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Original poster

Noone picked up my daughter and school didn't ring.

582 replies

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:23

On Thursday my daughter was supposed to be picked up by my sister as my husband and I were both working. She finishes school at 3:20pm, she's 7 and is in year 3.

At 4pm I was on my break at work and called sister to ask how DD is.

Sister bloody FOROGT to pick her up and wasn't even in our home town. She was about an hour's drive away at her new boyfriends house.

In a panic I hung up on spluttering apologising sister and immediately rang school to find out what happened to DD. They just casually said "yeah, we've got her, she's in after school club"

At the time I was too busy arranging for someone else to pick up her with only 10 minutes left of my break and relieved she was safe to think much more on the fact that the scholl hadnt informed me so I just said thank you to the school and said someone would be there soon.

Would you complain to the school or at least mention it that noone rang me or DH to say she hadn't been picked up? If I hadn't rung sister I wouldn't have known, and what would have happened when noone arrived at 5pm when it closes?

They also charged me and I could have avoided this charge or at least got a lower charge if I'd got her picked up by 4pm.

OP posts:
notacooldad · 04/10/2025 08:49

They should have phoned the parents anyway!!

The school were probably giving parents the benefit of doubt. If they had always been reliable at picking up it seems like they were giving them some grace time rather than stressing them.

Anyway, no harm done. Nothing to complain to the school about. Hopefully sister has learned a lesson and will put an alarm on her phone for next time and the child had a fun time.

TomCatTumbler · 04/10/2025 08:49

Good grief. Complain about what?! The staff will have just assumed you forgot to book your daughter into after school club and taken her to the after school club - waiting for you and to charge you on parentpay or whatever software later. If anything the school staff could log on cpoms they have concerns about you forgetting to collect her.

Reallynotsure25 · 04/10/2025 08:49

Ooodelally · 04/10/2025 08:47

Oh, so you’re that mum….

No wonder schools can’t recruit anyone it must be a thankless task dealing with this level of entitlement on the regular…

This!

Flicitytricity · 04/10/2025 08:49

Pawparazzi · 04/10/2025 08:42

Who is 'Noone'? Was he/she not able to collect the child?

Well, aren't you amazingly clever and amusing?
Or just thick??

SweetnsourNZ · 04/10/2025 08:48

Next time your have to get someone to pick up your child maybe flick them a reminder about lunchtime that day.

Ooodelally · 04/10/2025 08:47

Oh, so you’re that mum….

No wonder schools can’t recruit anyone it must be a thankless task dealing with this level of entitlement on the regular…

themerchentofvenus · 04/10/2025 08:47

gamerchick · 04/10/2025 08:29

This isn't the schools fault OP. You need to get more reliable childcare.

It's basic safeguarding.

If a child is not booked into after school club and no one turns up to collect then the school should make a welfare call to check the parent is ok.

If the OP had not called then at 5pm the school would have an uncollected child and a member of staff would have to remain with the child until collection which could take an hour depending on parent location.

DingDongJingle · 04/10/2025 08:47

User1990C · 04/10/2025 08:43

And people wonder why one of the main reasons teachers are leaving the profession.

Be grateful the school managed the situation created by your family member.

I don’t think teachers are leaving the profession because of people asking advice online around a situation to do with after school club, which isn’t usually run by teachers.

Original poster
Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:47

CAMHShelp · 04/10/2025 08:46

Is your child going to get forgotten again? It’s a non issue with the school. Your sister on the other hand…

No, because I'm never asking sister again

OP posts:
Reallynotsure25 · 04/10/2025 08:47

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:35

Yes we occasionally use after school club but they are very clear that sessions have to be booked and paid for in advance which I always do using an app.
Now my account is in arrears and I can't book anything until the balance is cleared. I didn't even know that was possible.

Show quote history

Yes, the school should have left her on her own outside the school gates until, you, your sister or your husband remembered to pick her up. How dare the After school club charge you for looking after your child? What is the world coming to? In case you hadn’t realised. YABVVVVU. Also pretty sure the club would have rung you if you hadn’t collected her by closing time and after that they then phone the police. Just for future reference.

Fearfulsaints · 04/10/2025 08:47

I work on a school office. Im surprised no one called. Its literally what I do every day about 20 mins after pick up.

I wouldn't quibble the ASC fee or "complain' but I would express surprise that noone called and ask if it was normal practice to only call at the end of asc.

Its also what my children's school did when I forgot to pick up a child i looked after once a week so its not just a my school thing.

