Parents not allowed in school?

[KittyMcAllister]

DS's school has just introduced a new policy whereby Key Stage 1 children (apart from reception) will be met at the school door by their teacher instead of being dropped off at the classroom. It's apparently in response to new safeguarding regulations that unauthorised adults can't be on the property - although it also coincides with the arrival of a new headteacher. It's caused a bit of an uproar amongst the parents but I'm in 2 minds- I'm sure I was just dropped off in the playground as a child! I'm curious to know what other schools do?

[BloodyDogHairs]

When my 2 dc's started school (age 5) it was normal to go into class the 1st day but after that the children lined up outside when the school bell went.

[Haggisfish]

We deliver dd to classroom door but aren't really allowed in. Exceptional circumstances you're allowed in to drop off but it is not viewed favourably.

[VegetablEsoup]

I leave mine at the gate.
they go in by themselves. on first day a ta went with them from the gate to the classroom, from then on they had to do the walk themselves.

[2tired2bewitty]

We just drop off somewhere vaguely near the door (too many pushchairs to get close!). Dd is in year 1. In fact, because we only joined the school in September and had no chance to look round beforehand, I didn't see the inside of the place till parents evening in November.

[Wolfiefan]

Ours are left at the school gate. Parents don't go into school premises at all.
Children settle quicker and teaching starts sooner. Plus safeguarding issues as obviously parents don't all have CRB clearance.

[LadybirdSpots]

DS has always had to line up outside in the playground, since reception.

The school has now gone so far as to keep all the of outside doors locked, until the bell goes. Unless it's pouring with rain, in which case the children are allowed in as and when they arrive.

I completely agree with it. A lot of parents aren't happy about it, but then they wouldn't be happy to have strangers wandering through the school either.

[moosemama]

Reception children are dropped at an external door to their classroom, the rest of ks1 line up in the playground and are led in by their teachers.

I've had dc at the school for over 10 years now and it's always been done that way.

[ReallyTired]

We drop off children at the classroom door. I would love to be able to drop dd at the school gate, but the school insists they are supervised in the playground.

As a young child I was dropped off at the school gate from about the second day of reception. The older ones used to help the younger ones to their classroom.

It seems that different head teachers have different ideas of what consitutes good practice.

[Cabawill]

My Reception and Y2 DC's school keep the school gate closed until 8:30. The children and parents then go through to the playground where they play and line up in the playground when the bell goes at 8:40. They are then escorted into school by their teacher. Works really well and I think they settle quicker and aren't as interrupted by late runners.

[Cockbollocks]

We can't go past the gate. The have 'gatekeepers'!!!

[Madcats]

YR R - YR2
I'm not sure that there was a particular rule, but 90-95% parents stayed with their children in the playground until the morning bell rang (or asked a friend to supervise). The kids then lined up and walked in by themselves.

Likewise, in the afternoon, the parents queued up outside the classrooms and the children were let out by the teacher/TA when they saw that the right person was there to collect them.

I saw the inside of DD's classroom during parents evenings.

A few parents seemed to scuttle in and out (mostly the ones with kids that were often off sick with colds and sneezes or who had to be dragged in to the class crying).

[rhetorician]

we now line up in playground and parents can go into classrooms with kids - not in UK, and this is relatively unusual. I like it though - means you can chat with the teacher, look at their work frequently, pass on messages. DD1 likes the reassurance at the beginning of the day

[dementedpixie]

Ours are dropped at the gate as we aren't allowed in the playground

[Pigeonpost]

At DS's old school they lined up in the playground and the teacher led them in. We never got near the classroom. Current school you take them in. Irritates me, I'd much rather dump and run!!

[TheChimpParadox]

Perfectly normal not to be allowed into school.

[TheChimpParadox]

Classroom rather

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

We drop where we like but the majority of parents hang about in the playground till the whistle is blown and the children line up and toddle off. Parents are in and out of the doors with bags, letters for the office, having a word with the TA, looking for lost stuff, etc. It's lovely and informal. It is a small school though and most people know each other. I'd feel a bit sad if I couldn't go in with them if they needed me to.

[IoraRua]

At my school we used to have parents come in to class for drop off, but we found that it meant 10 - 15 mins of the day was taken up with talking to parents instead of getting kids settled in. Often about quite insignificant things.

So we introduced a policy where kids line up in the yard and are led in, it's much better. Any urgent messages (like sickness etc) can be passed on quickly at lineup and there's much less faffing about - that's saved up for after school.

[dementedpixie]

We go to the office if there are any issues or send a note in with the child for the teacher. Less disruption if parents stay away from the classroom

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

I have never done anything other than leave a primary school child in the line in the playground. DS1 went to 3 primary schools and a middle school and none let parents near the classroom (surely it would cause chaos). DS2's school is the same, and was that way for reception too.

We take them to the playground, they get in line and then the teacher or TA comes out to bring them in. Then at home time, we wait in the playground til the teacher releases them. Just as it was in my day (well, I probably got dropped off and picked up at the gate in P1-3, and walked to and from school after that).

I honestly can't see why it could be at all controversial.

[SarcasticAndRabidAngryHarpy]

I took a random and rather wet child through to the classroom today, but my YR and Y2 children are dropped off at gates that lead through to their class areas. Yesterday I did the mime-stuck-against-the-invisible-parent-repelling-force-field trick on DD2 who was being clingy and wanted me to go with her. The teacher was highly amused but she had DD1 2 years back and knows what I'm like. DD2 was amused and walked off happily.

Today DD1's classmate was standing in the pouring rain in the virtually empty playground looking quite panicked. I have a soft spot for this lad as at DD1's birthday party (Y1 at the time) he asked if he could help me with anything before he went to play. He said was waiting for his mum who he thought was dropping his brother off at YR. I had a quick look around the corner and she wasn't there. I'm sure given the weather she'd said to go in quickly so I suggested that he should go into class. I went through the gate and into the class, but only to explain why he was looking so worried.

[IguanaTail]

Surely it's quite unsettling to have parents all milling around chatting and leafing through books when the teacher needs to get the class ready to work?!

[R0nJ0n]

We drop at the gate from year one, in fact now DDis year three I drop her at the bottom of the school drive and she walks the last bit by herself. She'd hate me coming into the playground and hanging around in the morning, and TBH I wouldn't like it much either.

[KittyMcAllister]

Very interesting replies, thanks- my gut feeling is that it is better to have them line up outside, and that parents taking them to the classroom does prolong the faffing. It seems that the school has been a bit of an anomaly so far going by the replies and DS is profoundly unbothered by the prospect! I think some of the other parents may take a bit of convincing though.