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Original poster

4 year old face split open in classroom , teacher didn't see it ?

86 replies

ChirpyRedMoose · 30/01/2025 21:53

So i recieved a call from my sons school about a hour after dropping him off. I was told He had an accident and had a deep cut on his face. When I arrived at school to collect him , he was in a side room with his teacher , the Head teacher and school nurse . He had a split across his face just below his eye which needed stitches. I was told he had and accident in the class but nobody witnessed it and if I could talk with him and fin me out. We left school heading straight to A&E where he had the wound stitched.
After speaking with my son he explained he tripped over a tray that was pulled out ,fell and hit his face on the coner of the unit. He the got up and went to the teacher.
I am aware accidents happen and teacher may not see everything but this was inside the classroom . It has been a few days since that accident my son returned to school but nothing more has been said about it and I have not recieved a report about the accident or any updat on it anything is being done.
I'm unsure what todo any advice?

Sensitive content
4 year old face split open in classroom , teacher didn't see it ?
OP posts:
Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 30/01/2025 23:16

mynameiscalypso · 30/01/2025 22:29

Do they have accident forms at school? I remember signing many of them at nursery but I haven't had to do one at school, even when my DS has bumped his head.

If it's minor I believe they normally send a letter home at the end of the day , in this case I collected him so idk I guess it's not , I just thought they would have maybe even said something since it wasn't just a scratch to say they atleast checked the area.

OP posts:
Adropintheocean1 · 30/01/2025 23:17

Jesus that looks so deep. What sort of unit did he hit it on to cut it so badly? I agree with you OP, draws shouldn’t be low and whatever he cut his face on was clearly sharp? They should be looking into how to prevent it happening again.

sallyannie46 · 30/01/2025 23:20

goody2shooz · 30/01/2025 23:03

‘Split his face open’ and the photo shows the child with a smallish but nasty cut. The photo provided comes with a ‘sensitive content’ warning. As a mother you’re upset - but really?

I must have seen too many little children in Gaza with faces really split open.

Edited

Oh bore off would you. It's a deep cut and will likely leave a scar. Accidents happen but I would be mortified if that happened to my dc. Why be so condescending and horrible?

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 30/01/2025 23:33

Adropintheocean1 · 30/01/2025 23:17

Jesus that looks so deep. What sort of unit did he hit it on to cut it so badly? I agree with you OP, draws shouldn’t be low and whatever he cut his face on was clearly sharp? They should be looking into how to prevent it happening again.

Finally someone that gets it's! ... it not about getting the teacher in trouble just making sure there's nothing else to it , it was a wooden framed unit with those multi coloured plastic draws that's what he pointed out to me but we aren't allowed in the class so it was very quick at the door. He explained to me the day it happend he tripped on a one draw ..and hit his face on the corner of another hard plastic draw . When showing me he then pointed to the very bottom corner of the wood frame which was curved over so now I'm confused, made more sense the 1st time but I'm not sure if my child was knocked out or not at this point but he had to walk to the teacher after it happened.

OP posts:
Amybelle88 · 30/01/2025 23:36

Oh god love his little face! I'm sorry this happened to him, I bet you both had a big shock.

My knee jerk reaction as a parent would to have major words regarding the fact that nobody saw it happen, why wasn't he being watched?

However, after I'd simmered down, I'd like to think my common sense brain would kick in and I'd remember that one teacher is looking after 30 kids - they can't see everything that happens. I only have two kids and miss things!

I do think you should have had things like an accident form and a follow up, though - you were asked to find out what happened from him so it's odd that you haven't been asked what the outcome was.

I guarantee that teacher will be feeling really bad about this, but it's just not possible to keep eyes on every child.

sallyannie46 · 30/01/2025 23:41

Logically I know teachers can't have eyes on all kids at all times however that's not just a scratch. It's very deep and will probably scar. I think I'd want more than a half arsed sorry and 'we didn't see it happen.'

I don't honestly know what they can do other than revise the layout of the classroom but 4 is still very young and that's a hell of a cut so I don't blame you at all for being upset.

There are some very insensitive comments here.

HMW1906 · 30/01/2025 23:43

Your child is likely 1 of 30ish children. The teacher does not have eyes in her arse, how do you expect her to see everything that happens to every child as well as teach? Your son has told you what happened, it was an accident. What more would you like the school/teacher to do?

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 30/01/2025 23:48

Amybelle88 · 30/01/2025 23:36

Oh god love his little face! I'm sorry this happened to him, I bet you both had a big shock.

My knee jerk reaction as a parent would to have major words regarding the fact that nobody saw it happen, why wasn't he being watched?

However, after I'd simmered down, I'd like to think my common sense brain would kick in and I'd remember that one teacher is looking after 30 kids - they can't see everything that happens. I only have two kids and miss things!

I do think you should have had things like an accident form and a follow up, though - you were asked to find out what happened from him so it's odd that you haven't been asked what the outcome was.

I guarantee that teacher will be feeling really bad about this, but it's just not possible to keep eyes on every child.

Exactly this , and she did look very shocked , she in general is very shy with parents anyway and I understand she can't see everyone. My son even drawn hearts on a tiny paper to give her since the accident.

OP posts:
Gattomum · 30/01/2025 23:59

Wow, his poor face. I don’t know why you didn’t get an accident form for the hospital. My friend’s son had a cut like that above his eye from school and the hospital asked for the accident report. They said they need it to be assured where the accident happened,
As a parent, I would expect a follow up to ask what my child said and look into the layout of the class.

