Incident at school reaulted to stitches

[Labrathor86]

Our 7yr old triped on a school playground and hit her head on a bike shead.

To make things wven worst there was a screw/bolt hanging off and she cit her forehead with quite a deep cut.

we’ve spent most of the day in hospital then being checked on every now and then and eventually sent home at 1am with appointment for next day to go in for a general anesthesia.

we have photographs of the injury. It was quite deep from the impact and then cut and she fell.

when school called us they said the our child tripped over and bunped her head. She is ok but they would recommend to see a GP. What a shock when we actually saw the wound.

my question now is (as this is first time something like this happened) what shall I do now?

She wasnt pushed or anything but shall I complain to the school? Or someone else? I know we are very lucky that she is ok bit this injury is way too close to her eye. I dont even want to think how “lucky” we are as this could have been way worst 😪

She tripped and fell at school. What are you expecting them to do?

Children trip over all the time but maybe someone should look at the screw/bolt.

Update the school on the severity of the injury and follow up needed by email for their incident form. When that’s outcomed it should lead to the issue being addressed.

Worth asking if the person in the office who called had seen the injury, or was passing on a message from the first aider. That may have influenced how they informed you.

Thank you. Straight and fair answer.
I just didn’t know where to start and how to proceed.

You need to tell school about the sticking out screw/nail so they can arrange maintenance/ do a proper risk assessment.

You can claim for damages - remember you are suing the insurers not the school.

Put an email together to the school any accident that requires a hospital visit has to go on a grey form, ask to see this and the accident book.

Then contact the LA for a claim form - they should already have a copy of the incident.

It will go
in the accident book and they’ll automatically review it. I can’t see they’ve been particularly negligent, kids trip sometimes

As a starting message, I would contact school (it may take time for a response given the holidays/imminent holidays).
They will need to record the fact that stitches/plastic reconstruction were required.
Mention the bolt, and see if they can get it removed before anyone else hurts them self.

Does DD think she tripped on anything? Or "just" tripped over her feet?

If you get a positive response to that, I'd let it go. If you get ignored or feel school aren't taking it seriously, take it further/be stronger about the impact it has/could have had.

When looking to feedback from the school, do you have in mind what outcome you want from them?

What damages? A day off work to take your kid to the hospital.

What damages, exactly?

My son tripped on a set of stairs on broke an adult tooth when he was about 8 . Accidents happen at school . He still has to have regular repairs on it . 🤷🏻‍♀️

Honestly I can’t believe the downplaying here. I know people love to support schools but what the hell?

Op in now way is this ok. The fact that they told you it was a bump and didn’t call an ambulance is absolutely not ok. A child with a head wound so bad it needs stitches and not glue should have had an ambulance called immediately.

They have not acted appropriately at all, and have put your child at risk.

I would be requesting a meeting with the head teacher in September and reporting to OFSTED in the first instance.

I really hope your Dd is ok

And make sure they have recorded the accident properly in the book! Not just ‘bumped head’ and ask for a copy of the incident report

This!! I’m appalled at how this is being downplayed. Yes, accidents happen. But at the very least, the school should have:

• phoned an ambulance
• told OP the truth and the severity of the injury
• supplied an accurate accident form
• apologised for what happened
• conducted a risk assessment detailing how it happened and what measures they were putting in place to ensure it did not happen again.

It’s not the actual accident that’s the issue, it’s not the fact that the school’s reaction has been absolutely appalling.

*it IS the fact that the school’s reaction has been appalling

I’m sorry she got hurt. It sounds like an accident. I would inform school that it was more serious than they thought and ask them to check for loose screws or proud nailheads/screws in the area that she cut herself on. I would be doing this to ensure the area was better maintained so that this doesn’t happen to any more children. What you say will, of course, be shaped by the outcome you want an apology or protection for children in future.

That sucks OP.

Let them know what happened, and ask them to sort the bolt and check for others. No need to do any more. Hope she feels better soon.

Hope your little one is okay! What a fright you must of all got.

I’d phone the school and update them on the severity of it all and highlight the screw/ bolt so it can be fixed before it happens again. The school may want to update their accident forms.
I imagine the person phoning maybe didn’t want to worry and say about going to hospital but if double check if your child was checked over by the first aider.

If she needed stitches the school could clearly see how bad it was. Updating them to the obvious is pointless.

Thanks everyone for your input.

1. Thanks to all that actually advised. Very much appreciated.

2. Why so many negative comments tho? Yes kids do trip over in school. Ours had few minor scratches in past and I get it. I was shocked when I rushed to school to find her with face covered in blood, hoodie red instead of green, obviously still bleeding and school telling me that they “patched her up”.
   Full day in hospital and second day genereal anesthesia and multiple stitches.

not to mention her friends as we had calls from other parents asking what happened as their kids were clearly in shock from that incident.

• Again thank you so much for the advice given guys. I don’t want to pursue a claim and take legal actions but this is first big incident and I had no idea if I actually should do anything. I’ll put an email together to the school office informing them about the outcome and they probably know now but about the danger of their so say “play” area.

Really poor of school. I’d write a complaint regarding handling of situation and suggest they need some proper training for dealing with injuries- specifically head injuries. Could have been much worse. Think they have to report it too — RIDDOR? Contact LA too.
How scary!

You may well feel better once you've heard their response OP. Our 3yo had an accident at nursery, injury much less serious than your DD but it could have been very serious iykwim. I told the owner, she was upset, viewed the CCTV to confirm, told me the steps they were taking to prevent it happening again and also that there would be discussions with the staff about what happened and how it was unacceptable.

We already trusted them and had a good relationship with them but the reaction reassured us that all was well and we all moved on happily.

I've had nearly the exact same thing happen to my son.
Was called and told he had fallen at lunchtime in the playground and has hurt near his eye, could I pick him up as they feel it needs stitches.
Picked him up and took him to the hospital, he did need stitches. The gash was very close to his eye.

Asked my son what had happened and he had tripped over the teachers bottle in the classroom and fell into the corner of the tray unit.

I was really annoyed at the misinformation on the phone call. I contacted the office to ask why I had been told the incorrect information.
The office lady hadn't seen him she was just passing on from a walkie talkie messaging from first aid and calling me. It was a communication error somewhere along the line and she apologised for that.
The main thing is these things happen and you were informed promptly, I'd follow up that you aren't happy with the communication you received and they will look into how that happened and review their process of informing parents.

I think the suggestion to sue is ridiculous, it's a school and children have accidents. I'd definitely mention the screw so they can sort that out but otherwise this is just one of those things. If this was negligence and something serious occurred then by all means sue but it sounds like an accident and a communication error. I wouldn't have been able to show my face after if I had sued.

DS fell at school in Y2 and ended up with a piece of wood the size of my thumb in his arm. Ambulance, operation under general, daily visits for redressing the wound and a big scar that’s still there 6 years later.
The school thoroughly swept the area for any similar dangers so it didn’t happen again - that was enough for us