How does your primary manage pick-up time?

[Readytomakechanges]

As in, how do the school ensure the pupils leave with the appropriate adult?

Is there an age when pupils are expected to be old enough and sensible enough to only leave when they see their adult and to return if they're mistaken?

Our school currently has the policy of Y1s spotting their adult through the window and going out to them, unfortunately this has resulted with some overenthusiastic/impatient Y1s running out when their adult has not been there to collect them.

How things change. While I don't advocate 5 yr olds travelling unaccompanied on a bus(in London in wartime!) there does seem to be an element of over-protection in many arrangements stated here. Most children should be able to understand that if no-one is in the playground to meet them then they should go back into the classroom.

Infants - teacher at door to see kids out to their adult.

Juniors - allowed out of class on their own and yr 6 allowed off school grounds on their own.

I walked him alone as a kid from 6 onwards, thank god things have changed now (I always ended up throwing my keys down the drain as I remember playing some weird game where I chucked them ahead of me and invariably lost them 😬).

My kids primary takes the kids outside and then hands them over to the adults.

All years at our school are only allowed to go when the teacher acknowledges parent/carer who is collecting, unless the child has permission to walk home alone.

My DD is in year 5 now and on the days I collect her (other days at after school club) she is down for 'walk home alone' but I meet her outside the gates in order to avoid the scrum in the playground! She does have clear instructions on what to do if I am not in the agreed place.

P1 and 2 are handed to an adult at the door, after that they just come out into the playground.

At our school, ks1 handing over system is very efficient imo.
Children line up to the door inside the class room.
Teacher open the door, stand by the child with hands on his/her shoulder.
Teacher look for parent/carer. Parent hands up . Teacher release the child.
If teacher can't see the parent, the teacher sends the child back on the line.

Infants: YR and Y1 collected from classroom (children sit on carpet, teacher at door, calls names when they see parents. If they don't recognise someone, they ask who they're collecting when they come closer to the door). Y2 the same, but they don't have doors onto the playground so they're taken out to sit in a designated spot in the playground just before the gate opens (gate opens at home time, parents collect, gates are locked again within 10 minutes - most parents need to get across to the other site for the Juniors).

Juniors: (separate site) Y3 collected from classroom door, same as YR & 1. Y4 - each class has it's own door they leave from (Y3/4 door, and the two hall doors) as Y4 is upstairs. Kids line up along one side of the corridor and teacher calls those whose parents they can see. Once the first inital rush is gone, children will point out their parents the teacher hasn't spotted. Once there are only five or six left we bring them outside so we can see if parents are elsewhere in the playground. Y5 and 6 are released from their classrooms and either meet parents in the playground or walk home alone. Y5 and 6 teachers will often pop out in case parents want to talk to them.

Reception, parents pick up from the door

Rest of school, they come out class wise (one form per year) stand with their teacher and when teacher sees the parent they are released.

Y6 are allowed to walk home on their own after parents have signed a confirmation letter to that effect.

Has always worked very well but it's a lot easier in a small school I guess.

P1 (age 4/5) the kids are handed over to the adult at the door. The kids that catch buses are collected by a P7 bus buddy and escorted onto the bus. P2-P7 the bell rings, the door opens, the kids rush out and get to the bus/ walk home/meet adult themselves. By P3 I don't think the teacher even leaves their desk. Compared to a lot of the comments here it seems very lax, but as far as I know no child has gone missing yet. I think it's the same setup at all schools around here

The teacher go out with the children in a line and when the relevant adult is spotted (either by the teacher or child) the child is handed over. If the child is picked up by an unknown adult or goes home with a friend we have to tell the school in advance (letter in the morning or phone call to the office if it is an emergency).

If no adult is spotted (often because the infants are in another building so it takes a while after sibling pick up or a childminder is picking up from various classes) the child waits next to the teacher.

No child is left unattended when no adult is there, the teacher waits in the playground.

Y6 are allowed to walk home on there own, so if parents sign the permission slip and the child tells the teacher at home time he/she can walk out of the classroom on its own.

P1&2 a teacher let's go when the child spots their adult or older sibling. P3 up they are just let out into the playground and no one watches. The p1&2 thing started just a couple of years ago before that they were just let out too - I remember having to drill my P1 dd on what to do (go back into school) if I wasn't there just in case.

