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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to still be so bloody cross with the school regarding accident

40 replies

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 21:58

2months on I'm still fuming that my dd was injured at school and has been left scared for life

I feel the school delt with it terribly considering it was a head injury, when I arrived at school about 30 mins after they called me (traveling from work) I found her covered in blood coming from head, nose all down the front off her, barley responding, clearly in total shock and pain, her injuries where that bad we were transferred hospitals so a plastic surgeon could deal with the repair!

And still every time I walk into playground I see the retaining wall she fell onto and nothing as been done to stop this sort of thing happening again!

I actually could merrily trip up the head teacher so he to fell into this stupid unsafe wall

OP posts:

Littlefish · 01/04/2014 22:07

I'm very sorry to hear about your daughter's accident.

In what way is the wall unsafe?

My concern would be more about the fact that the school didn't call an ambulance immediately after the accident, before calling you.

thebody · 01/04/2014 22:12

any serious injury requiring medical attention should be referred to H&S and Ofsted.
to have had no meeting or report 2 months on is amazing!

the school should have immediately assessed her injuries by the first aider and then called 999 if injuries serious or felt to be serious.

you need to get yourself a good solicitor.
.
unfortunately I can help you with that if you pm me.

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:12

The wall is a retaining wall around the side if the playground, it has industrial type paving slabs turned on side so then she fell it was the edge she fell onto, wall it about knee high on a adult, just seems like a silly thing to have in a school playground where hundreds of children are running/playing daily!

OP posts:

thebody · 01/04/2014 22:13

of course am so very sorry for your dd. I know how you feel totally but in our case the school were exemplary.

PoppySeed2014 · 01/04/2014 22:16

Sorry to hear about your daughter's accident. But unless I've misunderstood it sounds just that - an accident. Children can trip and hurt themselves anywhere. A wall made of paving slabs on their ends doesn't sound much more dangerous than any other type of wall tbh

BocaDeTrucha · 01/04/2014 22:16

That sounds horrendous. I think YANBU regarding how they dealt with the situation in the moment. However, I think YAB a bit U re stopping it happening again. I'm not quite sure how you can stop children from tripping into a wall, unless it's what they're tripping over which is the problem. A lot of the time accidents in school are just that, accidents, and there's very little you can do to avoid them.

hopelessadventure · 01/04/2014 22:16

Sounds like the school should have addressed the problem with the wall by now. When DS fell at school and cut his head open on a ridiculously placed, pointless, knee-high wall the school it was knocked down by the end of the week to prevent a repeat incident. He wasn't seriously hurt, just needed stitching up at a&e.

wonderingsoul · 01/04/2014 22:17

i would be more concered that they didnt call for an ambulance tbh. that is what i would be kicking up a stink most of all!

the wall second.

hope you dd is ok now?

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:18

Thebody should the school have contacted H&S and ofstead or was this something I should have done?

The head teacher spoke briefly to my boyfriend (who doesn't live with me/not known to school etc) that afternoon when I was still at hospital as he had to go pick up my other to children and head teacher just asked how she was, DP said he didn't know as hadn't heard anything yet as waiting for plastic surgeon and he said they would look into once incident and that it's only the second bad injury they have ever had from that wall!

I was never asked to sign accident book or anything and I was honestly hoping that it would be looked into as I did after speak to school about them making changes to wall!

OP posts:

Littlefish · 01/04/2014 22:22

Yes, you should have been asked to fill in, or at least be shown a RIDDOR form which is sent off to the local authority.

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:25

I do understand it was a accident and could of happened to any child, but the wall is just a accident waiting to happen, it really doesn't need to be there, I can just see more and more accidents like this happening especially as they decided to build a wall exactly the same other side of the playground for no reason at all!

Guess I just expected a little more from the school, at least looking into it H&S wise and seeing if they could change to safer alternative, all that seems to of happened is everytime kids have school trip/after school club etc since then all payment money I have sent in as been returned in a envelope stating the school pupil fund will be covering the cost!

OP posts:

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 01/04/2014 22:28

But surely she could have injured herself just the same if she had tripped up some steps?

Sounds awful, not dumbing it down in any way, but it really is just an accident. You couldn't have reasonably prevented it any more than you could prevent a child tripping over their own feet.

BetsyBoop · 01/04/2014 22:34

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's accident.

from HSE here
"What about accidents to pupils in a playground?
Most playground accidents due to collisions, slips,
trips and falls are not normally reportable. Incidents
are only reportable where the injury results in a pupil
either being killed or taken directly to a hospital for
treatment. Either is only reportable if they were caused
by an accident that happened from or in connection
with a work activity.
This includes incidents arising because:
?? the condition of the premises or equipment was
poor, eg badly maintained play equipment; or
?? the school had not provided adequate supervision,
eg where particular risks were identified, but no
action was taken to provide suitable supervision."

