To think the school could do more to accommodate working parents

[Eastie77Returns]

By working I mean parents who do so out of the home (don’t want this to turn into a SAH/ working parents debate, I know all parents do work of some nature)

DD is going on a residential trip next week. Parents are asked to drop children off at the venue at 12.30 and collect them at the end of the residential “sometime between 12 and 3pm, we will let you know what time exactly on the day”

It’s pure bad luck that I have all day work meetings/training on both days. The residential venue is a short walk from the school and a number of teachers will be going from the school to the venue mid morning. I spoke with some parents who are also a bit stuck due to work commitments and we collectively e-mailed and asked if our children could be dropped of at school in the morning and then walk with the teachers to the venue. We were told no (no reason given). We asked if we could get some clarity around pick up time on the final day as 12 - 3 is quite a window of time and were told no as it depends on the weather and if the children do an outdoor activity on that day or not. We are to keep our phones on and look out for a text from the school. The school also often schedules meetings at 3.45 for example and there are other instances where they have organised events mid morning/afternoon.

I am very lucky to work for a flexible employer and I will somehow have to adjust my work schedule but some parents I spoke to work in retail, medical settings etc and do not have that option. AIBU to think the school could do more to take into account there are parents who cannot just start work in the middle of the day or up and leave at short notice to pick up their child?

Not sure why you think kids at a school are grown men and women?

Why not just take a day's leave? That would seem reasonable. That is what I have done in the past

Completely agree. I’m a SAHM and there’s 3 other families on the street with children the same age as ours. I will happily take them to school/ pick up for stuff like this because I honestly don’t see how working parents can do it and if I’m going there anyway it makes no difference to me! Is there anyone you can ask to help out?

Completely agree. I’m a SAHM and there’s 3 other families on the street with children the same age as ours. I will happily take them to school/ pick up for stuff like this because I honestly don’t see how working parents can do it and if I’m going there anyway it makes no difference to me! Is there anyone you can ask to help out?

Ask for other parents to help out. And try to help other parents too (eg sleepovers, having them over for the day to play when you're off work, taking a friend along when you go swimming etc)
Building up some relationships will mean you have support, it's quite essential when you don't have family as babysitters and work full time or not flexible hours.

I’m not sure what you mean by ‘Schools Cannot Be Criticised’, they’re always criticised. All the time. Doesn’t matter how hard people work, however many hours unpaid are put in, it’s never good enough but that’s not what this thread is about so I shall get off my high horse about that.

You might have only sent one email but if every family in the year group sent one email. That’s a lot of people sending emails. The along of time staff spend answering emails is quite ridiculous.
But not being slagged off on WhatsApp does make a nice change!

It’s been interesting to hear about people’s experiences with secondary schools and sixth form and safeguarding. I’m primary which is obvs very different in many ways (and very similar in others)

Is that usually necessary for secondary aged kids though? Could understand how that would work if they were 7

If they are year 13 they are legally adults once they are 18. In my daughter's case that's a week after she started that year

I agree with not further replying to the Head of Year. Also no slagging off or criticism on social media.

Simplest answer is to say your child cannot go on the residential and will arrive at school and be collected at normal times.

A complaint to the governors should follow. Ask about the risk assessment policy, also how they consider that there are people in jobs where they are not allowed to have their phones on them during the working day.

The kids on this trip are 11/12.

But another poster has said that even the 6th formers need permission to take themselves home as " safeguarding"

And the majority of 11 and 12 year olds do ( or should) be making their own way to land from school anyway. So why it's suddenly more dangerous to walk 10 mins from the school to the venue I do not know

Schools and colleges come under different bits of DfES. The rules are different.

So it's not a LAW then. ? Are the same 16-18 year old considered more mature in college than the ones in school?

This is a bit like phased starts in reception and 1.30 finishes at the end of term.

What you do is you point they are required to educate your child for 6.5 hours on a term time day and ask them whether they would rather you drop and collect from school at 8.45, or the venue. Likewise at 3.15.

Schools do this when parents put up with it. They are not allowed to. Do not let them.

Oh and at our school the old "ask a parent who is free to help" would not work given there is just ONE sahp in a class of thirty.

At our school they would walk, they would repurpose TAs as additional adults & the head would also go as an adult.

Rather than the generation who complain schools don't do enough to help working parents

So the 6th formers are walking to the venue and not the 11/12 year olds? I'm confused?

To an extent I would say yes, in year 7 they're not exactly completely independent, especially if they do any clubs or activities or want to join in going to the cinema or shops or activities with friends when the parent is working during holidays.
Even small things like if it's pouring down rain on the walk to school, or they have a large homework project to carry in, it's useful to have a network of support to some extent.

@Eastie77Returns you are absolutely not being unreasonable and this is a deranged way to plan a trip and I expect a lot of parents will just plan to pick up the children at three whatever the text says, as it's wildly unreasonable for them to leave the pick up time so vague.

2 different schools. Generally conversations evolve

Oh I see. Was never a " thing" with mine at that sort of age. Walked themselves to guides and cadets etc. didn't got to cinema or shopping with friends at that age.

Would the (not serious, but the logical extension of this) alternative be to say that in the circs DC will now not be able to attend the residential? So the school will need to provide them with normal lessons in school all week.

What I’m taking from this thread is that some parts of the teaching profession have completely lost perspective on what is healthy or sensible or reasonable regarding safeguarding. Demanding 18 year olds be picked up by a parent is obviously absurd (and not legally required, regardless of what some LA safeguarding person may say). Demanding 11 year olds who normally walk to school be picked up from a venue ten mins walk away isn’t quite so absurd, but still probably unreasonable.

I realise individual teachers are in a difficult situation and have to follow their school’s rules. But those rules in many cases have lost all contact with common sense. Teachers and parents should both be pointing this out, vocally.

But no one does. Neither staff, parents or 6th formers are remotely bothered by it.

The thing is, after 3 days without going home and having been looked after for free, without any additional remuneration for qualified staff, they've more then had their required education...

Show them you won't 'put up with' enrichment activities being undertaken through staff good will, and yes, I'm sure schools will stop doing any of it.