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AIBU?

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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:
JetSkiRentals · 04/10/2025 08:29

I wouldn’t complain but I would email and ask that they let you know sooner if no one shows because you could have picked up much sooner had you known. This is your sisters fault remember, not really schools fault which is why I don’t think they deserve a complaint.

I do think it’s odd they didn’t phone straight away to check if you were late or you had intended to use after school club though. It’s standard practise in schools I’ve worked in. If they tried to call and failed to get through then fine but to not even attempt to call is a bit odd.

Do you sometimes use after school club?

anotherpyjamaday · 04/10/2025 08:29

This is the standard procedure at my son's primary school-any children not collected within 10 minutes of the bell are placed into after school club and parents/carers are charged for the session. The after school club then have procedures they follow if children aren't collected by the end of the session (contacting parents, contacting alternative emergency contacts etc)
Check the school website, there should be a policy/document explaining their procedure.

gamerchick · 04/10/2025 08:29

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

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.

HalfMumHalfBiccit · 04/10/2025 08:27

I think I’d be so relieved that the school simply put her in an after school club I would not worry too much that they didn’t tell me or that they charged me. If no one had picked her up from after school club they would have likely called you. Sounds like a nice school.

Linenpickle · 04/10/2025 08:25

You want to complain to the school for looking after your child as she was forgotten by her own family…. Really??

KnickerlessFlannel · 04/10/2025 08:24

What's their uncollected child policy? They may have a set time at which they start calling eg 45 mjns/an hour late, especially if your child sometimes uses after school club.

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