So I don't think the school needed to report this to the HSE?

I would suggest a meeting with the head to ask what they are intending to do (or may already have done) to reduce the risk of another accident now they have had two bad injuries.

WitchWay · 01/04/2014 22:35

I was rung at work about a head injury my 6yo DS had had, could I come immediately as they thought it might need stitches, so passed on some work to a colleague, rushed there to find DS with an enormous bandage all over his whole head but looking pretty well considering & rushing about in the schoolyard playing some game. Met by the nurse who took us to her room, where she tentatively undid the huge bandage to fine a tiny cut on his forehead that had stopped bleeding

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:39

Bestybop thanks for that!

I don't want to sue the school or anything just still find the whole thing terribly upsetting and traumatic, it was even worst for my little DC she is only 6, I honestly can't even describe her injuries she was unrecognisesble, what you would expect if muled by dogs! I just thought the school what if at least looked into the accident, wall ect rather than just trying to give me some freebies, almost makes me feel like they are trying to hide something

OP posts:

Nanny0gg · 01/04/2014 22:44

But surely she could have injured herself just the same if she had tripped up some steps?

But she didn't. She tripped over an unnecessary wall. Emphasis on unnecessary.

So it should be taken down. You don't leave a hazard in place after two serious accidents.

thebody · 01/04/2014 22:51

no op it's not you to report it as littiefish says the schools responsibility is to report it.

if you have concerns about the wall and nothing has been done you need to act.

Betsy all accidents/incidents have to be recorded by the school in an accident book. that's a legal requirement.

sounds to me like the HT is covering her arse and hoping this gets swept under the carpet.

it may be just an accidentor it may be preventable

either way it's not for the HT to decide as she's not qualified to.

write to the governors. they too are responsible.

if you arnt happy contact a solicitor.

health and safety are everyone's responsibility and in the light if the terrible news story today brushing this under the carpet and hoping the wall is ok isn't bloody good enough.

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:53

Wall is pretty unnecessary appears to only be there to divide 2 sept at okay areas, doesn't actually need to be there

OP posts:

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 22:53

separate 2 play areas

OP posts:

BetsyBoop · 01/04/2014 22:56

Yes thebody I know that, I was talking about whether or not the accident was reportable under RIDDOR.

thebody · 01/04/2014 22:58

yes Betsy I see that, apologies.

please do speak up op just incase it helps prevent another accident and also to support your dd.

mymatemax · 01/04/2014 23:00

any accident should be looked out to see if future similar incidents can be prevented.
But you say its a retaining wall, I assume it is serving a purpose then in retaining something?
Often accidents are just that, especially where children are running around.
My ds has a lovely scar all down one cheek after tripping and falling gashing his face on the bark of a tree as he fell.
Yes they could remove all the trees from the school grounds and lay cushioned floor but what a disproportionate response that would be.
Also a few yrs down the line the scarring is much less prominent.

Original poster

Mintymoomoo · 01/04/2014 23:01

The lunch time controller who saw accident happen and was the one to see to dd at first and take her though to first aid room was really shaken up and had to be sent home! as did some of the children in her class who were very scared who saw it!

The lunch controller was lovely in fact and got my address off another mum/friend and paid a visit to my house to see dd as she was off school for a long period and brought her a lovely get well gift, I was very thankful to her for looking after dd and sticking around till I could get to school, dd said she sat on her knee and she cuddled her the whole time

OP posts:

BetsyBoop · 01/04/2014 23:01

Wall is pretty unnecessary appears to only be there to divide 2 sept at okay areas, doesn't actually need to be there

That's why I suggested speaking to the head to find out what action they have/are taking. Once they can put down to an unfortunate accident, twice and a pattern of risk is emerging so they should be looking what they can do to reduce the risk. If you don't get any joy from the head I would contact the governor responsible for H&S (or the chair if you can't find out who the H&S governor is). - make sure it's in writing!

Joolsali · 01/04/2014 23:03

Hiya,
I'm a teacher and school Governor. You need to write an official complaint.these are always monitored by Ofsted.The response of school was unsatisfactory to an injury.
Do they have enough first aid trained staff? Is their training up-to-date? Why was your child left untreated for so long?
If school don't reply properly escalate your complaint to next level. (They all have complaint policies, some schools publish them online)
Ofsted count Safeguarding as a critically important issue in inspections. Complaints make accidents show up in school logs etc. Without complaining about the wall other children could be at risk.
Be confident in highlighting this issue. A good school is confident in self-review.

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