Am I handling this correctly? Advice please.

[lucylady]

Yesterday on collecting my DS from school, he is 4 and in reception, the supply teacher took me aside and apologised for an incident that had occurred that morning. (ususal teacher not there yesterday) Somehow he had been left behind in a locked classroom on his own while everyone else was in assembly. He was crying and kicking the door when someone heard him and let him out and he was taken to assembly. Because my DS has a speech delay she could not understand him about where hed been when they left the room. He told me he'd gone to the toilet but teacher said toilets had been checked before leaving.Buts its possible he went in after they were checked. My point is i feel this should not have happened.He's only 4 FGS.
After going away and thinking about it I went and spoke to Deputy head. He agreed it shouldnt have happened and will make enquiries.
How would you handled this? Advice please.

[Pennies]

I think you did what you can. Keep on at them to get an explanation though.

[Easy]

I think you have handled this well. I would be very upset to think that he had been left in this way, especially as he has special needs.

Is it standard practice to lock the classroom doors when at assembly? Why?

What ever would have happened if they had a fire drill (or .... shudder ... a real fire).

[lucylady]

My Ds is not at school today because he is having speech therapy but tomorrow I will speak to his actual teacher.

[lucylady]

Exactly Easy, thats what went through my mind. What if theyd been a fire and hed been left in the classroom.

[karen23]

I think you did the right thing the deputy should be able to get to the bottom of it. It shouldn't have happened and to have to kick the door before someone found him is horrible.

How was DS going into school today? I hope it's not put him off going in.

[karen23]

Sorry didn't see the other posts.

[edam]

Lucylady, that's really shocking. Poor little boy. I think you are dealing with it reasonably but do make sure you get an explanation, apology, and reassurance that they have changed their procedures so this will not happen again.

[Shimmers]

I think you have handled the situation well by speaking to the deputy a.s.a.p. I would also document this in a letter to the head saying something along the lines of
I wish to bring to your attention that .............. happened yesterday and after having spoken to ....... I look forward to hearing the outcome of your investigation in the knowledge that this will never happen again.

[tensing]

I would be very angry, and they wouldn't have shifted me from school until I had an apology and a promise that all children will be counted in and out of the classroom/assembly. This teachers (I assume she was a teacher and not a Teaching Assisstant) needs a lesson in child protection. There is not only the fire issue, ahat if he had injured himself, or tried to climb out of a window. If thi teacher can't even gat the children from classroom to assembly how can you be sure she makes sure they are all in from playtime, a child could go missing from the school premises and she would not have any idea. This is discusting, if you get no joy from the deputy head, write to the head and if necessery the governors. This is a really bad thing to happen.

[rey]

tensing said my thoughts exactly. It's a total disgrace and should not be left with a simple - being taken aside for explanation at the end of the day. I would be fuming fuming and it's not my child!

[brightstar1]

Shudder shudder, first thought was fire! Made me go cold.your poor son must have been terrified! i hope it doesn't put him off going to school.

[brightstar1]

PS Make sure they apologise to your son aswell!!

[Kathlean]

DS's school lost him once.

He went up to the reception from the nursery for a visit/look around. When I went to collect him he wasn't there.

I was told that PERHAPS he had gone with another mum and PERHAPS they had taken him back down to the nursery. I had no idea who any of the other mum's were at this time. Walked to the nursery not there, walked back to the school not there!

Walked back to the nursery and found him walking around in the school grounds, he had gone out the back of the classroom and walked through the school back down to the nursery.

I got lots of apologies from everyone and the excuse that the teacher was new there and didn't know who all the children were.

Not really a good excuse for not watching where DS was going and even worse thinking they had let him go off with someone else.

[lucylady]

Thanks for all your replies.
My DS (thankfully) went to school today with out any problem.
I spoke to his teacher today who explained that head counts are not done when leaving class for assembly. She has spoken to class yesterday and will do again today to stress the importance of staying in line when asked to and if you need to go to toilet to ask adult first so someone is aware where you are.
I pointed out the fire issue and she is adamant head counts are carried out on leaving class and again outside. She has apologised and i am quite happy to leave it at this. Thanks again.