School not letting my child from the school

[Kutika]

I have read numerous discussions where people mention that schools cannot legally prevent a child from leaving, yet I find myself in this exact situation. The school is refusing to allow my child to leave, despite my clear instructions. I've sent an email, filed a complaint with the trust, and even contacted the police, but to my surprise, none of these actions have resolved the issue. I was told by the head teacher that the law does not apply to them. Any ideas on who to contact?

Quite.

And even more so how do MNers think they have more knowledge than the senior leader and safeguarding lead who has said the school can't do this?

And she won't even be alone as every other person will be wandering down the street - school kick out t8me is hardly quiet!

Could people please read Takwonko post. Who actually knows what she's talking about - rather than stating incorrect facts just to say the OP is wrong.

Of course people are exactly who they said they are online...

I agree that whilst you fight this is there a parent who would "collect" your child and walk them in the same direction as your house? I have often collected my friend's children, she can make it home but cannot make it to school for pick up, the 15 minute walk means she gets chance to get home. Not all jobs you can walk out on at precisely 2.45pm. Meetings and calls run over. She would ring the school office and they would release her child to me.

Schools if they have concerns contact social services, they do not do what OP's school has done. There is a safeguarding policy (a cut down version is on the school website) if you are in school and have done safeguarding training then there is a more detailed who it gets reported to and where it goes from there. Schools can only detain and override parents in only the most extreme circumstances.

Because the school has got a duty of care towards your child!
A majority of schools around where I live only slow children to walk home along in the last term of year 6!

One rule doesn’t fit all. Someone mentioned risk assessments, safeguarding, etc., and that’s exactly the issue we're forced to follow the same rules, whether they’re right or wrong. It’s ironic how the laws meant to protect our rights and uphold democracy don’t seem to apply in this situation.

Ok, it wouldn't be safe for some children to go alone. So someone picks them up or they use the after-school club. No big deal.

I kind of understand school has a general preference. The insane part is that the school feels entitled to ignore written instructions from parents. If the school doesn't like the instructions, they can call SS, but otherwise their duty is to release the child, not to take it as a hostage.

This is clearly a cultural difference. Where I’m from kids regularly cycle and walk to/from school unattended. It’s simply not a big deal. I am astounded by the schools approach to this.

Where does that end though? If they do it for OP they’ll have to allow everyone, whether they’re 300 yards or 3 miles away, and parents there or not. God forbid the school try to keep kids safe eh, how awful!

So what hapens in April, when the school say she will be allowed to walk home? Will they then have to allow everyone, whether they're 300 yards or 3 miles away?

Or a child who will develop independent thought and critical thinking skills. Blind obedience is not a trait I value personally.

That’s a little much. This rule is silly and it’s unclear to me why they call walk in April and not now.

I'm on the fence on this one. My dd's school has a policy that year 5 and 6 children can walk home alone with parental permission. Do they believe that there will be no one home? Has your child told them there's no one home when she arrives? It doesn't seem too much for your husband to pick her up if it's that close, even at work you're allowed a break. Perhaps the school are aware of a paedophile living nearby? It does seem a strange rule. I'm all for independence and children walking home alone (my elder two did in year 5 and 6, live too far away now and dd has SEND).

I escalated to the Trust who agreed it was ridiculous. The school backtracked but for my child only it seems. They are actively saying to the other y6 kids that it is not safe for them to walk home alone. These children are 10 with many turning 11 this autumn.

English schools are just mad.

Questioning the rules doesn't mean wilful disobedience for the sake of it.

You are fantasizing. This is about something simple - the right of a child to walk home, which she will be able to do in the spring. This is an arbitrary rule.

When did you start this ro with the school? You were told about the POLICY in Year R, so how long have you been fighting this battle? Have you spoken to any of the other parents about this? Maybe one of them would allow your DD to leave with them, if they are all walking the same way.

I was riding my bike a couple of miles to and from school when I was nine and much of it was on a very busy road. No one batted an eyelid - everyone was doing it, either by bike or on foot. I know this was a while ago but there does seem to be rather a lot of mollycoddling going on now.

Should we disregard the law and simply comply with directives from those who dictate what needs to be done, regardless of their validity? This is how we need to teach our kids.

This isn’t about rules though is it! Legally the right to decide when a child is ready to walk home lies (within reason) with the parent.

the primary school mine went to had the age as year 5 that is a sensible safeguard measure for the school to implement anything beyond that is going beyond their rights. Pre that I think it shoild
depend on the parent and the circumstances

here it is a perfectly sensible choice for them to walk home the school and for me it is not within the remit for the school to decide

Our school had a similar rule (I was a school governor).

In April children will be 6 months older, and at that age, 6 months can make a significant difference to maturity. But more importantly, from April onwards it’s lighter, so you’re not letting children walk home in dark, cold, wet/icy conditions. And as it’s a blanket rule, those children might be walking a considerable distance, not just up the road. There is logic behind the reason.

I don’t think k it’s unreasonable to have a blanket rule. The work involved in doing safeguarding checks on every request would be significant so it’s not unreasonable to have a blanket rule in place.

Also worth pointing out that some of the OP’s arguments on this thread have been contradictory- maybe the school has noticed that too and have concerns about the assurances being given…