....to think that school should keep my child safe?

[cathers]

I dropped my 4yr old dd off a school today, saw her into the classroom and waved goodbye through the window.

I was nearly back at the car, (500m)away when I found DD tugging at my coat! She didn't feel like school and had walked past her teacher at the classroom door (who was busy collecting letters etc.. from parents) and decided to walk back to the car. I escorted her back to the classroom, told the teacher what had happened but she seemed pretty non-plussed by it all.

Having thought about it I am now quite concerned about the seemingly lax security.
Would you take it further?

I would be most concerned about the fact that the teacher didn't seem to be bothered.

When I raised an issue with my DD's teacher with regard to health and safety (e.g. DD once badly hurt her head at school but the teacher was not aware of it until I showed the teacher the quite serious cut and bump) the teacher was mortified and apologised profusely for not noticing the injury. I felt satisfied that the teacher would not let it happen again if it was at all preventable.

Your DD's teacher's attitude sounds very poor indeed. As far as I am concerned, once they are in the school they are the school's responsibility.

I agree i wouldn't of been happy about that, what if you had been in a rush and dashed off.

I had a similarish thing happen with my DS when he was in reception, my son wanted to join art club with his friends after school so we let him and one day my dh went to pick him up and they had no idea where he was, after a good while looking they found him just flitting in and out of diffrent clubs. He was only 4!!

Needless to say i was not happy, anything could of happend.

I would def bring it up again with your dd teacher otherwise you will forever worry.

I would have gone nuts so NO YANBU, complain to the head!

I'd take it further yes! Just ask if there's any process they could put in place to prevent it happening again. I mean, what if you'd already left?!

It's a big worry of mine with my DD's school. We have to leave them in the yard from reception age and so many parents drop their kids and go before a teacher is stood on the gate. I always, always wait for a teacher to stand on the gate just in case DD should decide to come back out to tell me something.

Schools should be a secure site, is there not also a gate that dd would have to pass through or someone on the gate/door who shuts it at 9am? Would definitely enquire.

And yes, I would speak to the teacher, if only to let her know she has a (potential) runner on her hands, and it was only by good fortune that you had not already left! Difficult though as presumably they have to keep the door open to let ppl in and there is a lot of movement first thing in the morning and ppl demanding of the teacher's attention.

Would suggest though, if you haven't already done so, to talk to dd about this, and explain that once you've dropped her off at school she can't run out and that if she is upset she needs to talk to her teacher or another grown-up and they can always call you on the phone (so she knows you are contactable and available once you disappear)

DD's school gate is manned from 840 every day to prevent anything like this happening. Once the children are in, thy are in. Once the school day starts the gates are so difficult to open no child is going to get out!

There are two school gates! The main one and a smaller one for the infants only. These are locked at 9 am. Then there is the classroom door which is manned by the teacher. This is where I take her to. However it seems that if she is busy with sick notes etc.. DD was able to make a break for it!
Teacher briefy apologised and explained that she had been busy with parents, but obviously concerned it could happen again.