School Safeguarding issue's

[ashantidaquan]

My son is in reception and has managed to get out of the school and onto the road, three times. I spoke to the school the second time, bearing in mind it was another parent that told me the first time not even the school, they made it seem like it was down to me. I haven't spoken to the school today when it happened for the third time as my children go after school club, but i am going there tomorrow and would like some advice about how to deal with this. We send our children to school expecting that they are safeguarded. Now i am scared to take him to school. Help please!

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

How on earth is he getting out?

[SandyMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

We will shortly be moving this thread to Primary Education as we think it's a better fit.

Thanks

[nennypops]

My understanding is that the school has a duty to keep your child safe. They really have to tell you how he managed to escape and what they have done to prevent it happening again. If they can't give you satisfactory answers I think you should complain to the governors and the council.

[cumbrialass]

How on earth could it be down to you! The school are responsible for the safety of your child and there should be no possibility of any child , let alone one in Reception, getting out of the grounds, the Headteacher needs to reassure you this will NEVER happen again

[Superdooperal]

Phone the LA safeguarding team tomorrow morning then the Head.Write to the Chair of Governors. Even if the school is an Academy the LA still has safeguarding responsibilities. I don't understand why the school hasn't taken your complaint seriously. There should also be Govs for Health and Safety and Safeguarding. You could also raise it with a parent Governor. It is
disgraceful.

[letseatgrandma]

How on earth is he getting out? If he's walking through an open door or gate, then that's appalling and they need to sort their security our ASAP! If he's legging it and scaling a 6 foot fence shouting, 'f&£@ you, you can't stop me!' then maybe that's another issue. That was tongue in cheek as I'm sure your LO isn't doing that, but I have taught a child who did ;)

[cumbrialass]

So have I but he was a 5 foot 5 year 6 who high jumped the fence and clambered over the bushes, not a 5 year old who presumably would struggle to open a door on his own!

[admission]

Obviously you have an escape artist and there is a question as to why he is wandering away from school which I think you need to explore gently with him - is there an underlying issue?
However when it comes to the school, the school will have a clear policy on safeguarding which you need to get hold of. It will probably say words to the affect that if a child "escapes" and runs off that the staff are not to run off after them - usually ends up as a race and quite often the pupils is faster than the adult. They would keep them under observation but not chase them.
However in this instant what you seem to have is a child able to wander off from the classroom or play ground without anybody missing them and that is not acceptable under any circumstances. OK one has to accept it can happen but then there are lessons to be learned from any such incident. For it to happen 3 times says there is a massive gap somewhere in the schools safeguarding processes.
I think that you need to seek an urgent meeting with the head teacher to establish what has actually happened. Is it the same escape mechanism every time, in which case the school have no excuse for it happening more than once or is your son able to find different loop holes anytime he wants. See whether you are satisfied with the responses from the school or whether they go into defense mode. If so then you next port of call is the chair of governors followed by the nuclear option, which is to approach the Local Authority Designated Officer for child protection and tell them that the school has a major child protection issue. That is not advisable until you really do understand what has been going on both with your son and the school.