All pupils from DS's primary are held hostage until the parents pay a ransom of £7. Some people don't get their children out for weeks on end. The teachers are brutal. Even the TA makes the year fours clean her desk.

In our infant the teacher or ta has to see the parent and then let's the child go. If someone else is collecting you can write it on a board in the morning or ring up during the day. They won't let kids go, even with another parent in the class otherwise.

Juniors, years 3 and 4, similar to infants except they trust the kids more if they say they are going with their auntie or friend and will let them go with another parent from the class. Also, if you give permission they will let them leave on their own. Eg my year 3 has permission to leave only with his year 5 sister.

Year 5 teachers come out with them but they will let them leave pretty much on their say so. Lots walk on their own at this stage. Year 6 they just open the door and let them go (except if a parent has specifically said they are not to leave alone) .

Makes sense to me as a natural progression towards secondary school independence.

Reception, child is handed to a named adult at the door. Teacher has a list of names with photos of who can pick up each child. Separate area to rest of school.

Every classroom has a door onto playground.
Y1/2 Teacher releases children one by one to parent(Or collecting adult), child points out the person collecting them. If a child can't see parent they wait at the wall to one side, and teacher releases them once parent arrives.
Ks2: classroom door is opened, teacher stands at door, so they have an overview of what is going on, but kids leave as they are ready, to find their parent. They are under strict instructions to return if their adult is not there.

One teacher (usually SLT) stands at playground gate, if they see younger children leaving without an obvious adult, they stop them.

Prep school so up to age 13.

Up to year 2 - parents cone inside to classroom door. Teacher sees parent, shakes child's hand, who has to respond with a 'good afternoon Mrs x'. Child is released.

Year 3 upwards, children all brought to outside main door where parents are waiting. Child or teacher notices parent. Handshake and formal greeting take place. One or two teachers fist bump instead - possibly for germ reasons? Doesn't look as nice but not sure I'd want to shake all those snotty kids' hands either. Did notice one teacher with hand gel.

Reception collected from their door. Teacher has to see parent/CM/whatever

Yr1-4 line up in play ground. They put their hand up if they see their adult, teacher checks to see who's there for them and they're released. We have one class teacher and 2 TAs and yes, they seem to know all the parents!

Yr5 is in the middle school on the same grounds. They make their own way out when the bell goes.

In year one it was line up outside the door. Teacher opens the door you tell them childs name and the let them out. I hate this as it always took ages there was always one mother who would want a 'word' with the teacher which took ages. Then there were the mothers who didnt just ask for there child but half of her friends kids as well

Year 2 We just hover round the door teacher has the kids lined up and they have to see the parent to let them go. Works a treat loads faster than the other way. No hanging around or waiting like before.

Teachers lead their class to the external door where children are allowed to leave once parents have been identified. It works except for the occasional determined child or parent who dislikes the fact staff don't hand over children to older siblings which means they have to walk an extra hundred metres from one playground to the next.

Teacher sees the adult, acknowledges them then calls for the child who is being held with the TA.

If an unfamiliar person is collecting dc we prewarn teacher and agree a password.

Reception to year 2 all the parents gather around the classrooms (outside doors) and the teacher lets children out one by one to parents in the queue. KS2 the children are all brought out to the yard and they put up their hand until teacher gets to them and they point out their grown up. If there’s someone unfamiliar in the younger school the teachers won’t let them go without a phone call to confirm. I think it’s ok in the older school if child is expecting the adult (obv as long as there’s no restrictions already in place of course)

Years r to 2 the teacher stood outside and called child when parent was spotted.

Year 3 teacher opens door and when child spots adult they just come out

Year 4 teacher trusts child to leave when they can see adult

5 and 6 kids just leave regardless of adult being there

At our primary .Yr 2 the kids just run out of the door onto the playground . Some parents are sitting waiting some arrive a little later and the kids run around playing. Teacher will chat to parents , kids outside or inside class. Sometimes if a parent arrives late it takes a while to find a Child as they've gone to another part of the grounds to play. I sometimes wonder why there aren't more strict rules about them leaving but feel like I'd seem neurotic, ( Brit living in NZ)

Prep school, all children have to be signed out by parent (or designated adult) from their common room.

You can't compare schools. Does seem very overprotective, some of these though.
Ours line up and are released after a nod from the parent. If no parent, child steps to the side.
Here, Y6 they encourage them to walk home in preparation for secondary.