To think that if a school early morning club says 7:45 start, that 7:50 is not acceptable?

[orangesandlemonssaythebellsofstclements]

I desperately need a job. I mean, I really really need to take what I can.

I have found one that's perfect for me, which is great, because I've been applying for any old crap tbh, so I'm excited to see something that I actually want to do and can do.

I can't drive, I'm not going into it, but learning to drive isn't an option for me.
This is fine because before I apply for any job I check that public transport routes work for me.

The job I want starts at 9am, but it's in the next town over. There is a bus that stops directly opposite my DD's school that will get me to work for 8:40, so even leaves time if the bus is late.
However, because it's in the next town over, this is the ONLY bus available to get to work as there is only one an hour (back-up plan on rare days bus is cancelled is a taxi but this can't be a regular long term plan due to cost)

This bus leaves at 7:52. Early morning club at my daughter's school starts at 7:45.

I have, on a few sporadic occasions, used this early morning club, and my experience has been that the lady who runs it will often amble casually over to the gates at 7:48, 7:50 or even something like 7:53 and start letting children in.

I absolutely need to be saying goodbye to my daughter and walking away at 7:45 (and yes, I am paying from 7:45) so that I've got enough time to cross the road and get the bus, and allow for the bus to show up a couple of minutes early.

Is it unreasonable to say to the school that I absolutely need to drop her off when it's supposed to open at 7:45 and I can't wait any longer?

The unreliability is making me question whether or not it's worth applying for the job as I may not be able to get there, nor handle the frustration of seeing my bus drive past while this woman gets her act together.

I'm just worried about coming across as petty because I don't think people that rely on public transport really appreciate how important being exactly on time is, and that two minutes does make a difference.

How old is your child? Could they wait outside until the person running it opens up, with strict instructions to NOT MOVE. If the school queries why you've left her outside say that they opened late.

I feel your pain. If my DD’s breakfast club dont open the gates promptly it means I will definitely miss my train. My commute is long as it is without the hassle of missing a train by a whisker even though I will
already have hussled my daughter out of the house (and all that is involved in that) so we can be there on time. I just want to drop and run.

Suggestions:

Speak to the school and let them know how time constrained you are.

Is there another parent you know who drops at that time who would be able to hang onto your DC for five mins so you can leg it for your bus?

Congratulations on securing the job; I hope you can work something out.

Talk to the school about it and explain your situation with the bus.

Talk to the head. Not in an accusatory fashion, but say how much you need the job and how important it is to be on that bus, that you're concerned that the club doesn't always open on time etc and you're not sure what to do.

It all "feels" like things that don't concern the school, but IME, working in primary schools, heads absolutely are interested in supporting families. Afterall, that's why they have breakfast clubs. The head is probably blissfully unaware the club doesn't open on time.

Either way, absolutely apply for the job. What's the worst that can happen? If you really can't make it work, you leave and are back where you are now, but you won't know if you don't try.

I’m assuming she’s getting paid to start working from 7.45 if not earlier so it’s absolutely not petty to expect her to be doing her job!

I used to have this issues with the school breakfast club at primary school and it irritated me.

The deputy head ran the breakfast club and it was theoretically open from 7.30am but in practice rarely open until 7.45am. And as you say she would casually walk out to open the gates, chatting to the gardeners on her merry way.

Notwithstanding the fact that teachers are overworked and knackered (which I have sympathy with), I do think if you charge for and advertise a service, knowing a lot of parents rely on it for their jobs, you should open when you say you're going to open.

I would raise it with the head and, if that doesn't work, the governors.

I think it's completely reasonable to politely explain that them regularly opening the gate late is having an impact on your ability to get to work on time as you have to catch public transport. If you're paying from 7.45 then you are entitled to drop her off at 7.45 but obviously you can't just leave her there alone before they open the gate.

First of all I’d wait til I’d got the job to speak to anyone about the club starting late.

