Can school say no to dd leaving early.

[Whatsmynamethistime]

Dd is 14 at her school there's a compulsory homework club. It finishes at 4.10pm this means dd has to hang around for her train for 40 mins. But if she was to leave school at 3.55 she could get the 4.05 train . So she would not be hanging around for 40 mins on her own.

The reason for this is adult dd ex is due out of prison and he's classed as a danger to the whole family. The school do have a picture of him and information regarding him.

If I tell the school I want dd to leave the school at 3.55 could they refuse it?

I can't pick her up myself as I don't drive. I have younger children to pick up as well and the timings do not work well.

Provided her homework is getting done at home and her learning isn’t suffering this seems reasonable. It’s a transport issue and nobody wants a teenager hanging around on her own at stations when the nights are drawing in and getting colder.

Surely you should just write this letter to the head of the school, not MN.

The time to ask for advice is if they say no.

Does it matter I'm just asking people thoughts. We can all just write a letter , we can all just Google.

Is this homework club 15mins, or am I reading that wrong?

Yes her homework is fine . She gets it all done early to get it over with.

If would be ridiculous of them to not allow her, under those circumstances especially.

It's from 3.05 to 4.10

Oh I see, so you’d be asking if she can leave 15mins early? I thought 3:55 was the time she could leave if she didn’t go the club.

I’d ask the school and explain the circumstances.

school aren’t doing this because they’ve got nothing better to do after school. They’re doing this in the interests of your child.
If you have younger children, then it’s likely your DD will be able to concentrate better at school too!

If there was a newly released criminal looking to harm my family, I would be picking my daughter up and a later finish would be welcome because it would give me more time to get to school from the primary school.

Lastly, if your daughter can’t be picked up - surely having her leave school on her own is more dangerous than her leaving with her friends after homework club?

I would raise it as a safe guarding risk that she needs to leave in time for the earlier train.

They need to be made aware of the risk anyway so in that conversation discuss safely getting to and from school. I would contact the designated safeguarding lead

But no one here knows the school rules or what you've agreed to in terms of the homework club

Isn't it better to get the actual answer on Monday rather than being given false expectations on here?

No younger chikdren do not disturb her home work . She does it fine . They are not near her. She's always early with her home work .

No I already said the timing does not work . I would not be able to get there. If she leaves slightly early it means she gets the train that's due . If she leaves at 4.05 then she misses that train and there's a 40 min wait .

Her friends don't don't get the the train they go In the opposite direction.

Sorry, but I find this insane. She is your child, you get to decide when she leaves school. Would I hell allow a school to tell me when my child could or could not be allowed leave the premises when I have explicitly told them I want her to leave homework club at X time, particularly under these circumstances.

I think in those circumstances you request a meeting with the school and give your reasonings and request permission on safety grounds.

I think due to the safeguarding issue they will allow this, certainly in the short term.

I think the school would agree given the circumstances

Speak to the DSL. School might not want her to leave early or it could lead to other kids wanting the same.

So can DD never go out on her own ever again then?

Whilst I wouldn’t be looking for a fight where there potentially isn’t one, I wouldn’t be asking the school’s permission for this, I’d be TELLING them it’s happening!

A school homework club sounds like a contradiction in terms!

That's true

I'm more concerned that a girl is being allowed to travel alone (at any time) when an ex-con classed as a danger to her could be roaming about waiting to harm her.

What are your plans to keep her safe?

This, there’s no way she should be walking and getting the train by herself with someone out there who’s a danger to her. Her safety needs to be prioritised here.