To be angry and upset...

[CoolCarrie]

Our ds started senior school on Monday, he is enjoying it so far. It is a brand new building and at least half of it is still being worked on. I wasn't happy about this and said so to DH. He noticed that the upper levels don't yet have railings on the balconies and ask DS about this. Ds said that the pupils had been told the areas which are out of bounds.
Today we had a phone call from school to say our DS had had an accident
The ceiling fan in his class room had fallen down on his head, the blade has cut his forehead and it needed 18 stitches! Millimetres either way could have scalped, blinded or killed him, his friend sitting next to him got very bruised. I am raging and we are meeting the head teacher tomorrow
AIBU to be so angry ( have had terrible year so far due to my dad passing away 3 weeks ago and now this!

[Lilaclily]

Gosh that's awful, your poor ds

[gunsandbanjos]

That's absolutely dreadful! He genuinely could have been killed.

I'd be raising merry hell.

Sorry about your dad

[Mrsemcgregor]

Bloody hell, you need to be in touch with the LEA. And the local health and safety authority. The school shouldn't be open.

Will your DS be scarred?

[Birdsgottafly]

I would contact the HSE, I wouldn't have it end with the Head.

He could have been killed and this wouldn't be acceptable in the workplace, so it shouldn't in school.

Do you want compensation? And before that gets pounced on, your DS might want laser treatment, in the future for scar removal.

You'd need it if his teeth were broken.

[WatchingFromTheWings]

YANBU! I'd be fuming. Maybe report it to Health & Safety. As it's a new school things shouldn't be falling down.

[MollyHuaCha]

That's terrible. Poor boy. Highly inconvenient, but really it sounds as though the whole building should be closed until its safety has been assessed.

[user1484226561]

really really really go all the way. complaints, full investigation absolutely everything.

Do not get fobbed off with apologies, or anything, find out exactly who is to blame and get them sacked.

Do this for all the children who are attending shoddy, cheaply built schools, - we had a sky light fall down on two members of staff last year, and we have constant issues with drains/heating/ water/electricity/gas

its a national scandal, the appalling standard of building in schools, everything done on the cheap, nothing of any quality. Repeated accidents, eventually someone will die.

[user1484226561]

As it's a new school things shouldn't be falling down. all the new schools I know are falling down. They will be nothing more than piles of rubble long before they are paid for.

[Oysterbabe]

How awful :(
You have every right to claim for this, don't let anyone make you feel bad about that. The poor boy will be scarred.

[museumum]

I'd be angry and upset too!

But I'm not sure who should be the target of the anger. I assume the teacher in the class and the headteacher are really bloody angry and upset too!
Clearly the buildungcwirk is running late and some appears sub standard - who has approved the building being open? I would be asking for an expert inspection of all areas open to students.

[trinity0097]

What country are you in? Can't be the UK if a new academic year started this term.

[DJBaggySmalls]

YADNBU. I hope the kids are OK.

[CoolCarrie]

The senior and junior schools used to be in the same campus, but the powers that be decided to open a new building and have the pupils start the new year in an unfinished building , one whole wing is still being built! It is a building site imho and I think the children shouldn't be there until it is completely finished. They should all be moved back to the old campus The more I think about it, it is madness, a child could be killed purely because the school isn't finished and someone decided it was ok for pupils and teachers to start the term in the new building!

[Flisspaps]

The school and contractor should report this to the LA and HSE anyway.

Is it in a complaint to the Governors and cc the Head in, clearly this is the fault of the contractors and not the Head - they should be able to use your complaint in the report to HSE.

[Flisspaps]

*Put it, not is it

[CoolCarrie]

We live in South Africa and I don't know much about health and safety here, but to me it is common sense not to move large groups of children and adults into a building site. It isn't just cosmetic stuff like plants, bike racks etc, it is proper building work. We didn't see just how unfinished it was due to xmas hols and then being in the uk for dads funeral.

[Tikky]

Oh dear, that's not a surprise to hear that you live in SA. 🙀

[CoolCarrie]

Yes, it seems building standards are shit here. My dm said earlier don't go on at them ( headteacher, builders) like a bull in a china shop but that's just how I feel I want to be, then I will need up crying because that's what happens when I get really angry.
Ds was cool about stitches, it's a war wound like grandpa he said, he says he will be like Harry Potter.

[StripeyDeckchair]

I've managed a major school building project & the move into the premises.
The entire project should have been signed off as completed and ready for hand over prior to the move; there will have been a snagging list but snags should be minor. There should have been complete risk assessments of the site; fire risk assessments, H&S policy, procedures and assessments in place for the entire site.

[CoolCarrie]

It is a private school, yes. He went to government school before, but in SA everyone, and I mean everyone, who has children of school age pays fees, even the government schools, which is outrageous