But if you do, yes I’d speak to the school/ the lady who runs the club about needing to start at 7.45

She is a sensible 7 year old, just about to start year 3. I probably could leave her, just for a moment, although I wouldn't like it.
However, since a mum complained a few years ago about her 9yo being let out alone to wait for her when she was running late, and kicked up a huge fuss on social media about it, the school have tightened up on their policies and doesn't admit or release unaccompanied children before year 5.

You sound like a perfectly reasonable and sensible person- I would discreetly talk to the Headteacher

Good luck with application

That's fair - young children shouldn't be unsupervised. But they wouldn't 'need' to be if the school could get their act together and open the gate when they say they will, so that parents like you who are on a non negotiable deadline to get to work on public transport can make their trip.
As PP have said, speak to the school. You are probably not the only one in this situation.
Good luck with the job!

By the time they go back, I'll be ready to start the job literally one of two days after the first day back. Closing date is Friday, interviews are next week. I could have a job offer in less than two weeks.
So if I am successful, I won't be speaking to them until I do have the job anyway.
I'm just trying to ascertain if it's reasonable to speak to them at all before I bother applying.

it definitely is. 7:45 means 7:45 not 'when we feel like it'. Before school childcare is there for that reason - for kids whose parents need to head to work early, and it isn't fair for them to make you late because of their poor time keeping.

Sorry fron experience this won’t work, I had 10 mins to get to work, breakfast club was always late opening, I used to watch them go in from the car, they then changed the rules, and you had to sign them in, there was always a queue of people waiting to sign in and it meant finding somewhere to park which just added time on. I’d say try a childminder instead.

Completely sympathise with teachers being overworked and knackered. My parents were teachers, as were my maternal grandparents. I get the life.

But the lady who runs early morning club and after school club does just that. Those clubs are her whole job that she is employed for. She doesn't have any other role in the school besides them. EMC is only 45 minutes long and ASC is two hours.

By all means chat with the head because you’re not wrong and 7.45 should mean 7.45 but I think it might be an unrealistic aim just because all the schools/preschools mine have ever been to are regularly late opening by a few minutes. Are there others queuing outside from 7.45am waiting for it to open? I’d be ok about leaving a sensible Y3 in the school queue but not on the street by themselves if there’s no one else around.

Oooh childminder might not be a bad idea!

Won't there be other parents milling about for the doors to open who don't have this down-to-the-minute time pressure that you have? I'd stand with a 7yo while waiting with my own if their parent needed to dash for a minute or two.

I would definately apply for the job. Speak to the school about opening the breakfast club at 7,45 because it's frankly not on to be opening late (after all if parents could truly just be flexible, they'd all find jobs that started at 9,30 and save loads of money!). Look at whether there are childminders near the school that do the school run, as it's likely they will open on time given that they absolutely rely on the income from their parents.

From having used it in the past, there's only two or three other parents waiting, I think the rest start to come in about 8am.
However, I don't know what the new school year will be like and I need a more solid plan that doesn't really on random people

Can't you leave her with another parent if the doors aren't open.

I would email the school and say your child will be there at 7:45, if they are late then they will have to let her in unaccompanied as you were there with her when it should have opened

In a similar circumstance, I paid a childminder who was dropping off already to wait with my child in addition to the ones she already had. She arrived 5 minutes early than she normally would and I got to work on time.

I would speak to the school head first, as others have suggested. I was always told if you start work at 7.45 that means getting to work at 7.35, to have you coat off and get prepared to start. My DH works in the NHS and he is expected to be changed into his uniform to start shift at 7am.
Could you also ask another parent to just keep an eye on your daughter for the 5 minutes? I drop my grandson at school - similar situation that we wait at a locked gate - I would be quite happy to watch a sensible 7 year old for 5 minutes

I think you should speak to school if you get the job, but also surely there are other parents you could ask to keep an eye on your child for 5 mins if they're late? Or are you the only one there that early!

If you're able to cycle an electric bike is also an option