fact she should have followed policy more closely. If there is something else going on, then this lapse is documented.

Years ago that might have been true. But there are now so many Headteachers watching their backs or policy driven and/or just plain inexperienced that they will turn to a formal procedure for anything. It's because they're so afraid of putting a foot wrong and getting criticised themselves.

Loz01

If the school are such a stickler for rules, they need to follow their OWN. Yes you can appreciate that the teacher did what she did as she didn't want to drop the Mum in it by taking the kid to the office and revealing she was late. BUT by doing that she has now opened herself up to criticism by leaving someone else's child with someone she didn't know AND asked them to take her to the office.

DavidP24

Sadly we live in a world where you can't assume a parent is safe, most abuse cases are by people known to the victim.

I would advise friend to leave much earlier, use extra time to get to know other parents, determine which have compatible values and potential friends.

I think others have said already the choices are a quiet word with apology or going to the head, but the failure in safeguarding attitude comes from the top.

So she may have to try to measure the overall attitude to such things in the school, then report to OFSTED if she determines that school is badly run.

Ultimately it is her fault, it is always a busy time, so no excuse really.

badmemory

If there was no-one in the office to answer the phone, then who would have been in the office to look after the child?

Spendless

cjdavies wrote: »

Didn't stop any other parents.

Do they all work at the same place and travel along the same route? If I run into a heavy traffic problem shortly after leaving work I can pretty much guarantee it would only delay me, no other parent I know works out this way.

Stop blaming the Mum!

Pop_Up_Pirate

gettingtheresometime wrote: »

I'm either really naïve or old school but tbh I wouldn't have thought anything of it in the first place.

Old school I think. I'm the same. I just don't understand the need some people have to find offence or wrong doing everywhere they look.

Its making everything a nightmare of rules, regulations and bureaucracy.

Sicard

There is this thinking nowadays there's a !!!!!phile round every corner. I came back to the UK a few years ago with my Kenyan wife. Most Kenyans have never seen a leisure centre with pool and health suite. So I got out my video camera to film my wife swimming to later show her family over there and all hell broke out. Silly me, I hadn't realised this sort of thing is now forbidden causing the effect of total paranoia. And there I was a retired psychotherapist who had dealt extensively with the effects of child abuse from many clients and here I was totally unaware of this new phenomenon.

Yes, as parents we do have to be careful but sometimes things just get out of hand.

pollypenny

Yes, complain and this teacher will never show any flexibility the next time she could help a parent who finds herself delayed or do anything extra to help a pupil.

Sounds like she couldn't win whatever she did - which wasn't leaving the child alone with an unknown man for hours.

fabforty

DavidP24 wrote: »

Sadly we live in a world where you can't assume a parent is safe, most abuse cases are by people known to the victim.

I would advise friend to leave much earlier, use extra time to get to know other parents, determine which have compatible values and potential friends.

I think others have said already the choices are a quiet word with apology or going to the head, but the failure in safeguarding attitude comes from the top.

So she may have to try to measure the overall attitude to such things in the school, then report to OFSTED if she determines that school is badly run.

Ultimately it is her fault, it is always a busy time, so no excuse really.

She finishes at 2pm and leaves at 2pm. It's not possible to leave much earlier than you finish (IYSWIM).