School won't send certificates

Because these are important documents for your child's future, and represent the results of their endeavours. I am somewhat taken aback that you don't seem to realise that, or care. If they get lost, that is going to cause a shedload of difficulty for your child in the future. What mother wants that?

You want to take legal action, but they're such a jobsworth.

You don't have a right to dictate the policy or process.

They don't post them. They hand them over directly. So go and get them.

After 5 years, they go in confidential waste.

Well if your adult child isn't bothered about getting them why are you bothered about getting them? Its their luck out if they need them and don't have them. For someone that wanted to take legal action against the school you now seem remarkably unbothered about getting them if it requires you actually doing anything.

I can't force my adult children to get their certificates it's just as inconvenient for them as it is for me.

Consider it the most important life lesson you can teach your child or in this case adult. Sometimes you have to do shit you don't want to do and a lot of the time that shit is inconvenient. If he wants the certificates and you're not able to drive to get them he can sort the issue out himself. I suspect if you made it his problem he would suddenly find he could get someone to collect and post on his behalf.

I can't force my adult children to get their certificates it's just as inconvenient for them as it is for me
They’re adults, let them work it out!

Oh well, you can't have them!

If your adult child isn't bothered, then I'd say fair enough and get on with my day.

Their loss, not yours.

They have to be handed over in person and the student has to sign to say they've received them. This is normal practice- the school isn't being 'jobsworth'

Well nominate a person with ID?

You must know someone? Surely one friend, etc in that area is trustworthy enough?

Or get DS to get public transport to collect his certificates?

It’s very easy to criticise the school but what if all the parents started asking for this to happen

other schools and colleges manage it just fine

Just go and get them. Make a day out of it, you might as well. Yes they are being jobsworths over it, but you're risking cutting off your nose to spite your face

If they are sent recorded, they won't go missing. And in the vanishingly unlikely scenario that they do, you just contact the exam board and get new ones. It's really not a big issue, the school is making it one.

My son went to collect his A level certificates when he was home from university and they weren't ready! We live 30 minutes from his college.

They sent them in the post when they did arrive/were ready...

Are you by any remote chance needing them collecting in Plymouth OP?
if so I’ll get them and post them.

Add to that the fact that LOADS of kids don’t bother to go get their certificates… honestly, what is the school supposed to do? Pay for the postage, out of what budget?! And then hope they arrive? What about the parents who try and claim for replacements if they go missing? Someone upthread said that’s £55 per certificate. Why should the school accept that risk?

Nope, the kids have a responsibility to get their own documents. The fact the OP moved away is not the school’s problem. She will be one of many who didn’t collect all for various reasons.

I'd be sticking ds I. A train to go and get them good life lesson and taking responsibility. Surely they are a bit old to have mummy breathing fire for them?!

How do they normally send out post?

This is a task that only happens once a year (twice if you count GCSEs).

Both DSs received their A level certificates in the post.

Can you see if the exam board will, for a fee, send them to you rather than to the school?

Yes it does really sound a bit awkward and lazy. Many people would accept having to do a drive for something as important as collecting official documents for example going to a passport office. It’s very easy to criticise the school but what if all the parents started asking for this to happen. Who is going to release a member of staff to complete all the administrative work for this? And what if the certificates get lost? I must admit OP you seem like you might be someone who would go ballistic at the school if this happened so I don’t blame them for not wanting to take that risk. I think it’s fair to assume people will collect certificates from school considering generally pupils would live in the area and it’s fair to have a strict policy on such important documents too. Sorry. A 2 hour drive is really not that long though.

No we don’t pay for them to be sent. They are sent out by the SQA. I’m not actually sure what happens if they don’t arrive. I personally don’t know anyone that has happened to, they just always arrive by post.

Yep, someone could get hold of them and possibly use them to create a fake ID, apply for a job etc. Or if they get lost in the post you and your son could kick up merry hell, saying he can’t get a job, they need to pay for replacements etc. In fact I suspect that’s probably what’s happened before and why they insist on personal collection.

And I can’t believe that you consider your local friends too unreliable but you’re fine with the post 🤔

That must cost a fucking fortune! Do you have to pay for them to be sent? Also out of pure nosiness what's the policy if they don't actually arrive?

No school I have ever had a connection with would have a spare member of staff to go into town and post certificates as a signed for item of post . It’s not just the time , cost of petrol and their parking fees , work being missed while they do that on numerous occasions , but also the risk of the item going missing .

I do find it sad that you and your son don’t have a single person who is able to pick them up for you though .

@doubleshift "There is absolutely no reason they can't send them in the post recorded delivery. Jobsworths "

Which member of staff is going to leave work to go and queue in the post office?

Yes, the actual certificate. Everyone gets it in the post on results day.