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Original poster

School lost my child…

30 replies

anicecuppateaa · 20/11/2024 09:15

School have a policy of handing over children at the classroom door, so parents queue up each morning/ afternoon. Yesterday our childminder went to pick 4 year old DTs up and only one appeared when called by the teacher.

Teacher thought DT1 was in the toilet and it was only when the classroom was empty they realised he wasn’t. He had walked round to another playground (on the other side of the school) trying to find childminder.

I am not sure what, if anything to ask/ say to school. They were very blase this morning when I asked about it, and if anything blamed the childminder, whereas she says they had a number of teachers and other staff looking for him.

Should I chat to school again or leave it? Would you be satisfied with their response? (i have also spoken to DTs and reminded them to never leave without an me/ childminder)

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Ramblethroughthebrambles · 20/11/2024 17:03

Are they identical twins or similar in appearance and did this confuse the teacher / TA somehow, re who they'd seen where? If so, they need to think carefully to make sure it doesn't happen again and so they can be confident of recognising each child reliably and treating them as individuals.

Original poster
anicecuppateaa · 20/11/2024 21:19

@Ramblethroughthebrambles nope, a boy and a girl!

thanks for the comments/ suggestions. I am only just on the train home from work (long day) so will read them all and email the headteacher tonight.

OP posts:
RockyFowlboa · 20/11/2024 21:22

anicecuppateaa · 20/11/2024 09:42

Thank you for the comments. I have a tendency to either do nothing or overreact in these situations so wanted to sense check my response.

There is only one way out of the classroom so he must have got out when other children were being handed over. Or he was called and slipped past the teacher/ childminder but that is SO unlike him I don’t know why he would have done that.

I want to email the school and ask about procedures/ how they will ensure this doesn’t happen again. Does that sound reasonable? I don’t want to be that parent but equally want my dc to be safe!

Yes, that sounds great. I would definitely want to know what specific actions they are taking so that doesn't happen again. I hope your DC wasn't too frightened to be on his own. Good luck

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TheWoodpecker · 20/11/2024 21:37

Can the lost twin give an account of how they got out of school? That's the key information - if the teacher is standing on the door, how did they get out? Did they go past her or, like a pp said, to another open exit? If so where (and why)?

I'm sure I'll get told off for blaming a 4 year old but simply for your own peace of mind I'd reiterate with them how important it is that the teacher knows they've gone with a grown up and that they never leave unless the teacher hands them over. Clearly the teachers are responsible for the situation that has occured but unless there are SEN issues most 4 year olds should understand a 'very important rule' like this going forward.

Original poster
anicecuppateaa · 20/11/2024 21:48

TheWoodpecker · 20/11/2024 21:37

Can the lost twin give an account of how they got out of school? That's the key information - if the teacher is standing on the door, how did they get out? Did they go past her or, like a pp said, to another open exit? If so where (and why)?

I'm sure I'll get told off for blaming a 4 year old but simply for your own peace of mind I'd reiterate with them how important it is that the teacher knows they've gone with a grown up and that they never leave unless the teacher hands them over. Clearly the teachers are responsible for the situation that has occured but unless there are SEN issues most 4 year olds should understand a 'very important rule' like this going forward.

Totally agree about listening/ following simple rules. I will ask him tomorrow (not home from work yet and he’s asleep), but I am almost certain he didn’t deliberately try to escape, he’s just not that sort of kid and was distraught even when found. There is only one way out so I am pretty sure he must have slipped past the teacher and childminder and ran off in excitement, thinking they were together. He went the way he would go with the childminder, to the other playground to get her older children.

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