Odd situation here.
Bit of pre info DC's school have a school coat that whilst no compulsory it's strongly encouraged they wear.
There is a new winter version we purchased this just before Christmas as DC was going up a size
Annoyingly new version has no label in collar or inside seam which can be named as it's reversible.
The name'able label is on the pocket - we stamped this and then to make it easy for DC to recognise we put a ribbon on inside pocket zip.
DC's teacher said the new coats were causing issues because no quickly recognisable name tag and that there is a tab (think like on a pair of Levis x4 bigger) on outer side seam that is white on the reverse side could we name - we name stamped it.
DC are at asmall primary 18 - 20 pupils in each 4 classes - they have an unusual'ish name - no others with same
after wraparound someone else had gone home with his coat.
For wraparound they go into a large classroom place their coats and bags on the tables and go off to wherever - we pick up from that room. DC's bag was there when he came to go but no coat.
They said they definitely placed down. We waited until everyone had gone but there was no one else's coat in its place.
no one in our yr group or youngest DC's had taken home - no contacts in others to ask. So we waited to see if it was brought in by one of the other two classes.
2 days later still nothing. So I insisted that DC be helped to go round all the cloakrooms and look otherwise I would - these coats are £46!
Kindly DC's teaching assistant did this and found in the cloakroom of one of the classes in the year above.
We were on half term last week so I washed the coat (took the ribbon off) and put back on double tying tightly very very tightly and decided to try make coat more identifiable by taking DC's initial keyring off their school bag and adding to outer zip of the coat. Identical to image attached.
On Monday the coat went missing again this time at afternoon break they are not allowed out without but are allowed to take off and place on benches - there was issues with them being chucked everywhere. When DC went to get his had gone. Waited until the end - again nothing in its place.
Again two days coat has not materialised, again teaching assistant searches the cloakrooms - again finds in same cloakroom.
Hung the coat up on Weds night noticed the keyring had gone! Asked DC who said yes they had asked teacher and they didn't really know / wouldn't help (fair enough) started crying. Wants keyring. Instinctively I checked the inside - the ribbon has also gone!!!!
I think we all know what has happened here but obviously no one can 'prove' anything however I think this is completely outrageous.
school are trying to blame a child. There is no way a 7/8 yo would have the time/patience/motor strength/problem solving skills (the coat would need to be laid on something to allow purchase on the zip - like your lap or a table) to get that keyring off (it's the whole thing that's gone not just the decorative part which yes could have been pulled/fallen off).
Took ages to get off bag the bag in first place and really hurt my nails doing so then DH struggled to put it on the zip. Also the ribbon, this was just a very dark grey cotton and blended in with the coat lining - don't think a child would have even noticed to take off. Let alone been able to do those nots + remove keyring without anyone noticing.
Obviously we can't prove but I think inferring it's a low value item we should just let it go is not good enough theft is never okay. For me this goes way beyond a child bringing the wrong item home and a parent ignoring or even removing the name tag that is on that item.
Also it's weird it's been the same cloakroom both times!