Am I being a pratt?

Well, it's not really - it's not as if she's at primary school.

I would probably have said to mine when she rang to be picked up "Sorry - can't come at the moment - you'll just have to wait at school until I finish work. You can be getting on with your homework."

That would cover both detention and messing about.

Not sure what you would be punishing her for - do you think she missed the bus because she was doing something she shouldn't have been doing?

And if it was the whole class, weren't there loads of children missing the bus? What did they do?

We don't keep students in after the bell because of buses. Not for any length of time at all - and we get told off ourselves if we do! Someone will be getting a bollocking after Easter for sure.

I always give a lunchtime detention in the first instance, but would give an after school (with notice, and room for negotiation on date if parents request) if that were missed. I do get a bit with parents who expect me to give up two of my lunchtimes (which are only 35 minutes, so to give one half hour detention would take two 15 minute lunchtime detentions) to punish their children who have not only misbehaved in the first place but then compunded that by missing a detention.

Prior to the changes keeping a child up to 15 mins without notice was fine, however I don't know anyone who would do so under these circumstances. Did your child make the teacher aware? A letter explaining the situation politely and asking that your child be allowed to do similar punishments with notice in future is reasonable and should be allowed. Chances are the teacher/school will be able to come up with a policy if one does not already exist that will make allowances for those affected this way. Expecting a response on the last day of term to a non-urgent issue is a bit unreasonable though!

My DD (yr 7) travels 10 miles by bus to/from school. She has managed to clock up one detention so far (lost her rough book) and was given it at lunchtime, due to the fact that she has to get the bus.

I did point out to her form tutor at parents evening last term that I would fully support the school's disciplinary procedures, but that if she was given a detention after school, I would potentially have to ask 6 parents to leave work early (I am a CM).

I think you are right to find out whether notice wasn't given by the school, or whether you just didn't get the message.

My DCs travel by train. DD is on the school council and managed to get approval for a scheme where all the children that travel by train are given a card to show the teacher, so that they are not kept late.

Are you expecting a response today?
I suspect the office would have forwarded the email to head of year.
I think you'll be lucky to get a response today, but maybe I am too cynical!

Who did you send it to?

I'm usually very supportive of schools in general, but i agree with you that in this instance they were wrong; for whatever reason, she missed her bus and that can't be right without prior notice. My DC walk home and so I have no problem with them being kept behind, but some of their peers do have to catch busses and have to be given notice.

I think you should get this clarified and I like the idea of your writing something in her planner that she can show to a teacher. In your case, because I know that sometimes teachers won't listen to pupils, I would give her your permission only if such a situation occurs again to walk out of the detention to ensure that she catches her bus.

The school has a "duty of care" to the child. If they keep them behind with no notice and without making sure the child will get home safely they are failing in this.
If you an't sort it out with the teacher then go to the head or even the governors.

The article says this is part of draft legislation currently going through Parliament ie not yet law.

As far as I am aware the previous rules still stand: 24 hour notice for anything above 10 mins after school. (Unless the school gets around this by having a privileged end time and later official end time of the day, to allow them to keep pupils later without notice.)

Either way the OP should get it recorded that her DD gets the school bus and cannot be kept behind without notice as she cannot get home safely. Probably worth getting this written in her planner/journal or whatever as well as speaking to the teacher so this doesn't happen again.

here about halfway down page

Yes much better. tbh I'll be surprised if the school argues with you. I don't think there is any point in flying off the handle on this one because it was an individual teacher's (bad) decision not a whole school policy.

Sorry about terribly written post- too many distractions!

It's worth knowing that the legislation on keeping children behind at school without notice changed this week. I will try and find details, but effectively it gives schools the power to keep children behind the same day without notice. I'm not sure how this affects rural schools with transport issues though. I'll see if I can find the details...

This eduwight.iow.gov.uk/the_lea/admin/images/DETENTIONOFPUPILS.pdf specifically mentions not detaining students on buses. i think your letter is very restrained, but you are wise to allow for the possibility that you might not have the whole story. Whole class detentions are the sign of a teacher not coping imo.