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.

I'm sure I read it's compulsory. Surely if it's not they would not have that in writing. I'm going to look incase I imagined it.

That's an idea. I will email safe guarding. With the photo and the safety plan.

Agreed.

What does the safety plan involve? Tbh I would be sticking to the safety plan and if this means she leaves at 3.05 when school ends then so be it. If the safety plan means she can do some homework club but not all then that's fine. (School might prefer she does none rather than part of the homework session). Her safety absolutely comes first when there is a safety plan in place!

(Presumably school were present when this was agreed so had their opportunity to input about extra classes through the MASH - to bad if they didn't.)

Might have been an idea to ask before she started homework club?

He was not out of prison at that time

Our school have 'compulsory' after school revision. It's compulsory in the sense that it isn't optional, not that it's compulsory in a statutory educational way. Students are expected to attend but of course there are exceptions and in your circumstances it would be perfectly fine to have another arrangement. Just contact the school to dicuss.

Erm I’d definitely be asking and I’d be looking at a taxi so she is in no danger of being alone given what you’ve said about your ex.

I might be reading this wrong but if the school day finishes at 3:05 and they have "compulsory" homework club - then the school day isn't actually finished at 3:05 - meaning they would be going over their hours of the school day / week.

If you want her to leave at X time then I would be telling them she is leaving at X time - send it via email to the head, safeguarding and the homework club leader - and then that is that. She's leaving - she's your child.
I would be emailing the school a copy of the social services safety plan - and then telling the school she is leaving at the end of the school day of 3:05 - safeguarding trumps everything else the school may say about compulsory.

You can also call social services and explain the situation and they can speak to the school on your behalf.

Failing that you could also speak to the safeguarding officer at your child's school; make them aware of the social services plan and tell them what is happening. She is your child and it's up to you to keep her safe & safeguarded - the school shouldn't have a problem with this.

I understand. But anything which is contrary to the SS plan, whether he was out of prison or not, is surely not suitable

Therefore as soon as homework club was on the agenda you'd tell the school that your child can't attend homework club as it's contrary to the SS plan

So there's no issue with telling the school now (although a bit late) that SS has a safety plan for your child which means the child can't attend homework club or needs to leave early

Is it compulsory for everyone, or compulsory for your kid because she is behind or struggling or being punished for missing deadlines?

(Not that I don't think you can insist she leaves either way, but it might slightly change how you approach it...)

She’s said her DD is not behind with homework.

Let me guess, it’s an academy trust in a poor area.

It highlights of course the fact that prison clearly doesnt work.

In this case yiour adult DD's ex should be in a secure hospital until such time as he is deemed safe to be allowed out and then severely restricted as to where he can go, ie not allowed in the County you live in or adjoining ones

No dd always has her home work in early. She's never ever been late giving it in.

Yes it is.

If only this could be done.

In which case, I would probably be fairly firm about saying that they can't enforce this across the board. They can (& should) offer it & strongly encourage struggling dc to attend, but it does not benefit your dd.

& even if it did, the safeguarding plan trumps homework.

I can't show the safety plan but teen dd has to carry this.

I think you need to get Social Services to reopen the care plan, and find a better solution than your teen DD catching the train by herself at any point, and carrying a card which requires her to stop someone who will call the police. I really hope they would, but you’re relying on someone being around that she can approach, and then them doing it…

This isn’t a safe plan; at all. They need to be funding a taxi home, at least - I had that 20 years ago for a somewhat similar situation. They may also fund a babysitter to be present until you’re home.

I know you have to work and can’t physically be with her, but you do need to push for them to help you to keep her safe.

@Whatsmynamethistime
If I were you I would be sticking to the safety plan to the letter.
I know that it's difficult if school describes something as compulsory, but you have to try and remember that they use that type of language to try and engage with children and families to do something. In this case it's a positive initiative in the form of a homework club, but in reality it won't actually be compulsory if your child is already completing the set amount of hours in the day at school.

If this man is genuinely considered a threat to your family, the police should have informed social services and both they and the school should be aware of the situation. This should have been discussed in the meetings that all the agencies had when deciding the risk to your children. Is there a reason the school are apparently unaware of this?

Edit: saw you said the SS plan is closed. That should not be the case. Police have a responsibility to inform SS when an offender is released and SS should have reopened the case. I would be contacting them (police, social services) and asking them why this hasn’t been done.

No social services do not need to reopen. Otherwise they would be open for years. If he was to approach teen dd then the police would be called and there would also be a merlin report. And he may never approach dd.

Also the case was open with social services for adult dd and her child. Not for my children my children were never on a protection register. But things were put in place for both sides of the family to lessen the risk .

@Whatsmynamethistime Are you at all collect your daughter yourself at the time you'd want her to be released for home?
I take it you don't work if you're collecting the younger ones first so could you go and get her once you had got them?
Even if it was just until the routine was established.

No because I have younger children from another school I Need to pick up. I don't drive.

Don’t you think she’s putting her more at risk, leaving completely alone with no one else around?