AIBU - school didn't tell parents....

[Yankeecandlequeen]

that an after school sporting event was cancelled? DD does sport after school, game cancelled, kids told at lunch time, they didn't tell any of the parents.

I waited to watch the game till 3:30, went over to see staff at school who confirmed "game on". decided to go home (2 miles away) to change and drive down again then in walked DD having caught the school bus.

Say I have planned to take the car to the garage whilst she participated (no other parents really stay to watch!) and she got home and I wasn't there. No mobile (strict no mobile policy in school) and no door key (she's 11 so no need for one as I am always home before her).

I've mailed the head to ask about their policy - or the lack of it!

Surely you'd like to be kept in the loop seeing they are their sole responsibility during the match?

[bittapitta]

They should have told you, especially given the no mobile policy. But hang on - someone at the school told you the game was on? So is your DD def telling the truth?

[WipsGlitter]

Bit lost. She was home earlier than expected because it was cancelled and you might have been out?

[Floralnomad]

I think at 11 they do only tell the children and that's reasonable . Most 11 yr olds get themselves home and have a key to get in .

[Justforlaughs]

I assume that DD is in the comp. Most wouldn't be phoning round parents, it would be assumed that the pupils would do so, either on the mobiles that they are not allowed to have in school or by going to the school office if necessary. YABabitU

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

At secondary, no, I wouldn't expect to be told.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Yes she was. It was pissing down with rain, and I spoke to another parent too who's kids was home early.

Wips - I'm always home before her. But yesterday she came home on the school bus (as usual) which had left as I was waiting for the game to start. School bus leaves 3:20 and I was still at the leisure center waiting for the match.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

I'm not aware of any 11yr olds who have a key TBH! But she is now taking a mobile to school if she has any after school activities.

[dramaqueen]

My10 year old has a key just in case she gets home shortly before one of us.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

I think perhaps if no other parents stay to watch, they are not expecting that you will, or will be disappointed not to. At secondary, it's not really usual (am a but surprised your dd lets you actually!). So I do think you're being a bit Unreasonable, because that's obviously not how things mainly work there and it's not usual in most secondaries to notify parents of match cancellations.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Thanks, may think about this key business then!

[exexpat]

Is this secondary school? I would expect most yr7s who go home by themselves (on the bus) to have a key - DD has one (yr6, just turned 11), as did DS from when he started yr7. It's a shame about the no mobile policy, as this is exactly when they are useful.

At my DCs' schools, if anything like that is cancelled, they email or text the parents, which I think is good practice - you never know what arrangements people might have made based on the original plans.

[bittapitta]

Why wouldn't she have a key? Better to have a key than a mobile on her, if she's not allowed the latter.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Yes secondary school. I'm always home before her and we only live 2 miles up the road so bus takes 5 mins with all the stopping it does.

But its a shame they don't text. Some parents could easily have gone shopping knowing their kid was playing a game after school, only to come home to see them there.

Might get a key cut for her this week.

[FoxyRoxy]

At secondary no I wouldn't expect to be told. My ds has had a key since he was around 9!

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Not too keen on leaving a key out for her. We live in rural area, no direct neighbours, so I prefer giving her a key.

[sandtimerhalfempty]

Our school has an appalling record with after school clubs.

First week, the club on Monday was only confirmed by text on the day it was on iyswim.

Second week it was cancelled on the day, but no parents were told, so they all turned up up at 4pm and the kids weren't there.

Third week, one of the kids was in school all day, and went home with a friend, but noone told her parents she didn't attend. So again her parents turn up at 4 am the child isn't there

Fourth week, parents get there and get told it's cancelled, when in fact it was being held in the hall.

Fifth week, parents phone time check it's on and are told it is on, but it's actually been cancelled

so not just lack of communication with parents but within the school.
They also don't seem to take responsibility for the kids once the bell goes at 3:10

[KCumberSandwich]

At a secondary where most pupils are probably responsible for getting themselves home, no i wouldn't expect to be told.

[ilovesooty]

I wouldn't expect a secondary school to inform the parents.

[Sirzy]

At secondary school I would expect the child to contact parents as needed when something was cancelled. Pre mobile phones we used to ask at the office to call home if needed.

[BackforGood]

At secondary I wouldn't expect to be told.
At secondary, I'd expect all dc to have a key. (My Yr7 dd has had her own key since she was 9).
I don't see the problem with a secondary age dc getting home when their parent wasn't there.
Indeed, in Yrs5 and 6, when signing permission forms, I ticked the option that my dd could come home on her own at the end of school if a match had to be cancelled during the day.
YABU

[TigOldBitties]

Yabu as this is totally normal for secondary.

However your dd is clearly your eldest child and has only recently started secondary, so YANBU, you just need to get used to the idea that most things will come through your DD now. You personally will probably only hear from the school if she is in trouble.

[NotMeNotYouNotAnyone]

I think a text would've been useful but that most 11 year olds should be able to cope with looking after themselves in this situation

I think you should give her a key in case anything similar happens or for any other reason you're not home before her. Set rules for what she is and isn't allowed to do while on her own (aside from the usual don't answer the door , don't tell people you're home alone , is she allowed to cook ? Watch tv? Go out to the shop/a friends house ? Etc)

[phantomnamechanger]

YANBU, I would expect to be told. Not every child gets a bus home/can make their own way. Parents may be making special arrangements with work or other childcare that they do not need to stick to if the fixture is cancelled. If you are not expecting your child home till , say 5, and then start wondering where they are at 5.15, you really don't then want to discover they actually left school at 3pm and should have been home by 3.45.

I also think the no phones rule is stupid - kids who ARE making their way to and from school need them for emergencies and so parents can contact if running late etc. Ours has a strict rule that they are not allowed out in lesson time - if one is seen it is confiscated and the parents informed. The rule is not flouted!

[BackforGood]

That's common for most secondary schools, phantom.
If a phone is in your bag and turned off, the school are hardly going to be conducting bag searches, are they? In circumstances where they can't get themselves home/know the parents are arranging their life around them, then the child phones at the end of the school day, once off the premises.