Complaining to a school about their students dropping litter in our garden?

[Ivy40]

There are a group of school girls who walk home along our road and drop litter outside our front gate, half of which gets blown into our garden. We live fairly near a newsagent and I think they go there to buy snacks and then throw the wrappers on our road. Elderly neighbour next door is very garden proud and is upset about it too.

I’ve emailed the school (they are in uniform) given them a description of the girls, said which road it is (but not the exact house) and asked them to ask the girls to stop doing this or if they can’t maybe ask the students to be more considerate and not drop litter.

I haven’t had a response yet. DP thinks I’m being harsh, as I said if the school won’t do anything I’ll contact the council.

What’s harsh about that? They need to learn to behave. I hope the school helps!

What do you expect the school to do about something which takes place off their premises and out of school hours? Not even sure what you think the council might do...

PS I’d probably speak to them myself too.

@jojoSM2

Thanks. It’s a group of 5, sometimes a few more girls aged 15/16. I’m not convinced that speaking to them myself would go down well. I thought if it came from a teacher they might listen.

@cardibach

I live in Manchester, the council has litter wardens who issue in the spot fines if they see people dropping litter.

Also, I had assumed that the school would want their students to behave properly, when out in the local area wearing their school uniform. Particularly when they are on their way to and from school.

Ivy I’m sure the school would love that. Not entirely sure what powers you think they have to enforce it though. Good about the litter wardens though.

We get this sometimes - all students do get told, but you might not get a reply. Just because you haven't received a reply doesn't mean students won't have been told!

Not at all harsh. At our school we were told that whilst we still wore the uniform we were representing the school and poor behaviour would be treated accordingly. This sort of thing would have been clamped down on quickly, as it should be.

If they are in uniform they represent the school and are expected to behave properly, it doesn’t matter whether it’s out of school hours.
A complaint was once made about my children’s school pupils when in the town. At the next assembly all the students were told how they must behave in a respectful manner at all times, and when in uniform they are ambassadors of the school.
Chase up the school about your complaint.

Teacher here. Our head would definitely want to know if this was happening and would happily issue punishment for this. AFAIK it doesn't matter that it wasn't on school premises, especially if they are in uniform. The head has a vested interest in maintaining good relations with the local community! Don't blame you for not wanting to talk to them yourself though hahaha!

@cardibach
I think the litter wardens are quite new, I think it’s great.

I’m not sure that the school would be able to enforce it but surely they can talk to the kids at assembly and remind them that they shouldn’t drop litter? They are ambassadors for the school when in uniform etc Or don’t schools think like that anymore?

It’s a shame you don’t have cctv, you could’ve sent pics.
Absolutely unacceptable to throw litter anywhere.

It was always drummed into us at school that while we were wearing our uniforms we were representing our school and should behave accordingly otherwise we could be punished by the school for bad behaviour outside of the grounds.

Not sure if that's actually true or they just said that to scare us into behaving...

Well yes, the school can express their disappointment, request that it doesn't happen again, explain the consequences if the litter wardens catch them. But they can't make them stop!

Tbh, if the school are able to work out who the girls out with certainty, they should let their parents know.

It really isn't that schools don't think like that anymore and much more that the kids and their parents don't give a shit. I left for a home visit today as students were being dropped off (late may I add) and I saw a Starbucks cup fly out of a window.

If we had an email we would of course remind them that they are ambassadors of the school but very few would listen sadly.

@Longdistance

We have a CCTV camera that doesn’t work, along with a sign that says you are being monitored by CCTV. We’ve put off getting it fixed but I’ve said to DP that I’m going to get it fixed if the littering continues, so that I can send pics into the school (and council if necessary). DP thinks I’m overreacting. It’s annoying me though, absolutely no need for it. I got home from work tonight and swept my front drive, my neighbour’s front drive and the path outside both our houses. I collected 8 bits of litter. Why should I have to put these girls litter in the bin for them!

Ivy I’m sure they would speak to them. But if a look at them makes you think they wouldn’t listen to you, I expect they wouldn’t listen in school either. The fact is they know very well there is nothing the school can actually do. Chances are their parents wouldn’t cooperate with any punishment. I’m a teacher if 30 years who has just thrown in the towel. It’s not doable anymore. Low level disruption and defiance are making teaching untenable. It’s one of the reasons there is a recruitment crisis. You may get lucky and they may be some of the kids who do listen, but chances are that if they are frequent litter droppers they don’t have much respect for authority. Everyone knows you aren’t supposed to drop litter, it’s antisocial and, in this case, punishable by a fine. These girls don’t care, and a teacher speaking to them will make no difference.

@MaryBerrysBomberJacket

I understand what you are saying. Culturally it seems more acceptable to drop litter these days and I don’t know why.

@cardibach

Sorry to hear that, what do you think is causing the low level disruption and defiance?

Don't speak to them yourself.
Email the school again, or, call the school.

I find that talking to them with either make them get shitty, or they'll come with their mates later.
I know that sounds awful... but let the school deal with it.

Your dp thinks is harsh, it's teaching people respect: they wouldn't like someone to come and drop rubbish in their rooms/houses.

Call the school if you hear nothing by the end of the week

Thanks to all the teachers commenting too.

I feel less harsh now!

cardibach, most schools have rules governing pupils’ behaviour whilst in school uniform, and DfE guidance confirms that they can.

Have you tried speaking to them?
I remonstrated with two(male) litter droppers near where I live, half-expecting a surly response, but they were so surprised , I think, that they mumbled "Sorry Miss", picked it up and looked for a bin!
(Actually, what I said, as pleasantly as I could, was, "Would it have hurt to hang on to that litter until you found a bin?" We are uncomfortably close to a purveyor of fried chicken.)
But although retired, I suspect I still have a slight air of battleaxe about me......

@twoshedsjackson

I haven’t as, like @GinIsHappiness said above, I’m concerned that they would come back later and chuck a brick through the window.

I need to develop an air of battleaxe!