Happyinarcon · 31/01/2025 00:04

Trust your instincts. Your gut is telling you the schools reactions are too subdued for the accident. There’s a lot of messed up schools at the moment with half truths and bullying and your stomach is telling you something ain’t right, keep your kid safe.

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 31/01/2025 00:05

sallyannie46 · 30/01/2025 23:41

Logically I know teachers can't have eyes on all kids at all times however that's not just a scratch. It's very deep and will probably scar. I think I'd want more than a half arsed sorry and 'we didn't see it happen.'

I don't honestly know what they can do other than revise the layout of the classroom but 4 is still very young and that's a hell of a cut so I don't blame you at all for being upset.

There are some very insensitive comments here.

Maybe I expressed it incorrectly but this is what i mean ..but there wasn't even a sorry and maybe that's why my brain can't process..oh sorry ! The head gifted him a sticker book a couple days later he told me for being brave

OP posts:
Redburnett · 31/01/2025 00:10

The teacher could use what happened to remind and explain to the whole class the importance of pushing in trays and not leaving them open for others to trip over.
MN comments are sometimes ridiculous about AVOIDABLE accidents.

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 31/01/2025 00:12

Gattomum · 30/01/2025 23:59

Wow, his poor face. I don’t know why you didn’t get an accident form for the hospital. My friend’s son had a cut like that above his eye from school and the hospital asked for the accident report. They said they need it to be assured where the accident happened,
As a parent, I would expect a follow up to ask what my child said and look into the layout of the class.

Hit the nail !!! It's funny as I felt really uneasy at the hospital when they asked how it happened and all I can say is I don't know and a 4 year old is trying to explain him self I literally felt like I did it and maybe I forgot didn't help security circling me and my son at the hand sanitiser stand in the waiting room whole waiting the 4 hours to see if had concussion

OP posts:
WellsAndThistles · 31/01/2025 00:15

Kids trip, no one to blame.

I know this has been an awful day for you but you can't possibly expect one teacher to eyeball 30 kids at the same time?

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 31/01/2025 00:17

Redburnett · 31/01/2025 00:10

The teacher could use what happened to remind and explain to the whole class the importance of pushing in trays and not leaving them open for others to trip over.
MN comments are sometimes ridiculous about AVOIDABLE accidents.

Yeeesssss .. thank u, I will also add this to my comments as I will be speaking to someone at the school

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ThisMintCat · 31/01/2025 00:28

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NotVeryFunny · 31/01/2025 00:44

My first reaction was "accidents happen". But having read your further comments including that you aren't let into the classroom (?!!?). I think the first thing I would ask for is to see exactly where the accident happened and what he cut his face on. Ask for time in the classroom (soon before he forgets!!) with your son and the.teacher/head to walk through it.

This will then inform you as to whether any changes in the classroom are warranted. I would have expected the school to be doing this as a minimum so they can satisfy themselves that this was either preventable or "just an accident". The fact they don't even seem to want to know your son's explanation is worrying. All organisations should be looking into accidents and checking whether changes need to be made to avoid future incidents. That's basics surely?

That is a super deep cut, is there a sharp corner than could be covered or removed for example. Could something be done to stop the drawers from being left out (maybe not but you'll be better able to tell if you have a proper look and see what happened).

No I wouldn't be happy with the schools response about this.

ThisMintCat · 31/01/2025 00:45

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ThisMintCat · 31/01/2025 00:46

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Italiangreyhound · 31/01/2025 00:48

Your poor son. Just an accident.

oakleaffy · 31/01/2025 00:49

@ChirpyRedMoose I think you are getting a rather hard time here- that does look a nasty cut, but hopefully it won't leave too much of a scar, if any.
At least he tripped, he wasn't hit in the face by another child wielding a sharp toy, which would have been much more worrying.
My son snapped his radius and ulna in two falling over the handlebars of a friend's bike- a complete accident.

Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 31/01/2025 00:53

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It Will definitely leave a scar when stitches have gone

OP posts:
Original poster
ChirpyRedMoose · 31/01/2025 01:01

oakleaffy · 31/01/2025 00:49

@ChirpyRedMoose I think you are getting a rather hard time here- that does look a nasty cut, but hopefully it won't leave too much of a scar, if any.
At least he tripped, he wasn't hit in the face by another child wielding a sharp toy, which would have been much more worrying.
My son snapped his radius and ulna in two falling over the handlebars of a friend's bike- a complete accident.

Hard time you would think I said I want to hang the teacher lol. This is not my 1st but my second boy so im not brand new .My oldest is now 18 and the only time he had a injury like this was in nursery when another kid took a chunk out his arm with his little vampire teeth but didn't require A&E

OP posts:
DevilledEgg · 31/01/2025 01:06

When my kid was 4 they gashed their head open literally a foot from me. On a toy they were playing with. Bit of a dance, bit of a giggle, slipped on the blanket they were waving about and down they went. Happened in a split second, nothing I could do. Hit head on the corner of the wood toy and needed glueing in a and e.
Happens all the time.

lilytuckerpritchet · 31/01/2025 03:11

I'd want to know if a risk assessment has been done to aim to prevent something like that from happening again. If he didn't shout out and the teacher wasn't looking in that direction I wouldn't expect them to know until he told her.