School gate problem

[Lisa0911]

At my kids school, we have 2 gates the main one and the back one so the back one is easier for us 10 mins walk only but the problem is they always forget to open the back door on time . School starts 8.45 and door have to be open at 8.30 but they always late and lots of parents complain but nothing changed and today we was standing outside for 15 mins waiting for someone to open the door and when we went inside the headteacher was there, we tried to complain and she was rude telling us if that door wss closed , we should have used the main gate which is another 15 mins walk from the back door to there and she wasnt even sorry but trying to put blame on us parents for being late and telling us is not her problem if the door was closed and she shouting at the parents to take the kids to the classroom . Is it anything else we can do or somewhere we can complain about it or we should just leave it and carry on as normal?

Put your complaint in writing and copy to Governors (if they exist) and local education authority

A 15 minute walk from back to front gate of a primary school is really long!

hanging, it would take a good 15 minutes to get from back gate to front gate of our school too. Not because its massive..just how its situated. You cant walk around the edge of the school grounds, you need to go through a park and a housing estate

What a pain. Could you send a polite email about it op?

Thank you everyone , i will put in writing and send to local authority hopefully something can be done about it . I forgot to add when my kids first started we used the main gate which is 30 mins walk from my house to there and it was okey and the lady who work at school reception who told me the back door and i starts using it since and find it so much easier to get to school because its only 10 mins walk .

The Local Authority really will do nothing about this!!! They have no control over opening a gate!

In most schools it is the Caretaker who opens gates. Many schools prefer one gate in use for safety reasons, but by no means all. Could they put a code lock on the gate and give the code to parents? It would be reasonable to open it at the start and end of the day.

Therefore, you should write to the Head explaining the difficulties this is causing. Get other parents to do the same. Also speak to the parent governor. Explain about the extreme amount of extra time needed and inconvenience that the closed gate causes. This is a school organisational matter and even the Governors should not really discuss it. However, in this case, I think the school is being unreasonable because most staff arrive early and could unlock a gate. What does the caretaker do in the morning? Most are on site when the children arrive. Suggest the Caretaker does it if they do not key for a key pad lock.

Also explain you are all taking a healthy walk to school and will have to drive (in a car) to the front if the back gate remains closed. This is agsinst the Healthy Schools initiative so say how you value walking and what a good thing it is for the children. Say you do not wish to clog up nearby roads, but with an extra 30 minutes for each trip to school (1 hour a day) you are left with no alternative! This would be an issue for the Governors!

Thank you bubblesbuddy i will let the other parents knows so we can all get together talk to the parents governor and theres no caretaker at the school and its only the teachers who opens the door and they always late maybe if there was a caretaker it will be good and all this shouldnt happens

Ask school for clarification: Is the main front gate the only place to drop children in the morning (and collect in the afternoon) or are both gates manned and open from 8.30am.

Ask them to clarify in writing (newsletter) to the parents if the arrangements have changed as you don't want your children to be in trouble through no fault of their own, and you had been given to understand that both gates were open.

Thank you , the main gate open at 8am and the back at 8.30am so both times is written to the school newsletter but the problem is theres no caretaker so its the teacher who opens it everyday and thats why they always late like today we wss standing outside till 9am .

Just bring your mobile phone with you, and phone the office if it's locked?

We have 2 gates, and back gate was meant to be opened by staff who use that one, so if she is off, it can't be locked until someone let them know, or time for the official time for school to open.

*can be

If they get 10 parents phoning the office to tell them "I don't know if someone's already said but the gate is locked" they will soon find whoever didn't open it.

Yes - I understand, the reason that I'm suggesting putting it in writing to the headteacher is A) so that it clarifies that they're not fulfilling their obligations/their own policies and B) so it's on record.

I bet the head will sort out the rota/the teachers who are supposed to unlock if it's an issue - it just hasn't been enough of a PITA to them yet!

Thank you

Yeah, I agree with not being a big issue at the moment. When we had to go into school early, and back gate wasn't open, I always went around to main gate and never complained. I now think I should have. More complaint they get, they will react sooner.

I wonder if the teachers should be unlocking a gate/door or if they are doing it as a good will gesture?

Neither the LA nor the board of governors will be very interested I’m afraid. This is definitely a matter for the Head. Put it in writing, ask for a response. If you do not get one, or you are not satisfied with the response you do get, follow the complaints procedure for the school (will be on website) - this is the point governors may become involved but you need to follow the correct procedure as governors won’t otherwise intervene in operational matters. And definitely don’t speak to the parent governor about it - it’s not their job to handle complaints from parents - you really need to go to Head first and then follow complaints policy if Head isn’t helpful

I can well believe 15 minutes walk, my old (small) primary school was similar from one entrance to the other if you were going round as you had to go through a housing estate not just a straight line round the school grounds.

I agree with PP suggestion to email and ask for clarification if you are only allowed to use the front entrance or can use either, in which case can they please ensure the other one is opened.

I get that there may be one person who opens main gate, then takes a few minutes to walk to the other to open it. And quite possibly they are frequently interrupted with other things that need doing while they’re en route. But that’s not your fault.

Do their admissions criteria specify distance from either gate? This will strenthen your argument.

Why do people always suggest complaining to the LA or the governors?! This is an operational matter and should be dealt with by the head. If you were to complain to the LA or govs it would be sent straight back to the head.

At our primary we have 2 gates and there is a rota for staff so Mrs X mans it on a Monday, Mr Y is on Tuesday etc.

They are all phase leaders/SLT, and man the gate for the entire 20 minutes. It is a safeguarding issue too. It means parents can chat to them if needed.

I would address the issue to the head, pointing out healthy walking etc we have a 5 minute walk zone around our school, complete with map and red outline. Basically saying even if you have to drive, please can you just walk 5 minutes a day.