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?

I think you're either going to have to give in and collect her until April, or refuse to collect/even at the end of after school club. It'll force their hand one way or the other. - they're not going to keep her overnight, if they call the police "because no ones collected her and they don't know what to do" - for one the response time will likely be hours, secondly the police will be very unimpressed with both the school/yourself that they've become involved.... again I doubt much will come of it. I wouldn't be surprised if its a poor teacher that ends up bringing them home - (a teacher who likely doesn't care whether your daughter walks home alone or not they just need it to be signed off by the senior leadership team because it's not in line with school policy)

This is the reason that they don't want to make any agreement or find mutual understanding. It was proposed to them to find a mutual agreement but it seems for some reason they are refusing all the proposals.

I still have absolutely no idea why, if you or your DH is WFH, you can't leave the house for 5 minutes to pick up your child.

@Kutika because if they make an exception for you, where do they stop?

Just move on.

The world has gone mad and common sense has gone out the window. A nearly 10 year old child can’t walk a short distance home??! Madness. Is it any wonder this generation are growing up so anxious?

Most schools get round it because parents don't leave a written trail.

So the exception is made for that kid and a few others but no-one else.

Some of the responses here are very odd! It is absolutely normal for a year five child to be allowed to leave school alone with parental permission. I’d want to win too if I were the OP! The school has no legal right to keep the child and OP is being made out to be the villain here. It’s very clear the school are out of order.

This is fucking bonkers. Just sort out collecting your child.

Police, DfE. As my kids would say 'are you having a giggle?!'.

But that’s specific to you.

If they allow you to, they would have to allow everyone.
What about kids were distance is not minimal?

It’s not one rule for you, and another for everyone else.

Yes come on, no one here is saying that a school would have to let a 4 year old walk home on their own. Decisions about safety are quite subjective and the school has to set the bar where it seems appropriate. The school will be making thousands of similar decisions in a day. Clearly a school/ headteacher is perfectly within its rights to set rules about this sort of thing and parents either have to follow them or engage properly with the school in advance to say why they think an exception should be made in their case.

All at the expense of your relationship with the school which is now in absolute tatters.

The school could have just used a bit of common sense and asked OP to write a letter in stating she has request dd walk the 300m home no roads to cross etc. But they've dug their heels in and to boot refuse to show the police they are quoting?

@Reugny and then a parent noticed and asks why their little darling can't walk home when it's only 500 yards, or there's only one road to cross blah blah

It's a huge safeguarding risk and they're doing what they need to do to keep the children safe.

It’s not a matter of ‘winning’. Why should the OP or her husband have to disrupt their working day for something so unnecessary? There is no neglect here, the child is more than capable of walking home alone.

Our school allows children to walk home from year 5 too. I think you just need to give permission through email or similar.

They would love for me to stop. Maybe this is why they have never shown me a policy.

My daughter, now 19, went to middle school on the school bus from the beginning of year 5 (3 tier where we are). We live in a small village and the school was a few miles away in the next town from us. She walked to and from the bus stop. When summer term began in year 4 at lower school, the children were encouraged to walk home without their parents to prepare them for middle school. I don't see the problem.

I would put in writing you won't be paying for ASC as you are happy for your child to walk home and it's the schools choice to place her there. You haven't entered into a contract with ASC. They are being ridiculous.

If you want some free proper legal advice Coram Child Law Advice have an education line you can ring/email. They may be able to assist.

So, how many stranger kidnappings does the UK have each year? Based on this thread, it seems like it’s a 33% chance.

You haven't answered the question as to why your DH can't collect her if he is arriving home at the same time.

But when did you make these proposals? Was it last term? Well in advance of your DC starting back this year? Or was it this evening only after school had said she couldn’t do it?

It may need looking at by the head teacher or even a governor who would need time to consider it.

They would have to consider it properly but not in the space of an evening.

There's no adult at home

Are you reading another thread? The OP has already stated she's at work, her DH WFH but can't just leave his work to pick her up and her older child would also be home from school shortly.

Most sensible schools send out a form in year five/six asking for parental permission to walk home alone. Again, not quite sure how qualified the head at this school is. Absolutely standard.