AIBU to be concerned about young children on council-provided school bus with no adult supervision?

[Gertrudethechicken]

My DD is 5 and has recently started travelling to/from school on a council-provided school bus. There is a driver, but apparently no passenger assistant/chaperone on the bus. Yesterday she told me that an older boy on the bus tried to spill his juice over her. She said he was deliberately trying to do it, rather than it being an accident.
I know children messing around on buses isn’t exactly unusual, and I’m not suggesting this particular incident is some huge safeguarding crisis. But it has made me think about the fact that she’s only 5, travelling with considerably older children, and there doesn’t appear to be anyone supervising them other than the driver.
The driver obviously needs to concentrate on driving, so realistically they can’t be watching what’s happening further back on the bus.
I’m wondering whether I’m being unreasonable to think that a bus carrying 5-year-olds alongside older children should have some form of adult supervision? She’s my first so fully prepared to be told I’m being precious or over the top.

Its not safe for the driver really.

Not sure why.

I can remember when the council school bus only took 5 and 6 year olds. And from 7 upwards they had to get the public bus. Even 2 years ago my dgc used to be on the school transport minibus without an adult supervisor from the age of 4 till 7

Why not just tell your dd to move?

Telling a 5yo to just move away from the bully targeting her in a closed space is not the solution here. These buses should have an adult supervising.

I think it’s common not to have a chaperone. I guess it makes it much more expensive! Most families in my school generally take very young children themselves and they only travel in the taxi or bus when they’re a bit older

No public bus. Very rural area.

I went in the council funded school bus for both primary and secondary school - many moons ago - and there was always an assistant sat at the front of the bus alongside the driver. I can only assume they’ve cut-costs now.

I get the feeling the driver actively tries to stay out of it. I suppose it’s not his job.

I went on a school bus from the age of 4 through to 16. there was never a chaperone, just a driver. Some days were like Lord of the Flies.

But that was the 90s…

I think 5 is far too young to travel on a school bus without adult supervision.

There is an adult on the bus - the driver.

What bottomless pit of money is supposed to also be funding a separate chaperone to manage everyone’s behaviour?

If you feel your five year old isn’t ready to travel on the school bus, take them yourself.

I think there are massive safeguarding issues with this - everything is done on the cheap in this country. There's a lot of talk about child safety but when it comes to spending money...

Honestly I wouldn't allow my child to travel to school this way at 5.

My recollection of school bus drivers from my own childhood is that they very quickly get pissed off with kids behaving as if they're feral and take a view that it isn't their job to sort it - they didn't choose to work in childcare! Your kid is effectively on their own

I wouldn’t send my dd on a bus like that, 5 and 6 years olds need proper supervision. Are they even in car seats? Rural country roads on a bus with no car seats in all driving conditions and unsupervised would be a huge no for me.

And when he gets hit in the head by a projectile and crashes...

FWIW mine had a chaperone on the bus at that age. Two actually, as there was a few children with additional needs in that route. Youngest us now 13, so not that long ago. We also had a massive behaviour contract we had to sign (inckuding things like smoking and alcohol consumprion, as well as danagw and nisbehaviour)

She’s refusing the bus this morning..

DhS hard line with our kids was we live within walking distance of their schools. He had dreadful experiences on his unsupervised school bus. Awful. Lord of the flies yet trapped. Another reason not to live rurally

I don’t blame her poor thing - can you speak to school and get the bully removed from the bus?

My dad used to drive a bus like this and there was no chaperone. There was quite an age range as they did a primary drop, secondary drop and a drop at the bus stop to connect to college. A lot of kids were siblings and being from a rural area a lot knew each other/knew parents so there was never any issues that was mentioned.

I don't think there is a lot that can be done. Chaperones are usually when there is sen need. If they are all going to the same school you could perhaps contact them, or contact the council to question it, but I don't think they will provide an extra adult.

This may surprise you but people who live rurally can have cars….

I've heard of parents taking it in turns to be the chaperone in this situation. I agree it's nuts though.

Why dont you drive your child to school? I cant imagine not taking a five yesr old myself.

That sounds sensible from her perspective- she’s scared and doesn’t want to put herself back in that position. I imagine it wasn’t just the juice but also being scared of what else he may do. Can you drive her for the moment?

I got the school bus when I was very young. No chaperone. It was so much fun. Looking back as an adult it probably my would have been better to have an additional adult on board but I guess they can’t afford it.

@Aiming4Optimistic. My dc were educated at first in the USA and there was no chaperone either, my dc did have cars seats as under the weight limit for the belts on the bus and the same driver each day but it was the Sen bus and just the driver.

We work cba to do the school run twice a day every day all through secondary. No thanks.

Can she buddy up with anyone, perhaps a bit older? Safety in numbers. The bus driver probably hates it as much as she does.