Safety In Schools.... what do you think.....

[anniebear]

I went to my DD school the other day to help them go for a walk to the park (a goodbye trip as their Teacher is going on maternity leave)

The Children were not in the classroom, but I walked into the school grounds and straight into her classroom

(they go straight into their classrooms from the playground not through a main enterance)

I was a little suprised that I could walk straight into the Reception classroom

Yesterday I walked into the playground to pick her up and the class room door was wide open, presuming it was because it was so hot

I was suprised again.

I suppose if some weirdo wanted to get into a school they would, but lets not make it so easy!

Also some of those children are only 4, a couple of the boys are a bit silly and get told off a lot (I am sure the girls do also, but my DD only tells me about the naughty boys!!!!)

and my other Daughetr with SN was there that day doing her mainstream session in Reception. who's to say one of them couldn't have got out, they only have to walk for less than 10 seconds and they would have been on the road

I am sure that wouldn't happen and they are being well looked after and watched , but never say never with children!!

Maybe I am going a bit OTT, but I didn't think you should just be able to walk in off the street straight into a school classroom

your thoughts....
??????????

[TwoToTango]

I am suprised. At our school you can only enter the reception classrooms through a gate which is kept locked except when the children go in and at home time. In the mornings the TAs are stand there and the kids are not allowed out until the teachers have seen their appropriate adult. Yr1 and above go in through another entrance but the door is locked when all the children have gone in and it has a keypad which you would need to know the code for to get in at any other time. It does seem a little bit odd as not only could someone get in but the children could get out.

[anniebear]

To get into the school via the main enterance, there is a buzzer you have to press

I just thought it was a bit strange to have a class room door wide open that leads onto the playground that leads onto the road

I didnt know if I was just being my usual fussy self!! But thought in this day and age I thought safety in schools would be a huge issue

[rbj949703]

Speak to the Headteacher about your concerns. You are definitely not OTT.

At ds's school the gate to the playground is locked at 8.55 and not opened again until 3.15. ANYONE that is visiting the school, for whatever reason has to be 'buzzed' in by the office

[anniebear]

If I had a word with the head, she would ahve a word with The DD's Teacher and I would feel awful!!

wish they had a suggestion box!!!!!!


would be filled....by me!!! lol

[poppyseed]

Sorry, in today's climate you can never be too safe with little ones imo. We have a reception that buzzes people in and out and all other entrances are security locked at 8.55am. I'm sure that we all remember Dunblane...
Definitely mention it.

[Mercy]

Anniebear, in my dd's school we have a buzzer system to keep the children in. Prior to that a few children did 'escape' like your dd, it tended to be children with SN (but certainly not always child with SN)

The problem is that there will always be parents who complain that the school is not secure enough and those who complain that the security system is OTT. Not much help I know, but most problems tend to occur when the school gates are open anyway (my dh is the school site manager and has seen it all - attempted 'kidnapping', theft, fighting - and that's just the parents)

[thirtysomething]

anniebear if you're worried about the head talking to the teacher why not have a word with the teacher? She/he may not be a mother so her danger antennae may not be quite so finely tuned and it could simply be an oversight by a student teacher/TA - she may just need a gentle reminder and may be grateful if you give her the chance to correct it rather than going straight to the head!

[anniebear]

She is a bit scarey!!!!!!lol

Her Teacher has left to go on Maternity leave and has been replaced with a older sticter more unapproachable one

Haven't mentioned it to another Mum who was concerned also, will say something to somebody just dont know who!!

[decafgirl]

Hi guys, I teach in a school where all the doors are left wide open (5 classrooms and 2 to the cloakrooms, nowhere near main entrance)and it drives me insane! I spend half my breaks wandering round closing the doors only to come back five mins later and they're open again. This is in the middle of the school day. It's so unsafe. If I had a child at my school I'd go mad. There's a busy road just outside the gates and even though we're classed as a 'nice' area you never know what nutter is just around the corner do you?

Sorry, the point of this rant is to say that you are well within your rights to complain to the ht and I would do exactly the same! Good luck x