Family think I'm bad for leaving child at school 10mins before door opens

[pointbla]

I take my year 4 child early 10 mins before the school doors open and leave him there. I have another child to take to another school. He's 9 , I see no problem with it , other children are there too. Also, I don't regularly do that just occasionally.
My family seem to think this is very bad and I am putting my child at risk as the kids mess about. AIBU?

I doubt the school would let them into the playground if there weren't some sort of supervision - it would invalidate their insurance.

I wouldn't bat an eyelid at this, OP.

School office worker here too. I understand the difficulty of needing to be in 2 places at once, but I agree with your family that you expose your child and the school to various risk factors for those few minutes daily.
There are solutions-pay for breakfast club/make a reciprocal arrangement with another parent/swap the drop off with your other child's school etc.
I'm always taking in 'stray' children and looking after them (often 1st aid needed from little accidents) before school opens in the office, but it is annoying and cheeky of these parents to be honest and hinders my workload.
That is of course my job inside school hours and I love it, but I have other tasks to do before school starts.

I think the senior side in our school must have insurance as some DC arrive at 8.30, doors open 8.50, they're from age 8 up.
The junior side it is strictly prohibited to leave a DC before 8.50.

Totally fine, my 9 year old has brief periods if being responsible for himself. As far as the 'what if he breaks his leg' brigade are concerned, if the child is sensible this is extremely unlikely. If they are the sort to behave dangerously then obviously they are not ready to be left. And if a child genuinely hurts themselves then anyone around (child or adult) should be able to get help in the same way you would if an old lady fell down in the street on her own. You are not responsible for her but I would hope most people have a sense of civic duty to help people who are hurt.

9 is absolutely fine. Don't worry.

I’m in Scotland. We don’t say year4, so I don’t automatically read that and think of school years. I see a 4 year old.

I’m in Scotland and am able to convert year 4 to primary 4

And if a child genuinely hurts themselves then anyone around (child or adult) should be able to get help in the same way you would if an old lady fell down in the street on her own.

Most people probably would help. But in the case of a child, the difference is that they would also be shouting, “Can someone get his mum/dad?” And they would be looking round for them. And in this case, the answer would be no.

If there is no teacher supervising, I think you are being irresponsible.

I'd say it depends on what the school say. If they are happy for children to make their own way in in Yr 4, that's fine. Ours didn't really allow it until yr 5. Also check at what time they are happy to have unaccompanied children in the playground. Basically, I don't think it is irresponsible per se, but the needs of all parties (including the school v. insurance company) have to be discussed and considered if he is on school property.

Depends on what the school thinks of it. If they’re happy and you’re confident he won’t do anything daft then fine. If the school doesn’t like it (eg for insurance reasons or because the teachers end up having to supervise in their non teaching time) then yabu.

I'm in Scotland and there's no supervision before or after school, it's never entered my head tbh. And the school in the next village doesn't allow parents into the playground at all. It's different everywhere I guess.

Where are all these schools where the playground can be accessed 24/7, because they aren't any of the ones near me. It's quite simple. If the school does not want unsupervised children on the playground before a certain time, then DON'T OPEN THE FUCKING GATES!

@Wantapony
Because other schools all do it differently. That's the set up in your school. You wouldn't be 'taking in strays' who are 10 mins early at our primary school as the SCHOOL encourages children to be early (reasonable 5-15 mins), waiting outside school, not supervised playground, and they encourage children to walk to/ from school with sensible independence. Different schools have different physical environments, expectations and arrangements

So if you were bringing into school building elearly DC that you decided were unsupervised outside wantapony at our school, that'd be 1/2 of 50-70+ children by 8:25am (10 mins early), 2/3 of 150+ children by 8:30am (5 mins early), and school KS2 door is only open 10 minutes here, closing at 8:45am- it's marked a late after then.

The Head teacher here would think you'd gone mad and weren't being safe at all !! (Same at our other local.schools)

OP isn't being irresponsible. She hasn't said anything that has warranted some of the narrow minded assumptions and berating of her parenting on here.

If the school does not want unsupervised children on the playground before a certain time, then DON'T OPEN THE FUCKING GATES!

Why can’t they just say, “You’re welcome to be in the playground (where it is safer than on the road) fifteen minutes before school starts, but children must be supervised”? Surely that is completely reasonable?

What if everybody did what the OP is doing?

I used to catch 2 buses to school with my 7-year-old sister at that age!

I don't see the problem.

I think fine age 9.

At our school in outskirts of London they supervise in the playground from 8.30 til the kids can go in between 8.45 and 8.55. Works really well. Parents can stay with the juniors or not as they choose until they go in. With te infants you have to stay in te playground until.doors open at 8.45 but there are also staff around.

I used to catch 2 buses to school with my 7-year-old sister at that age!

Me too! Well, one bus to school, but there was one night a week we went to an activity not at school We got ourselves there and then got the bus home after.

I was 9, my sister 7, same as you.

I also used to get trains for a 2 hour journey to see my grandparents. My DM would put me on the train at one end, my GPs would pick me up at the other.

10 minutes in the school playground is absolutely fine IMO. It'll teach a little independence.

More irresponsible to wrap our DC up in cotton wool by supervising their every minute so they never learn to take responsibility for themselves IMO.

That's fine. Hard to imagine why anyone should consider it a problem.

It's a sad reflection of how children live now that a 9 year old shouldn't be left a school playground with some friends for 10 minutes. Thirty years ago we'd be packed off for the day and told to be home in time for tea.

Why can’t they just say, “You’re welcome to be in the playground (where it is safer than on the road) fifteen minutes before school starts, but children must be supervised”? Surely that is completely reasonable?

Because, like it or not, you cannot entirely control other people's behaviour. You can ask, but unless you are prepared to police it you cannot force compliance. So if you really don't want it to happen, don't enable it.

What if everybody did what the OP is doing?

What if they did? Why shouldn't they?

I wouldn't allow my kids to play in the street either, they're not feral!

Another Mumsnet gem. Feral? Just because they play outside? My kids play outside with other kids in the street. There's about 15 kids of all ages, it's brilliant. We can see them all from our windows, they're perfectly safe. Where on earth did you come up with the equation that kids playing outside = feral children?

What if everybody did what the OP is doing?

At some of the schools I have worked in this is exactly what happens. Children in KS2 are left unsupervised on the playground until the doors are opened. Some might have an adult with them but the majority do not as they walk to school with their peers. Staff are not out supervising them and yet somehow they all survive. On the odd occasion one injures themselves they come into the classroom and receive first aid which would happen even if their parent was with them.

What a load of hysterica!!!

It's the school playground full of parents, and staff just moments away. Not a crack den.

9 years old is perfectly fine to be left for 10 minutes before the doors open.

What about kids who walk to school alone?

I’m in Scotland and am able to convert year 4 to primary 4

Year 4 in England and Wales is equivalent to P5 in the Scottish system.

www.theschoolrun.com/overview-scottish-education-system

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone

That is in agreement with the school. That’s not what I am talking about.

What if everybody did what the OP is doing?

It would not be a problem as 9 years olds are able to be left unsupervised for 10 mins before school. Honestly, what a fuss about nothing - I am surprised some posters dare to leave the house for fear someone breaks a leg in front of them.