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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

Child left unsupervised

77 replies

Hutch1n5 · 03/03/2020 19:57

January this year my 7 year old child was allowed to go outside to the playground during lessons to look for her coat she thought she left it out there. Another child volunteered to go with her. The teacher agreed that they could go. As the kids went out the door, it automatically shut behind them. The teacher did not realise the kids were missing for 35 minutes until they were let back into the school again. I have spoken to the school about this matter but do not feel the conclusion is good enough. Does anyone know what law exactly this breaches such as Health & Safety, safeguarding or Child Law as surely the class teacher has a duty of care to safeguard not only my child but the other child involved. I have reserched for weeks but have not come up with a definitive answer. Thank god nothing bad happened as i honestly dont think anybody would of even noticed immediately. Sorry just isnt good enough.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SMarie123 · 03/03/2020 21:11

Although this incident is far from ideal and I would be upset (for an hour or so if it was my child) This incident is way too small to be causing you this level of concern. What is the complaint? It has to be connected..,.

Aragog · 03/03/2020 21:11

Is the playground gated and locked During the school day?

I can't see what more school can do. It sounds like they've already had a thorough response, and apologised.

When our children go outside in pairs without a teacher in this kind of situation we normally give them a spare fob for the doors to take, so they can get in as the external doors all shut and lock automatically. However our playground is fenced with a locked gate during school hours.

SMarie123 · 03/03/2020 21:12

I meant other complaint...

Canadianpancake · 03/03/2020 21:16

The school has an action plan to ensure it won't happen again. Your child wasn't actually in any immediate danger as the playground would have been secure. I think you should let this go.

Original poster

Hutch1n5 · 03/03/2020 21:23

Thank you everyone for your opinions. Much appreciated. Yes I lost faith in the school a while back which has probably made this incident seem worse than it is if it was just a single incident. I hope the school implement all they say they will. I honestly am not looking for a teacher to be fired, just want to be assured that everything is being done to safeguard these kids.

OP posts:

Downton57 · 03/03/2020 21:41

I'm sure that teacher will never let pupils go out and look for lost coats during the school day again and it seems the school is taking the complaint seriously, as they should. As an aside, perhaps you should work on developing your child's confidence, because she should not have felt anxious about going to a window when she was only trying to get back in the building!

Stormyjupiter · 03/03/2020 21:47

Op, I really can't know the truth because we really can't tell beyond what we read.
If you truly believe the teacher neglected her duty to care for your child, then maybe she/he deserves everything you think they deserve.
You know what really happened. If you think you are overreacting, it happens to most of us. We all can't think straight when it's something to do with our own child/children. So, take a deep breath, and think about what happened. And think of what is the best thing you can do for your child. And if you still can't trust the school, it's better to think about moving school.

Sleepingboy · 03/03/2020 21:49

Why didn't they knock on the door that they went out of? All seems a bit dramatic to me, then and you.

Clackyheels · 03/03/2020 21:55

This seems totally dramatic and unnecessary.You've clearly made your point to them multiple times. Let it go. If you don't trust the school maybe suggest you move your child, probably better for everyone involved. Reduce stress for all.

Grembolina · 03/03/2020 21:59

I think the original issue is clouding your judgement on this one and would seriously consider moving your child to another school as you have no faith in them.

Theworldisfullofgs · 03/03/2020 22:07

What made you lose faith in the school?

(I'm a bit surprised the doors to the playground are locked but then our local primary is a small village school.)

BackforGood · 03/03/2020 22:10

I have to agree with everybody else.
The response from the school sounds incredibly thorough.
Even you cant think of anything else you can make them do, and have turned to the internet to see if anyone else can think of anything. They have been incredibly thorough.
Your reaction to this incident - which everyone has agreed, wasn't great that the teacher was distracted and forgot they had left the class - is still over the top.

lulufufu · 03/03/2020 22:18

Think you're over reacting. The teacher got distracted. I'm sure she's sorry about it. The school are taking steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. What more do you want?

HoffiCoffi13 · 04/03/2020 06:15

Theworldisfullofgs our small village primary has gated/locked playgrounds other than at drop off and pick up times. The only way into the school during the school day is through a buzzer system into reception and then there is a fob system to get through the rest of the doors in the school.

Theworldisfullofgs · 04/03/2020 06:46

Our village school has lacked gates and entrancecwsy but the doors into the locked gated playground are unlocked during the day.

Theworldisfullofgs · 04/03/2020 06:46

That was rubbish but you know what I mean!

helpfulperson · 04/03/2020 07:19

Hang on. You've said all the pupils were spoken to about 'asking for help' . What does this mean? Were there people around they could have asked but didn't? This is what the wrapping up in cotton wool is doing to our children. At 7 they should be able to work out a solution to this in a school playground. Bang on window, go round to the main door etc. And understand the difference between a bit of a playground they aren't normally in and what to do in an emergency. Honestly the school has gone above and beyond- we would just say no children allowed out alone in future.

10FrozenFingers · 04/03/2020 07:28

I think the school have taken action to ensure it doesn't happen again. It was a rare set of circumstances and they aren't psychic.

Shit happens, OP. Move on.

EffYouSeeKaye · 07/03/2020 23:24

I can totally see how 35 minutes went by without the teacher noticing. I imagine it was a mad busy 35 minutes from their point of view and very likely felt like much less.

Anyway, the school have responded extremely well and I’m sure that teacher will just say no to any such requests in future and then endure a stream of complaints about lost or wet coats so you can move on from this now. It sounds like the underlying issue is the main problem, anyway.

Summersunandoranges · 07/03/2020 23:55

Have you ever received an apology? What did you say when you found out the teacher was lying?

I’d be happy if

There was apology. It wouldn’t have been pleasant for them.

The teacher lying was acknowledged

The plan of action that is going forward is implemented

Blondie1092 · 08/03/2020 00:11

Ok I'm sorry but I'm a teacher to 7/8 year olds and I often left them run out and check for a lost coat. I can see how this happened. I'm not saying it's "right" but it was an accident that the teacher didn't realise the door locked behind the children.
As someone mentioned before, teachers are human too. Who while the two children were out looking for their coats the teacher was tending to (probably) 20 something children. It was an easy mistake to make.
Of course you're not happy about it, any parent would be the same. But what exactly do you want out of this?

Zombiemum1946 · 08/03/2020 00:20

Sounds like you need some time to calm down from an understandable reaction. Because of your action there is now a procedure in place to deal with it. You've made a difference, try and take some consolation from that.

Thisismytimetoshine · 08/03/2020 00:33

I don’t know what I’d like the outcome to be, I just know I’m not happy is a fairly stupid stance to take, really.

Why didn’t they just knock on a window?

Starbuck8419 · 08/03/2020 17:17

Sounds like it’s an issue with the teacher more than the school.
They weren’t let out into the middle of a motorway to go and look for a coat. Presumably it’s an enclosed area that if anything, would of been 35 minutes of sheer boredom for them.
How big are the class sizes?
I Think the school sounds like it’s doing everything it can in response.

Figgygal · 08/03/2020 17:20

They’ve responded with good proposals so not sure what else they can do to reassure you tbh

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