We live quite rurally and about a third of the children at our secondary school get dropped off by car in a morning (around 450), the rest either walk as they live locally or get the bus. So many get dropped off because the bus from the villages in one direction would need them at the bus stop for 6.45 and at school at 7.30. Next bus is 2 hours later.
Less get picked up as there is a well timed bus that goes to many of the villages.
There isn't a car park at the school, just a circular drive through area and everyone drives in, stops at the kerb for a moment to let the children out and then goes on their way. There is room for about 10 cars at a time and since people space their arrivals over about 30 minutes, it works.
First couple of days of term, we always get a glut of new year 7 parents who wait to see their child go through the school doors before they drive off but we've all been there and had that "oh it's big school" moment so nobody minds and by the second week it's back to normal.
This year however, we have a group of 8 or 9 year 7 parents parking their cars in the drop off area and walking their child to the gate then making them wait until the others turn up. They then send all the children through the gate together and stand watching until they get through the doors.
The children look embarrassed and some of them try to go straight in but the parents won't let them. In the meantime, over half of the spaces for people to drop off children are taken up by these parents.
School have sent texts and a letter out telling people they can't park there but to no avail.
Aibu to think that it's over a month into the term, it's time these parents loosened the apron strings.