Leaving daughter on school grounds in the morning?

[MomofAM]

Hi guys! Badly need some advice as I didn’t go to school in the UK, I grew up in America and didn’t have any issues like this because of school buses.

I have a son in reception - their class doors open at 8:40am.
I have a daughter in Year 1, their class doors open at 8:45am.

I need to be at work by 9am latest. If I leave at 8:40am, I could make it. However, if I leave at 8:45am, I won’t. I’ve said to my daughter that she can play on the school playground for like 4-5 minutes (8:40-8:45) and then when her year group goes in, she can follow. She is a very mature 6 year old and I know she would be absolutely fine.

Just wondering if this okay to do? I’m really nervous about it for some reason. Also concerned that if I ask the school about it and they say no then I’ll be stuck - I’ll probably have to quit my job then.

School probably won't let you do this, but you could just ask another mum to keep an eye on her for five minutes? I'd certainly agree to do that if someone asked me. Or is there a breakfast club?

Unless there are staff out supervising then school won’t allow it as it’s basically leaving a 5 year old alone and she could easily wander off.

In our school, the gates open at 835 for kids to either line up or go in for 845. It would be fine to do this. What are other kids doing?

Is it an enclosed playground, with a gate that is either shut or has a member of staff on it if open? Ours is like this.

If it’s like this then I think it’s fine on safety grounds, however I wouldn’t rely on a 6 year old to remember to stop playing and go to class. Though I guess if she sees friends going in she will follow.

School will say no if you ask as they won’t want to be held responsible.

I doubt school would allow it

Absolutely not OP, although it seems to be a common problem / we get regular reminders in our school newsletter about how children aren’t allowed to be on school property unsupervised.

Your best bet is either to make friends with another mum who is happy to watch her for you or try and negotiate a slightly late start with work. Could you take a shorter break?

Our school would not take responsibility for children until the registration time and they were explicit about children being supervised before when they were on school grounds. Does the school have a breakfast club?

Another parent/breakfast club or childminder

the school won’t allow it and if spotted would be a safeguarding issue

It’s not ok unless you know that the school allows it. Even if there are staff supervising, their insurance may still say that parents are responsible until the given time.

Also, it’s just rude to assume someone else will be responsible for your child before school is open.

Ask a parent of another child in her class whether they would be happy to watch her. I would be happy to do this for someone.

It is worth sorting out a more official solution tbh as you’re going to have a bigger problem next year when they are both starting at 8.45.

Any chance your work can be flexible by 5 minutes?

School will want someone to "see her in". There will be other mums there who don't need to rush off, pick one of a child your daughter is vaguely friendly with (or one you are vaguely friendly with) and ask them to keep an eye on her until they go in, I can't imagine any mums at my school saying no to that.

In the unlikely event she tripped and hurt herself in those 5 minutes, or was upset for any reason, if nobody knows you have left/assumed oversight of her, it would come to the attention of school and I think they would take a pretty dim view, and might even view it as a safeguarding concern

I agree with asking for adjusting your hours. I’ve never taught anywhere where it would be OK to leave such young children.
If you rely on another parent and their child is ill or they are running late you would have a problem.
Slightly later start for you would ensure a calmer start for all of you.

yes and relying on another parent won’t work next year when they are all arriving at 8.45

Actually I'd speak to the school first. What a silly policy that reception opens 5 minutes before year 1?! There will be lots of parents who find this inconvenient surely, even if it's just the problem of standing for 5 minutes in the pouring rain in winter for the older child to go in. It's a silly set up and they should change it. Our school the gates/doors open at 8.40am for all age groups and you can drop any time until they close at 9am. After that is late and goes through the office.

I suspect it is because reception is j a different location and parents may well have other children so reception go in and then parents walk around and get other children in

I suspect pick up may be 5 minutes earlier as well so reception can be collected then any older child

No, not ideal and a safeguarding issue. You need to look for before school care , either breakfast club or cm to drop off.

I doubt the school would adjust timing for the parent’s convenience. In Scotland the first two years have lower minimum hours per week so those years have 15 min shorter school days. Maybe something similar exists in England?

I used to look after a friend’s child in the morning so that mum could get away 5-10 min earlier. If you have a decent parent community it’s not a big ask.

More likely to change all start times to 8.45 than bring y1 forward to 8.40. Even if they listen.

I’d look at breakfast club. That will give you flexibility to get to work on time too.

That's why a drop off window is the best way forward, so you can still do that if you have children in other years and nobody will end up late. Or if you have children old enough they can go in their entrance straight away and you can just take the little one in and nobody needs to wait around.

It's a fair point from another PP that the start time might just change to go back 5 mins. But for OP's purposes I can't see 5 mins is here nor there. I don't think it's feasible to say I can get to work on time if I drop 5 mins early as inevitably on bad weather days, on bad traffic days, on days teacher might need to speak to you or whatever else that 5 minutes is more than eaten up and you're late for work then anyway. Need more than 5 mins contingency. I'd put a flexible working request in OP if you can't agree 5 mins informally with your line manager.

Does school have a breakfast club?

I won’t be able to start work later as I’m also a teacher. I teach online and my lesson starts at 9am.
It’s only this school year which is an issue as I’m planning to quit my job after this school year … for this very reason.
We just moved to the area from a different city last week which is why I haven’t ask a mom friend to watch her, I don’t have any yet :( at her old school this wouldn’t have been an issue as I had plenty of mom friends there.

I wish reception and Year 1 went in at the same time. It makes no sense that they don’t as the doors are right next to each other. They also get done with the school day 5 minutes apart.

There is usually a lineup into the school (of Y1 and Y2) by the time I drop my son to reception. I could tell her to just stand in the line and follow everyone in? It would be for about 4 minutes.

I would pay for a breakfast club and get on with making some mum friends pdq.

Is there a class whatsapp? You could explain your situation on there and ask. Maybe offer to hold onto other kids at the other end of the day if someone is running late (if you can).