Leaving a child at the school yard before 9am

[nic386]

Hi ladies.
This is the first time I've started a thread, and I'm looking for advice.
My DS is 5 and started P2 (his school is in Scotland) on Tuesday. A letter came home saying that parents should take their child to the entrance of the playground, say goodbye and leave. A member of staff will be in the playground from 8:50 to supervise. DS was absent yesterday (Wednesday) due to being sick but was back at school today.
I decided to wait in the playground until a member of staff appeared. None did. I witnessed other parents leave their children as asked. But no teachers came out until the bell rang at 9. According to another parent who did stay, the teachers were five minutes late yesterday. I refuse to leave my child there unsupervised. The school doesn't even have a gate and there is a road going through the grounds near the entrance. Does anyone know if the school is even allowed to do this? I'm struggling to find out.
Thanks in advance

[soapboxqueen]

If they have told you to leave them, then they are the school's responsibility and somebody should be supervising them. It sounds like they are having some problems introducing the new routine but that doesn't excuse unsupervised children.

You could ask if the member of staff was just somewhere you could see but otherwise inform them that you won't be leaving your child until a member of staff is in duty.

[nic386]

I had full view of the playground I'm afraid, and there really was no staff.
I agree with you. I'll not be leaving him.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

If there's access to a road and no staff to supervise or man the exits then I wouldn't be leaving my child either.

[LtGreggs]

We're also in Scotland and back to school this week.

Our school specifically say that for P1s an adult has to stay until 9am bell rings and teacher collects the line from the playground. And an adult has to personally collect them from the teacher in playground at end of day. It's common for parents to be doing this for P1-3, and some continue through the higher years.

I think it sounds a bit off to be asked to leave them unsupervised in the playground, and many P1/2s would be quite nervous of this so early in the year.

At playtime & lunchtime there's an obvious staff presence in the playground, plus children know how to find dinner ladies, janitor etc if need help.

[nic386]

That's just it. At lunchtimes and breaktimes there's also the added factor that the teachers have taken a register and know who is in school. But until that point, a young child could disappear and they wouldn't notice until the parent came to pick them up

[Jaynebxl]

I would just drop the head an email and say you had waited with your child as there was no teacher, and could they let you know when the teacher supervision from 8.50 will be starting so you can leave your child.

[LizzyDay]

That's awful. At our primary parents of all school years can go into the playground and either leave children with class teacher/TA or wait with children until the classes go in.

At age 5 they would be expected to accompany the child until they are under the staff's supervision by the classroom door.

And our entrances aren't even near main roads - I would def be raising concerns in your position.

[FranSanDisco]

No I agree you should not leave them without a staff member being present.

[LynetteScavo]

Very strange.

Most schools insist children are supervised by their adult until they go into school.

I would raise it with the HT, or ignore and hang around, making a point.

Do you know what the supervision at lunchtimes is like? Are the gates secure? This would make me think they aren't.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Atypical children's school the playground was supervised fr 8.30am. You could choose whether to drop off or wait until they go in at 8.45 from reception to year 2

From Year 3 onwards you are expected to drop them at the end if the path. However the playground was always supervised by st least one, usually two teachers.

[LizzyDay]

What do they do at drop off time - would they open the doors and just let them run out into the street?

In my DCs playground there has to be at least one teacher/TA present from each class (that's class, not year group) at both drop off and pick up time - good practice imo, and essential for the younger ones. There are also additional staff posted at the school gates as general 'gatekeepers'.

[LizzyDay]

Sorry first sentence should be pick up time, not drop off time!

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Refuse to leave your child until you have physically handed them to someone else's care. Make a point of getting their name to write on your chart. Make the HT aware that you are doing this.

[nic386]

Just an update...
A teacher has now been outside everyday supervising. I do, however, still stand by the bike shed and DS doesn't know, so he still thinks he's being grown up. Thank you for the comments