LBFseBrom · 04/10/2025 08:47

tripleginandtonic · 04/10/2025 08:28

Yabu. And maybe tou could be grateful to school for keeping her safe in aftershock club rather thsn berating them because your plans failed. Honestly, parents are getting more entitled by the day.

Aftershock club? Hee hee hee. Some predictive text is just so funny.

Original poster
Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:47

WLnamechange · 04/10/2025 08:42

Then your anger shouldn't be directed at the school should it.

Show quote history

It's not, my anger is directed at my sister.

I'm just asking if school should have rang me or DH and if I should mention/complain to the school.

If I hadn't rung sister I wouldn't have known and one of their staff would have had to have stayed past closing time trying to track down a parent so surely it's within their best interests to have called us?

OP posts:
CAMHShelp · 04/10/2025 08:46

Is your child going to get forgotten again? It’s a non issue with the school. Your sister on the other hand…

DingDongJingle · 04/10/2025 08:45

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:42

I do use it, I also use mum and MIL and husband often picks her up too depending on his work. I work shifts so I also do pick ups on days I'm not working until 8pm.
Sister said she wanted to make more effort with my kids so I said OK would you like to pick up DD on Thursday and have her for dinner and she enthusiastically said yes. If she hadn't I had many others options including after school club, but she did say yes and that she was looking forward to it

Show quote history

I think in light of the fact that you often use after school club, when no one showed to pick her up they’d have assumed you’d just forgot to book that particular day. If no one had turned up to collect from after school club they would have phoned you.

User1990C · 04/10/2025 08:43

And people wonder why one of the main reasons teachers are leaving the profession.

Be grateful the school managed the situation created by your family member.

Woompund · 04/10/2025 08:43

ProjectsGalore · 04/10/2025 08:42

Some schools have a policy to contact social services if parents don’t make contact or collect their children so I would not complain to the school!

Erm only if the parents don't respond to attempts to contact them - and in this case school didn't try!

Barrenfieldoffucks · 04/10/2025 08:42

I think it is perfectly possible to be angry at the sister and surprised at the school.

I presume it goes without saying that the OP is angry at her sister, and as such is only asking about the school.

Yes, of course they should have phoned. It is great they put her in the afternoon school club so she was safe, fed and entertained...but as you said, what happens at the end of that?!

Do you use the after school club normally or on occasion? Cause it may be that if you do, they assumed you'd just forgotten to book it so would appear at your normal time. I know of we drop ours off at breakfast club on a day we haven't booked they won't bat an eyelid and would just add it to the bill.

My youngest is the same age as yours, and in this instance they would definitely call, even if he does after school club on occasion.

Pawparazzi · 04/10/2025 08:42

Who is 'Noone'? Was he/she not able to collect the child?

WLnamechange · 04/10/2025 08:42

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:37

I've thought about it but honestly I can't be bothered, I'll just pay it and never ask her for a favour ever again

Nvm the fact that I babysat her kids when they were young all the bloody time and she hardly bothers to see mine but says she's sorry she doesn't make the effort.

I'm very angry with her and very hurt

Show quote history

Then your anger shouldn't be directed at the school should it.

ProjectsGalore · 04/10/2025 08:42

Some schools have a policy to contact social services if parents don’t make contact or collect their children so I would not complain to the school!

Woompund · 04/10/2025 08:42

notacooldad · 04/10/2025 08:41

But what do they do if after school club is at capacity?? That would be a concern at my kids’ school.
Then the school would have phoned the parent. They are not doing to turf the kid out on to the pavement. She probably would have either sat in reception or in a class room if a reacher was there.

They should have phoned the parents anyway!!

Original poster
Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 04/10/2025 08:42

Papadulo · 04/10/2025 08:36

You need to use the afterschool club not flakey sisters. Why don’t you use it?

I do use it, I also use mum and MIL and husband often picks her up too depending on his work. I work shifts so I also do pick ups on days I'm not working until 8pm.
Sister said she wanted to make more effort with my kids so I said OK would you like to pick up DD on Thursday and have her for dinner and she enthusiastically said yes. If she hadn't I had many others options including after school club, but she did say yes and that she was looking forward to it

OP posts:
notacooldad · 04/10/2025 08:41

But what do they do if after school club is at capacity?? That would be a concern at my kids’ school.
Then the school would have phoned the parent. They are not doing to turf the kid out on to the pavement. She probably would have either sat in reception or in a class room if a reacher was there.

arethereanyleftatall · 04/10/2025 08:41

No I wouldn’t complain, on the contrary I’d thank them for allowing her in to ASC and keeping her safe.