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Secondary education

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Keeping a child after school

31 replies

Lindaaelizabeth · 20/10/2018 08:41

My grandson was late home from school, he has just started secondary school in September. My partner goes to meet him a road away. He came back and said there is no sign of him. My daughter and I went out looking for him. He wasn’t answering his phone. I was getting really panicky. My partner found him walking home about 30 minutes late. Apparently the school had kept him back to finnish some work. We were furious at not being told where he was. My daughter wrote a snotty message in his year book and the reply was, we can keep a child back for 15 minutes without letting you know. What is that about. In this day and age you are entitled to know where your child is at all times. He was in effect missing. Surely this can’t be right

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 20/10/2018 08:55

What would you have done if he had hung around chatting to friends for a bit before setting off home?

Bekabeech · 20/10/2018 08:49

That's fine and should be covered in policies on the school's website. It certainly happened when I was at school.

My DC's school does not keep students after school without 24 hour notice, but this is because a lot of students rely on buses to get to school (partly rural catchment). Most short detentions take place in the school day.

Whilst meeting him on the way home might be "nice" it is babying him a bit, and he should be given a bit more freedom. Mobile phones are great for being informed when something has gone wrong, but at Secondary they should be able to dawdle and chat to mates on the way home, or try out alternate routes.

clary · 20/10/2018 08:45

Yes, quite correct. Schools don't need to give notice of after school detentions, longer than 15 mins tbh. A lot do, just for courtesy, but to finish some work from that day's lesson, probably easier to do it at once.

BeautifulPossibilities · 20/10/2018 08:44

So what consequences would you have given him instead?

BertrandRussell · 20/10/2018 08:43

Why wasn't he answering his phone?
What does the home/school agreement say about detentions?

SweepTheHalls · 20/10/2018 08:42

Perfectly right.

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