Dog Bit My Child This Morning In The Playground!

[Mummatothreecubs]

Hi, sorry if it’s in the wrong category.

This morning my child was bitten by a dog in the school playground by a parents dog. I didn’t see this happen although he was playing near the climbing frame when he dog jumped and clenched his jaw around his arm. Although his skin is not broken he’s been left with bit marks on his skin.

I raised my concerns to the deputy who was In the playground at the time and she said she would have a quiet word with the parent or may put this in our weekly newsletter.

Several parents bring their dogs to school for drop off/pick up, can anything be done about this? The school also has 2 small pet dogs which roam around on a lead.

I’m actually very concerned now and worried this could have again, he already isn’t great with dogs and now this has happened it’s going to take us a while to work on the whole safety around dogs again.

What is the rule around dogs in the playground? If there is one. Who do I speak to about this?

@Crankymonkey

Interesting. Do you have any ideas why local authority park playgrounds are fenced off and gated, and don't allow dogs? Why might that be do you think?

It's not about banning everything that upsets children. It's about accepting that your dogs aren't your children, as much as we love them, and there are places that they shouldn't be, for good reason.

We don't take them to crazy golf, soft play, swimming pools, theme parks... it doesn't take much imagination to work out why. You might feel it's fine for a dog to jump up at your child and take their arm in it's mouth before they start the school day. I dont feel the same, and I don't feel that's overreacting.

@TizerorFizz Of course, and I understand that this needs to be taken up and pressed with the school. But that’s it really. Police, press etc and the “outrage” about it all are over the top and frankly ridiculous.

I’ve not advocated the press or the police. Police were told and did nothing. As you might expect. It’s a school matter. If the track was worse, it would be a police matter.

I had commented on the thread in total and the absolute hysteria spun here.

We emailed the Governor yesterday and I’ve got a response. He’s happy to meet next week or have a zoom meeting. But I put the following in my email to which he said he will not tolerate any threats. I do feel he’s over reacting now!

I wrote:
We will also be taking the next steps of reporting this to Ofsted, LA Safeguarding Team & if need be the Press if proper action is not taken.

He Said:
I must also point out that veiled threats in your correspondence will not be considered, the reasons which I will happily discuss when we meet.

Am I wrong to write this?

Rubbish!!
Do you really want to see a child get seriously injured or worse?
Have you understood the thread and noted a dog in the primary school playground attacked the OP's DC!!

Taking dogs to schools is a big no, no!

As you know many clowns don't pick up their dog mess and kids and even adults get it on their shoes on the way to school and kids take it into the classroom and kids often sit on the floor and some have a habit of touching their shoes

Some kids and adults are scared of dogs and when a kid is scared and rightly so panics of a dog, even a formally good dog can attack because dog s startled and that is a fact!!

@Mummatothreecubs You seem determined to use the wrong tactics. Why mention all those threats before any meeting? Just silly to do that. Have you read anything I’ve said?

You are clearly NOT using the official complaints policy. Why not? It’s not in the governors gift to see you! It’s an escalation of the complaints policy and should have a time and date and have notes taken. Why aren’t you doing the official route? This means your complaint is not registered by the school. Therefore if Ofsted come, it’s hidden.

if you want anything to be resolved, don’t threaten. Some posters here have no experience of how schools work. Keep your powder dry and ensure the official complaints procedure is followed and do not threaten. Who is the random governor? The Chair? What official arrangements have been made by the school?

Can not believe the comments about how it was 'only' a mouthing and not a proper bite. That's pure luck. It is also pure luck that it wasn't OP's child's face that was bitten. Even if it is 'just mouthing', who are you to say that the rest of us who are dog-free or dog-avoidant want slobbery dog spit on our children? Dogs are well known for eating their own faeces or licking their private parts, and you want me to be ok with it then touching my child with its mouth. You may have low care and hygiene standards, but many of us don't find this acceptable.

RIP to the 7mo baby mauled to death a couple of days ago in Coventry. Stupidity to take such unnecessary risks.

Whist I definitely think you should take those steps I probably would have avoided mentioning it at this stage. I totally understand that so far everyone you’ve spoken to has been useless and understandably got your back up, but he may totally be on your side, which you won’t know until you’ve had this meeting. I would keep ammunition in your packet if he sides with head. Don’t go in all guns blazing, get his view then escalate as needed.

