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?

Do you assume every single mother in the country is just twiddling her thumbs at home waiting for her child to come home from school? Women can't possibly work and have children can we?

If the school won't budge, your husband will have to ask if he can change his working hours.

Could he ask if he can have a shorter lunch break, so he can run round the school at pick up time?

I disagree with others saying your 14 year old should do it, that would mean they couldn't do any after school activities if they wanted to.

My daughter's First School encouraged them to walk to and from school by Easter of Year 3, if they wanted to. In Y4, she went and left by herself, although I collected her during Y3. They had to be happy with it and I had to write a letter for her, saying so.

Nope, this is what I am saying. This is why I have started a new tread maybe someone knows the Legal bodies so that I can escalate the matter.

This is MN!

Work simply fits around one's other tasks, dahling...

Paying the bills is also the OP's responsibility.

Why can't a nine year old leave school alone?

Have you ever met a 9 year old child?

@Fluufer do you really need to ask that? In this day and age? About to come into winter when it'll be dark all the time?

Where the hell do you live in England it is so dangerous for a 9 year old to walk 300yards down the street on their own?

(sorry got unit of measurement wrong.)

I don't disagree.

I'm just saying it's not as simple as just blocking out meetings.

I have to agree with you I am working during that time.

They're being absolutely ridiculous. 9 year olds are more than capable of walking 300 yards home.

@MonicaWalkaway

i don't know, I'm torn between
a) Attention seeking

b) stressed & don't think about context, just want answer.

i hope for b, but so often its a, with only the original post.

If they have a policy then it’s not unreasonable to apply that, whether or not you knew about it.

At my kids’ school kids can walk home in years 5/6 but you must tell the office in advance- I assume this gives the school a chance to ask questions.

The mature thing to do here would be to collect your daughter and then email school setting out what you want to happen and why (assuming the school have a policy they should be prepared to deviate from it in certain circumstances). Not enter battle with them- you’ve got 2 years left and I very much doubt anyone really wants to kidnap your daughter or make things difficult for you, it’s just that there appears to be a policy and it may need someone senior, in full knowledge of the facts, to make a final judgement.

How distressing for your 9 year old to be going through this at every pick up just to prove a point. For the sake of 300 yards and max 10 minutes I’d pick my child up. You must of managed before, you just need to manage for a few more months!

This has nothing to do with bills its about a child walking home from school.

Seems an awful lot of fuss when they’ve only got to be picked up for a few months and there are adults or older sibling who are available.. Certainly wouldn’t want them in ASC and either needcto pay or take them to the small claims court. Presumably someone picks them up from ASC. Seems very bloodyminded frankly.

I have an 8yo who walks further than that alone. What specific concerns are there on a short walk, in the daytime, with no roads to cross? What about a 10 year old? 11 year old? Is there a hard line when they're suddenly completely safe?

@Reugny seeing the state of the uk today there is no chance a child that young should be walking home alone!!

There's always one MNetter who'd be walking their child to Uni if they had their way! 🤣🤣

What did you do for pick ups prior to this school year. As a PP said, for your own sanity, might it be easier to just carry that on for the final 7 months before school will let her go alone? It sounds very stressful.

No, it's not always possible to block it off. The issue is not about the work. The issue is about the school not allowing the child to walk home.

This is all just so much hassle - official complaints to the trust, the DoE, threats of small claims court... when between them, and likely the DH, could rearrange things to just collect the child.

They will allow it though, they just ask that you wait until April. Presumably before now you've either collected or used ASC so just do that until April. It seems like such an odd hill to die on.