To say if not found the SCHOOL should replace it?

[Arrowfanatic]

Day one of school today. My year one son came out of school crying as his book bag has gone missing. This book bag is an expensive one issued by the school, I cannot afford to replace it.

He had it in school, the teachers were very half hearted about it. Suggested another child took it home, but since there were no bags in the classroom left over this child would presumably have left with 2 bags.

I told the teacher if it wasn't found tomorrow I would expect the school to replace it. The way I see it the bag was sent in to school, I have no control on how the bags are stored in school so why should I have to replace what is an expensive item when it's not my fault & a 5 year old who goes to get his back from the storage & find it missing is also not to blame.

If the system has changed from individual responsibility in trays to free-for-all-bunfight in a group box, then I personally think YANBU. That's a damned expensive bag, mind.

I'm not sure why book bags in a tray all together is being blamed. That is a very normal strategy as it makes it easier and quicker for a staff member to check for letters and change books.

OP I am with you 100%. The school should provide a replacement if they can't find it.

I love the comments on this thread about the book bag/ other poster's son's blazer indicating that they must be private school items. What's the inference? That parents of kids at private school start their home fires with used fifties at night so caning money on replacement uniform every 5 minutes is totally fine?!?

Erm no. Because kids lose stuff . It happens .

If you send you kids to an expensive school with expensive uniform, you need to factor in the cost of replacing lost stuff.

That's life . The Op is in for a very stressful 13 or so years if she doesn't understand this now .

book bags go in their drawers here, their book and reading diary go in the box.

Why the hell anyone would want 30+ identical book bags in a box where people can steal them is beyond me.

And i hate this attitude that theft is normal in school, it fucking shouldn't be!

Why are people saying that because their book bag cost a fiver that the OPs couldn't cost £30? What kind of logic is that?

I'd be very annoyed too if this happened to me, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that you can't afford to replace it and will use something else in the meantime. You haven't mentioned if the school has any kind of facebook page or parents group, ime these are pretty effective at finding lost items

Arrow, do you mean a backpack/rucksack? Most primary school children are not allowed to use one as it takes up too much room but secondary school pupils need them as they have no storage. I've just bought yet another one for my son in year 12- 30 quid is not unreasonable. It will last barely the year, though.

We need a picture!

....plus - I think the OP was riled by the teacher's attitude. The "Oh, it'll turn up - kids lose things, you know" is bloody irritating. On the other hand, my DD's reception teacher would say "I'm sorry that DD's bag has gone missing. I know it's very inconvenient. I'll make a note to ask all the other children to check tomorrow that they haven't got it". It really doesn't take all that much effort on her part in terms of time, but makes a huge difference to how you feel about it, I think.

Two minutes before the end of the day they may have all their belongings. In those remaining 120 seconds book bags can be left on tables ,dropped in the playground or swopped with best friends . They normally turn up again.

And just for the benefit of all who are in doubt: your child's property is NOT 'in the care of the school'. It is in the care of your child. Teachers do not have time to parent your children as you would, checking 30 of them every time anything is put in or removed from a drawer. Sadly, children are liable to lose things and this is just the reality of parenting.

Why the hell anyone would want 30+ identical book bags in a box where people can steal them is beyond me

Because book bags can be bulky.
Because when reading, it's easy to go through the pile.
Because not every school has individual drawers?
Because if a child wanted to steal one, they can go into a drawer and take it?

Ego , have actually been there and got the t-shirt re the 30 kids and hometime and I was 16 ! No it isn't easy , yes every 5yr old on the planet will swear blind they put their coat on their peg and not on the floor , squished behind benches /boxes / other assorted school detrius , actually make that every year group , lets not be ageist

I really do appreciate that it is a nightmare , like herding cats , but it can be done !

It's highly unlikely to have been stolen tnough. More likely it's been misplaced or taken home by the wrong child by mistake.

Ds has come home with an extra jumper before now - I have taken it back to school the next day. Actually tonight he has some how managed to bring home his own reading book and another Child's!

His teacher just sort of shrugged, pointed to the box she had moved it too and said "I put it in there and when he went to get it, it had disappeared. It'll turn up, another child probably went home with two" and walked off. My son was sobbing as I had instilled in him to take care of it as it was expensive so he was upset . I spent 10 minutes searching for it myself to no avail whilst the teacher sat at her desk before I couldn't wait any longer and had to leave to collect other children.

Everyone saying stuff goes missing yes I get that, I've been in the "school system for a while" but this is a big bag and all other teachers keep them in the kids drawers, this one moved it from my son's drawer where he said he put it and she indicated to when saying she moved it to the box. How does it just "disappear". I hope another parent has it and will return it, I really do I just can't see how it's gone missing if it went from his hands, to his drawers, to the teachers hands and into a box. There were no bags left so if someone took it they must have 2.

I guess I'm frustrated as the teacher was so blasé about it but it's a big deal to me (expensive ) and my son was upset and she didn't even offer to help me look. So after I'd had run out of time to search that's when I said that if it didn't show up I would expect the school to replace it. I'm sure they have the ability to afford it more than I do this month.

If the school weren't so strict I wouldn't worry and I'd get another cheaper one, but I would then worry about my 5 year old being the odd kid in school until such time as I can afford to replace the fancy one. I was bullied horrifically in primary and I'm terribly upset that he will be the odd one out, he's such a sensitive soul he'll know he's got something different.

£30?!?!? Is this a state school?

It's highly unlikely to have been stolen tnough. More likely it's been misplaced or taken home by the wrong child by mistake

This - and telling the teacher that 'school will need to pay for it' - whilst understandable given the £30 cost - is not exactly a relationship builder. I can see why you're upset because it is a lot of money but maybe that was not the best approach to take.

You seriously made a threat like that to the person looking after your 5 year old?

I think hats off to the best start of a great partnership!

but I would then worry about my 5 year old being the odd kid in school

This is why it can be so stressful for the child/parent concerned - and a bit of understanding from the teacher about that goes a long way.....

YABVU
The school teacher's job is NOT to keep track of 30 book bags!!

Arrow, do you mean a backpack/rucksack? Most primary school children are not allowed to use one as it takes up too much room but secondary school pupils need them as they have no storage

All my primary children use a rucksack.

Our high school has lockers for the pupils to store their books/ jackets/ PE kit. It's bad for their backs to carry it around all day .

It isn't bleeding rocket science to get 30 5yr olds to be ready at the end of the day with their own belongings , especially if they are labelled with their flipping names on it.

We play this game every day in my class. I send the children to fetch their belongings from their pegs. They put them on their tables. The parents arrive. The children go home. I put the belongings back on the pegs.

Is Sirzy's DS in your DS's class, OP? If so, problem solved.

I'd bet good money that the bag will turn up.
They are 5, kids loose stuff, and usually it turns up again.

That is a ridiculously expensive bag though for kids barely out of nursery, silly really. I've known to have handbags that cost less than that

but this is a big bag

So it's going to have been misplaced or someone will have accidentally taken it.

The teacher will probably have had loads of things to do after school and has the experience to know that it will turn up - especially if it's a big bag.

If not - I'm sure they can find a replacement bag in lost property from someone else to give you.