Zero security at DS's school. How to handle?

[aelita]

I'm at my wit's end with my son's preschool. It's run by the Learning Trust in Hackney. Security levels are abominable. Parents buzz to enter by a heavy exterior gate and are relied upon to close it behind them. This they rarely do. They then buzz to enter a door direct to the school building. It closes and locks automatically, but I have frequently found it unlocked. Once you're through both gates you can access the unlocked classrooms. Basically anybody could get in this school with very little trouble.

I've flagged these problems up time and again to the staff in as nice a way as I can. All I've had from them is 'thanks for letting us know' or 'it's the parents' fault. We tell them, write letters but they take no notice'. Their apathy is baffling. No other parent seems to give a toss. Now I'm just being treated as an irritant and had the school secretary raise her voice to me 2 days running. She had me in tears today!

Does anyone have any advice/experience to offer in how to handle this? My plan is to speak (again) to the headmistress tomorrow and state that I'll take DS out until I have written assurance they will take action. I'll also inform the Learning Trust of my actions.

Any advice gratefully recieved!

[brimfull]

SO when the session starts and the paretns have gone the doors are locked.I presume they shut the gate when last parent leaves.
Is there a problem then?

[KTeePee]

No advice but this is what happens at the pre-school my ds attends....

In the morning the gate is open but parents have to queue/wait outside the front door. It is opened about 10minutes before the preschool starts and a member of staff stands at the door. Parents & children can queue inside at this stage in lobby/hallway. When it is time to go in, staff members stand at the doorways leading in and out of the "classrooms".

At collecting time, the gate is unlocked and staff positioned at front door and internal doors to classrooms as before.

Tbh I think these measures are more to prevent children "escaping" rather than prevent intruders!

[NAB3]

aelita Sounds a bit risky to me. Maybe get something in writing that if anything happens to your child due to the door not being locked, they will take responsibility. Obviously they won't do this but it doesn' sound safe to me.

I have used a play school and a nursery and security at both was very good, as it is at the primary school my children go too.

[chocolateteapot]

Having had a bad experience with my DS ending up being found in the road at the end of the morning of his first day at pre-school, I am no doubt much to sensitive about this. But I would report them to Ofsted personally.

After it happened with my DS my friend's DH said that he though I should report them. He runs a sports centre and there was an incident in the creche after which he reported himself to Ofsted.

[aelita]

The thing is NAB3, I no longer want to take the risk of something happening. I know it's not likely, but it has happened in other places and it could happen again. The school's in a builtup area, in the vicinity of halfway houses (where a foreign exchange student got stabbed recently, so things do happen round here) and the playground and school gates are visible to all from the street.

The school seem to think that security is the responsibility of the parents and that they're always reiterating this. I'd maintain that if we're leaving our children in our care then their safety is the school's responsibility. However they've told me they can't have someone on the gate because it's a cost issue.

I've rung the Learning Trust and someone from Health & Safety is supposed to be getting in touch with me to outline their security policies.

[frogs]

The school where dd2 is starting next week has a heavy gate with some kind of closing device so that it swings shut after you've gone through. Is that not a possibility?

Having said that, ds's new school has very little security, as they're having major building work done and the main gates need to be open for contractors' access. I'd be more worried about a nursery/reception child escaping than about unauthorised people getting in, though.

[aelita]

Hi Frogs! How's life in your new manor?

Well, I have spoken to the H&S officer at the Learning Trust. Yes, the obvious solution is a gate-closing device and hopefully it'll be sorted soon. The guy I spoke to said they can send both a crack H&S team & crime prevention unit down to assess the current security & recommend the solution. Shame the school couldn't have done this themselves ages ago. Anyway,thanks for the comments...

[hoxtonchick]

that should put the frightners on them aelita! hope it's sorted soon.
.

[aelita]

cheers hoxtonchick!

[NAB3]

I think it is equally worrying whether someone hwo shouldn't could get in, and a child could get out.

There are 5-ish entrances at our school and between 8.55 and 3.10 no one is getting in or out without the school's knowledge.

[ipanemagirl]

good on you aelita for sorting it out - people are always blase until after something terrible happens.
Weve only just got a secure entrance at ds's primary school and I'm relieved that the school is significantly safer!

[aelita]

Cheers. Luckily at the school the likelihood of the children getting out seems less likely. Certainly have no beef with the staff in the classrooms. Should be fun talking to the headteacher tomorrow, but I think I'll be bypassing the school sec! And DS is officially back to playgroup til that gate-closing device is in place. Free nursery-place be damned, I'd rather pay money I can't afford than regret it if something did happen...