School remaining open during polling

[MrBuckler]

My children attend a small, single form entry primary school that is being used as a polling station on July 4th, but the school is to remain open whilst polling is going on. The information we've had from the school is that the yr 6s will be out for the day doing a settle at the local high school, so their classroom is being used for the polling stations. There is an entry way into the school which makes it easier to access the year 6 classroom, but you can also gain access to the rest of the school via that entry way. The school is pretty open with no secure gates to stop people accessing the playground down the sides of the school, and it's not possible to block the year 6 class room off entirely independently. From the research myself and other parents have done the catchment for registered voters who will use that polling station is about 1500 people, and we've also learnt that the people sent from the council to run the polling stations won't be DBS checked. The head won't reply to any parents questions, queries, and concerns, and has so far refused to share the risk assessment. The head won't take an inset day from the end of the year because people may have booked holidays and it will mess up his attendance record.

Aibu to think that this isn't a safe situation and that the school should close? Would I be unreasonable to keep my kids off school that day? Wwyd?

I'm posting here for traffic and I've name changed as it might be outing.

Our local school never closes for polling. The voters go in a side entrance to the gym and never set foot on the actual class areas. That door is firmly locked.

Children aren't going to be unsupervised in the voting area. Is that what you're concerned about? Or is it more that a "bad person with a weapon" might gain access via the polling station classroom and then rampage around the school? Because schools aren't Fort Knox - if a person with a weapon wanted to barge into a classroom where kids are with teachers, they could do that by walking in through reception, the school receptionist isn't going to be in any greater position to stop them than the polling station staff would be.

They will have carried out a risk assessment which you can if you want ask to see. Lots of schools do this. I think you are worrying too much about it.

Massive over reaction!

What do you think will happen?

Sounds fine and I can’t believe how dramatic/OTT you’re being to be honest. I’m sure the Head and staff know how to run these things far better than you. Honestly, I don’t know how some people get through the day when they panic at every little scenario.

This is a massive overreaction. Leave the headteacher alone, OP.

Such drama 🤣 you and other parents have been "conducting research"? Jesus wept, I bet the head is tearing her hair out

Total non issue, what exactly are you worried about? So you think the teachers will be letting the children run around unsupervised in the voting area or inviting random voters into lessons?

Or are you thinking the head hasn't realized what's happening?

I think the worrying thing here is the head refusing to share the risk assessment. Did you put that request in writing op?

Any access to the main school through a door will likely be blocked on both sides so no child can wander in or adult wander out. As a retired teacher this was frequently the situation that we had and there was never a problem. All school staff will be on extra alert for the day. What are working parents to do, it’s now short notice?

I am not sure what your concern is. Access to playground? You think one of the voters may want to break in and kick a ball with your child? Why would they? Kidnap a kid or two? Why would they?
Staff running polling station does not need to be DBS checked, they are not going to be left unsupervised with the kids. Are you DBs checked? No? Do you think school should forbid you from entering the premises then?
"Research" that you and other parents are doing, does it include research into statistics of offences committed against children in similar circumstances? Didn't think so.

I've worked in polling stations in a couple of schools now, neither have closed for the day.
In my experience, we (the polling station staff) do not have access to the rest of the school. The room chosen for it will be somewhere that can be closed off from the rest of the school easily. Most recently, we were in a music studio with an exterior door for voters to enter, and the interior door was locked all day.
There was a debate about the gate to the school grounds, school initially wanted to keep it locked and open it for each voter, but they ended up keeping it open once they realised that this was unworkable. They were happy that they could see the route from the gate to the polling station from the school office.
I'm sure that school could reassure you, as they will have considered the safety aspects, but it is a very common scenario.

Good! If it was closed, you'd be on here moaning! Damned if they do, etc....

Unfortunately I don't trust the head teacher. He doesn't respond to emails, or queries and even though the risk assesment has been asked for, it hasn't been shared. We've had to look into it ourselves because we have had no response to requests for information from the school.

It's not the same thing as parents evening where either the kids aren't present, or they are under the care and supervision of their own parents. Same with summer fairs, they are with their own parents. This school has form for slap dash safeguarding. Earlier this year they released a 5 year old child at the end of the day when there was no parent there to collect them, and the child set off for home only accompanied by an 8 year old older sibling. Sadly this does create a lack of trust in the school, and I don't have any faith that they will properly safeguard the kids.

You've made some good points here though and given me things to think about, so thanks for that.

What do you think might happen? It’s only in recent years (since Dunblane?) that schools have become fortresses.

I think it’s about time they stopped using schools for this. Use libraries, community centres , church halls or set up temp voting stands. People can vote by post as well so it’s really unecessary to use schools

If you mistrust the school so much, why do you still send your children there? Its illogical.

My daughters primary school (she is at secondary now) is the village polling station and always remained open. It's interesting how different people react to that, husband and I thought it was excellent that it stayed open meaning children were not missing a day of school. You may want to reflect op that there will be children for whom being in school on that day with what you consider risks is a lot less risky than being left at home with their "caregivers".

My kids from the age of around 9 tended to wander around the school fayres with their friends. I never for one minute thought they were in any danger. I was there too but was ditched from pretty much the moment we arrived!

From your update, it seems there may be some 'activist parents' at your school. I would try and think broader and consider there may be another quieter group of parents are grateful that they don't need to book time off work, there might be other parents who are pleased their kids can access a free school lunch, SEN parents who are pleased their kids routines are beung maintained etc.

If you truly don't have trust in school, have a look around for another one.

My approach to managing the relationship with the school is that I don't get involved in any politics and anything that doesn't directly affect my child. IE I choose my battles.

This works for me. My child has SEN, and there are certain times it has been helpful to have the school on my side. I don't know if I would have achieved this if I had been emailing head teachers asking for risk assessments.

The only thing I'd like to add is, demand a F2F appointment and demand to see the risk assessment

Good luck!!

Honestly I think you are overthinking it.
My DS school has been used for local elections recently. They relocated students that needed to be (breakfast club and afterschool club) and locked interlinking doors (changing fire escape routes where needed temporarily). Staff manned the areas that needed to be watched at all time. It was all fine and noone really noticed a different and everyone was safe.

I've been a poll clerk in a school that has remained otherwise open. The voters will have to go in an entrance and exit that keeps them separate from the children. I had to request for the caretaker or a member of school staff to walk me to the staff toilets every time I needed the bathroom or kitchen facilities whilst the school was open. One things councils do well and are very experienced at is running elections and they would not be using this school if they had not done the relevant checks and made sure pupils and voters are kept apart. You honestly do not need to worry.

My previous address the local polling station was the primary school. It was either in a hall or a little room. Both had direct access from outside and there was no access to the rest of the school.

OP you are overthinking this.

You're being daft. Much more sensible than closing for the day and inconveniencing hundreds of working parents.