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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Booster seats in teacher's car?

52 replies

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 02/05/2013 20:17

Would you expect a teacher to have booster seats when taking Y2 children to an event?

DS and other children travelled about 4 or 5 miles, 1 mile of it on a motorway in a teacher's car without booster seats, on a trip which was a trip planned in advance.

Apart from the safety implications, I'm amazed that insurance-wise this was ok.

Any teachers here who can advise please.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Abra1d · 03/05/2013 07:23

Helpful advice to the school is one thing, but I would phrase it really tactfully. The teacher was trying to help and may not bother in future if she feels got at.

NotTreadingGrapes · 03/05/2013 07:28

I work in a private language school and our teachers aren't allowed to even give our adult students a lift because of the insurance issue.

It's probably not the teacher's fault here, so no-one is out to lose them their job, it's probably a risk factor she/he hasn't even thought of.

Speaking of risk, we are required to complete and hold on record a full and mind-blowingly boring risk assessment form every time our students (adult and junior) leave the school premises. I would have thought for a state school (though obv I don't know) would be even hotter on that kind of documentation. I doubt very much that "any spare kids be given a lift in the teacher's car" would look OK on one of those at an inspection.

NotTreadingGrapes · 03/05/2013 07:29

The point is the teacher should not be put in the situation where she has to bother.

It also may well be a case of 1% follow the law and 99% cover your own arse, but that's what laws are for in a lot of cases.

trinity0097 · 03/05/2013 10:47

We have a set of booster seats for when kids need to travel in the school car rather than a minibus and a 135cm long stick to check their heights!

I think it's weird though legally that they don't need a booster seat if in the minibus though, even if sitting in the front seat!

ryanboy · 03/05/2013 12:12

At our primary schools children are transported a lot by parents cars.The parents of the child have to sign a permission slip and the parent driving has to sign something to say their car is roadworthy and they have insurance and the school has a copy of their driving licence.It is a great kindness these parents do because it means the school can organise so many more trips without having to worry about the cost of transport.
The difference between being transported by a parent and teacher is that for the parent it comes under social domestic and pleasure, whereas the teacher would need business insurance.In either case I would have thought booster seats would be needed for 2/3 children on the back seat

Whathaveiforgottentoday · 03/05/2013 19:25

I had to change insurance on my car to take students in my car (secondary age). This was about 10 years ago and I think they added my car to their insurance - can't remember the details but without specific insurance they shouldn't be transporting kids especially without car seats.

AChickenCalledKorma · 03/05/2013 21:12

Our school has a supply of boosters. When teachers need to transport children, explicit parental consent is obtained for that specific trip.

It generally happens when there are slightly too many children for a minibus but not enough to justify a coach. They tend to approach parents who they know will be happy with car transport (e.g. those who are very involved in school life and know the teachers reasonably well).

I've never considered the insurance issue, but I have insurance for business use on my own car and I assume any teacher who is willing to transport children in this way would have the same.

1969Sarah · 04/05/2013 04:58

It worries me that boosters are not used/required on a mini bus or coach. The seat belts are the same - what makes it safer in a coach/mini bus than a car?

MNBlackpoolandFylde · 04/05/2013 05:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Khaleese · 04/05/2013 07:47

Booster seats are very dangerous. Google a crash test dummy video. It shows how a side on collision will smash your child into the reinforced bar below the window.

I would not be happy!

Cloverer · 04/05/2013 11:53

Compared to high backed boosters, or compared to nothing Khaleese?

1969Sarah · 04/05/2013 13:41

Compared to proper "booster" with sides & head wings I'm sure. All a simple booster does is lift the child high enough so the adult belt doesn't cut across the wrong bits of the body - if offers no protection in its own right. That said being without one & having a seat belt across your neck is extremely dangerous in an accident so they are far better than using nothing.

Cloverer · 04/05/2013 13:52

I'd say it is unrealistic to expect a school/teacher to provide a high backed seat for children over 4/15kg. They should provide booster seats though, in line with the law.

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 06/05/2013 12:11

My DS's school has booster seats. When they went to a Maths challenge two weeks ago, all bar my DS1 were on booster seats in the teacher's car. My DS1 didn't have one because he is 5ft1, and he can't wedge his behind into one any more!

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 06/05/2013 12:14

135cm? That means that even DS2, who is 141cm tall at 9yo doesn't need one. I wouldn't be happy with him in a car without a booster seat tbh. DS1 is tall enough IMO, DS2 isn't and I would rather he was still on a booster seat.

mikkii · 06/05/2013 12:27

Our school usually uses coaches, but on a recent trip the then Y3 pupils went in cars, we weren't told in advance this was happening. I recall him travelling in the car of a parent not a teacher. Unfortunately dopey DS doesn't remember the trip, let alone how he got there or if he had a booster! Having said that DS is about smallest in year, so suspect he would have been put on booster even if not all DC were.

MiaowTheCat · 06/05/2013 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Khaleese · 07/05/2013 06:31

Hamlets...you don't like the hang them, flog them attitude?

Had the OP come on and said

"today my child died, a teacher chose to illigally and dangerously transport my child, my child died"

Still feel the same?

Original poster

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 07/05/2013 07:05

But Miaow...this isn't 'complaint about anything at all', it's dangerous and illegal.

The last thing I want to do is be a parent that complains.

What would you do if it was your child in this situation?

OP posts:

BitOutOfPractice · 07/05/2013 07:15

But she didn't come on and say that did she?

If she is 135cm tall I don't think she needs a booster anyway does she? So technically the tea her did nothing wrong

Original poster

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 07/05/2013 07:31

The child is six, no where near 135cms tall.

OP posts:

Bramshott · 07/05/2013 13:32

Could it have been that the teacher just assumed the children would bring boosters in, but somewhere that part of the message got lost? At my DDs (small) school children are often driven by parents or teachers in their own cars, but we're always asked to provide a booster (my DDs always have one anyway because they go to school by minibus).

Bramshott · 07/05/2013 13:34

BranchingOut · 07/05/2013 13:38

A few years ago, when I was teaching, the HT asked in staff meeting for members of staff to volunteer to take children to a sports event later that week.

I approached the HT after the meeting and said that I was not too comfortable to do that due to the issues of liability and insurance. As a non-parent at the time, car seats did not even enter my head, but I knew that something was not quite right about that proposal.

I think that they made other arrangements in the end.

Bramshott · 07/05/2013 13:54

Oops!

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