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Primary education

security in school

5 replies

spidermum · 24/02/2007 12:26

A man got into the grounds of my children's school yesterday, dressed only in a towel and then dropped it in front of all the children playing in the playground. My dd 7 was absolutely hysterical when I picked her up and I feel so angry that this happened. Not sure of all the details but he was arrested on the site. It happened at about 2.45pm last play of the afternoon. The school gates are opened at about 2.30pm. What is security like at your children's school? I feel quite shaky as I write. DD is very sensitive and this has truly shocked her. Some of the older children thought it was very funny, tho it was only the infants who saw it. Dd keeps talking about it and my tack at the moment is that he was probably an ill man who should be in hospital. What would you do?

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airy · 24/02/2007 12:48

I'd want to talk to the headteacher about how it happened and what they're doing to make sure it can't happen again.
At dd's school, the main gate is not opened as far as I'm aware until 3pm they finish at 3:15. It certainly isn't open while the children are out of their classrooms, surely it's a safety risk not only people being able to get in but children being able to get out!

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serenity · 24/02/2007 13:16

for your DD spidermum.

We had a spate of robberies in the school (people stealing bags from the staff room and computers disappearing) so security at our school is really strict. I'd would expect your school to get far tighter with security after this. if they don't I would contact the headteacher and the governers. Why do they open the gates so early anyway?

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anniebear · 25/02/2007 20:30

Our gates are always unlocked

I have never been very impressed. Also in the summer, Their (yr1) door was left open because of the heat

It is about a 10 second walk from the door to the unlocked gates

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toadstool · 05/03/2007 21:20

The security incident at my DD's school still makes me feel sick because of the head's appalling attitude. Did they call the police? Have a chat with the head to ask what security measures they will take now (the most obvious is to keep gates closed until the children are indoors again),and if s/he isn't interested in doing anything, ask if the school has an allocated budget for security improvements (it should). If the school trivialize the incident by claiming it was a one-off, you can go direct to [a] the governors (the head is obliged to address the raised issue), [b] the LEA, or [c] OfSTED. It shouldn't get into the papers because it would be tantamount to advertising a security issue at the school to other prowlers, so it's best to work on the school to do something.

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stargate · 05/03/2007 22:22

i've changed my name for this one.

our gates are only closed 15mins before end of day and beginning of day but this rarely happens maybe 5mins at the most. otherwise its free access.

name change because i work with the rehab of offenders and theres a high proportion t hat come from my town so I'd rather the school did something a bit more proactive. shall be having my say once dd1 hits reception