Am I wrong to write this?

It's not the route I'd have chosen, OP; for a start they'll already know you could do this without you having to tell them
You've also just handed them an opportunity to claim you were being rude and threatening, and while unreasonable people often do this to put themselves "back into the right" even when it isn't true it seems a shame to give them ammunition

Personally I'd keep it strictly formal, using the guidelines you've already been offered, but naturally it's up to you

Hear, hear. Just follow the complaints procedure if you have a complaint. All the agencies you’ve threatened will refer you back to the school’s complaints procedure. Veiled threats won’t get you anywhere and will make conversations more combative than they need to be.

I too think that dogs should not be on playgrounds.

i also know that schools decide on their own cultures and are pretty autonomous. You school has stated quite strongly what their ethos is and this seems to be shared by senior teachers and governors. Complain if you want but be prepared that you are quite likely to get nowhere.

My previous post was gently highlighting this but your absurdly aggressive response suggests this is going to take quite a toll on your mental health.

I’ve been reading all the posts & based my email on majority that was advised. I guess I shouldn’t have written what I did like that, although not a threat from my side but more what my next step would be if not resolved. Although I understand I don’t need to make them aware of this.

yes it’s The Chair & he’s offered to meet us next week.

No official arrangements have been made by the school, except for the brief meeting with the headteacher yesterday. However as we did not meet a compromise she advised us to follow the complaints procedure & get in touch with The Chair Of Governor.

Are you hard of thinking? This time it might not have broken the skin. What about next time? I am actually dumbfounded that people can "think" like this.

Ditto!!!

I would probably not have written it like that but it's done now.

At the meeting keep a calm demeanour. Write down all the questions that you want to ask. Make sure it covers all the main points and do not use 50 words when 20 will do.

The governor might try and differentiate himself from the school. So I would be wording all questions like

"Do you think it is appropriate to have children in playgrounds"
"Do you think the dog that bit my child should be allowed back in"
"Do you think animals should be prioritised over pupil safety"

I would check the complaints policy on their website as it doesn’t quite sound like they’re following it. You need to be clear about what your complaint is, who your complaint is against ( deputy? Or head? Or chair?) and what you want the resolution to be. Make sure the policy is followed.

The complaint is, possibly, not doing a risk assessment and not ensuring dc are safe in the playground. It’s a complaint against the GB who set the ethos and are responsible for H&S. The remedy being sought is no dogs in the playground.

The Complaints Procedure I’m familiar with requires a complainant to lodge the complaint with the Clerk to Governors. Also 3 governors hear the complaint. The complainant is invited to the meeting and can bring someone with them. All papers must be circulated in advance (the case) and there must be a written record of the decision. What the Op is doing isn’t a complaints process I recognise. @Mummatothreecubs You need to read your policy - I think you are being fobbed off because you don’t read anything! And don’t take advice after it’s given to you!

If you are making a complaint against the whole governing body then you can’t speak to the chair about it. The clerk would have to nominate a neutral person such as a Governor from another school. But check their policy.

Personally, I would make an appointment to see the HT to discuss your concerns and see what the response is. If you are not happy with the outcomes of the meeting, then you can use the complaints procedure to complain about the head. The governors would be required to investigate the complaint and, as strategic leaders, look at what the school can do to learn from this incident.

Keep going op. Never heard of a school that allows free range dogs on the premises that’s insane.

It’s pretty obvious the head finds it convenient to bring in his own dogs (school dog 🙄🙄) so is then on a sticky wicket banning everyone else’s or head is a hypocrite. Absolutely outrageous- dogs are always banned from playgrounds for very good reasons biting / allergies / the diseases from their poo/ children scared of them - and it’s the children’s space not the bloody dogs! I slightly despair of the encroachment of dogs into every space.

I am an animal lover and would be taking the same stance as you OP. The school has reacted outrageously!

We already had a meeting with the HT and was not happy with the outcome.
The next step is what I don’t understand as it would be to have a meeting with the chair of governors, however to my understanding do they not make the H&S policy/ethos of the school? So how do I complain to them about the policy they create. I’m confused if I’m entirely honest!

I’m getting the same response from a lot of people who have dogs but DO NOT bring them on school runs for the obvious reason that it’s a children’s play area! But not everyone thinks logically like us! They’ll wait for someone to be severely hurt before they take action!