@TTT824
I know this was years ago - but what was the outcome?
My 4 (nearly 5year old) reception child went into school, dropped off book bag then left again - when I asked she couldn’t say why she left - but she’s 4 years old!!!
The chair of governors made it sound like the child was the issue (even the teacher said she is a “switched on child she didn’t think she needed to worry about”) and the head didn’t want to implement anything as it’s the first time it has happened.
So basically they have said it hasn’t happened before so its not an issue.
I don’t know what to do now as the teachers don’t watch the door at drop off times and are not aware of children entering (or leaving).
Luckily she was found by “a kind grandma” in the playground who brought her back, but all the gates were open as it was drop off time and she could have easily got out or the grandma could have been someone who is not kind.
The teachers are actively encouraged to work at their laptops checking emails etc in the morning rather than interacting with the kids, and the TA doesn’t start until class starts, so the head thinks it’s unrealistic to have someone on the door ensuring the children can’t leave.
I have since dropped her off and had to wait about 5 minutes for the teacher to notice me stood at the door - at which point she got up and began interacting with the children rather than looking at laptop.
It may not have happened before, but they're lucky it wasn't more serious this time.
Depending on how they start the school day, and the physical layout, it can be difficult for a class teacher to be sure that nobody has left - if they are milling between cloakroom and classroom, all too easy for someone to go the other way out of a cloakroom. The blame shouldn't be laid on the class teacher alone - there needs to be a backup system.
There should be someone on the school gate until it is locked - that should be the last line of defence. They should be stopping any school-aged child going through the gate (occasionally it will be because mum is taking them to the doctor having dropped siblings, but it should be checked). That only requires one person - if there are multiple gates then lock those before handover time.
No way should the child be held responsible. Sure, older kids should know they don't leave again after arriving, but the adults are responsible for ensuring that. With younger ones, it may seem clear to the most sensible child that if they find the letter/jumper they left at school yesterday, they should go and find mum to hand it over straight away.
There should be someone on the gate at hometime too, to make sure kids haven't got ahead of their parents, or aren't (as I once did) going out to the road to see if they can see mum because she's late.