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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

Would you let your 6 and 8yo get a taxi home from school?

28 replies

MegBusset · 17/03/2015 09:23

Just that really. Childminder can't pick up my DC from their school as she has pick-ups at the same time in the opposite direction. But has space for them if they can get there in a local taxi (drivers CRB checked). Not sure how I feel about this, would/do other people do this? There are no other childminders with spaces who collect from the school, and no after-school club so our options are very limited really.

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Mrsjayy · 17/03/2015 09:27

If you have no other option then I don't See why not taxi firms are used to picking up and dropping off from schools organise it as a contract they might offer am escort

Contraryish · 17/03/2015 09:28

My children get home to school transport in a taxi and have done since they were 6 & 4. They love it and see it as a real adventure. So long as you are happy with the taxi driver and any arrangements re car seats, etc., it should be fine. Especially if it's the same person every day.

DesperatelySeekingSanity · 17/03/2015 09:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mrsjayy · 17/03/2015 09:28

Will the minder be back on time from her other pick up

Floggingmolly · 17/03/2015 09:30

They usually have a chaperone though, don't they? I'd be very uneasy about this, tbh. (I realise many people wouldn't)

SunnyBaudelaire · 17/03/2015 09:31

if you have no choice then I guess it is OK although like molly I would feel a little uneasy tbh

Original poster

MegBusset · 17/03/2015 09:31

Taxis are allowed to go into the school car park, I assume the office staff make sure the kids get in OK. It would be a firm local to the CM so I would have no idea who the driver was, that's what makes me uneasy I guess. She would be back in time as her other pick-up is closer to her home than our school.

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gaggaforababa · 17/03/2015 09:35

I live rutaly and got a taxi to school most of my school time, it was great

AliceMcGee · 17/03/2015 09:35

yes thousands of much younger kids get taxis to school and preschool every day
Be warmed though school runs are peak times for taxi drivers so unless the arrangement is every day you might struggle to find somebody

Mrsjayy · 17/03/2015 09:36

Contact your local council and ask for a list of approved taxi companies for schools and ring round some yourself and speak to them

AliceMcGee · 17/03/2015 09:38

ime experience taxi drivers collect fr the playground just like parents and watch kids into the house at the other end

Bakeoffcake · 17/03/2015 09:41

Yes it is widely done, but please take MrsJay's advice and contact the local council.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 17/03/2015 10:00

Would the taxi have the appropriate child seats and ensure belts were worn etc?

DesperatelySeekingSanity · 17/03/2015 10:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mummytime · 17/03/2015 10:10

Just talk to local firms and get one which is licensed to do school drop off/pick up work and has CRB'd drivers. They may well offer to go into the office to collect the children.
I'd want to make the arrangements myself personally (and if I had to do it, I have a friend who is a Taxi driver who does this kind of work, so would probably use them).

WowOoo · 17/03/2015 10:34

I've had to use a taxi company before. I spoke to the school and then the taxi company directly. The only problem was that they were in high demand (CRB checked and car seats)
If I ever need to do it again I have to book in advance as far as possible.

I got a school friend to take them to the taxi. You can't expect office staff to leave the office at the end of the school day. The office told me that if I can't find a parent they will find some other member of staff to make sure my kids got into the taxi safely. But I could tell by their faces that I should organise this myself!

5madthings · 17/03/2015 10:43

Madthing 2 and 3 did this at similar ages. When I was poorly after Ds4.

Taxi goes to school car park, collects them from the office and then drops of home.

Tbh I did feel uncomfortable with the idea but they are crb checked etc and the boys were happy with it.

5madthings · 17/03/2015 11:56

Our taxis were arranged through children's services Btw. So I think contacting council is a good idea. Thete are certain taxi firms that do school drop offs all the time. There are a few kids at our boys school who come in taxis.

5madthings · 17/03/2015 11:57

And the taxi drivers go into the office and collect and sign the kids out.

Original poster

MegBusset · 17/03/2015 13:06

Thanks all. I have spoken to the council and they don't have an approved list so I think we would have to go with the local firm which the CM already uses sometimes for her own child.

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cariadlet · 19/03/2015 00:10

As long as your children are happy with it, then I can't see the problem. I'd ask the taxi firm if the same driver could pick them up as often as possible so that they are going with a familiar adult. Also speak to the school to ask if it's possible for the your children to go straight to the school office at the end of the day to be collected from there.

I have a taxi firm that I use regularly, and I've sent my daughter to school by taxi a couple of times when I was off work and couldn't take her myself. She knew the drivers so was quite happy - she felt quite grown up to be in a taxi on her own.

Original poster

MegBusset · 19/03/2015 18:47

Well it turns out it's a moot point as no local taxi firms can do it!

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 19/03/2015 20:06

Is she a new CM or is it a new school? Not sure what part of the situation has changed. Could you find a CM who does collect from your primary school?

Original poster

MegBusset · 19/03/2015 21:02

Not a new CM or school, but she has pick-ups in the other direction and her friend at my DC school used to wait with them til she got there but can't any more. School won't hold them except in emergency. All other CMs full, after school club has a two year waiting list!

OP posts:

5madthings · 19/03/2015 21:32

Oh god what a nightmare. If you lived over nearer to me I would have done it. Can dh do say one shorter day a week so he can pick up that day and try and sort something with a friend for another?

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