Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

do you drop your reception aged child at the classroom door or do you just let them walk on their own from the carpark?

78 replies

icecreamsoda · 02/07/2008 12:41

Our reception-year 2 children are supposed to be dropped at their classroom doors. And also they will only be released to someone coming to pick them up. Those classes are right around the other side of the school.

So today I was shocked to see a child in my dd's class walking up to school on her own. I asked her where her mummy was and she answered that she was in the car. So it seems she's parked the car, little girl has got out and walked through the carpark, through the school gates and around the school building on her own.

So I went into the office and reported it, and also told the teacher who said that it's not on and that it will be addressed.

Was I unreasonable?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Twiglett · 02/07/2008 12:43

yes

HuwEdwards · 02/07/2008 12:44

I agree, you were.

Twiglett · 02/07/2008 12:45

sorry that wasn't 'yes I drop my reception child ... blah blah' it 'yes you were unreasonable and so is your outrage'

misdee · 02/07/2008 12:45

yes

i am trying to get dd2 to go into school by herself. i rarely see her right into the classroom now. tend to stay in the playground.

i know there is someone in dd2 recpetion class who walks round with his big sister once his mum has seen them across the road.

hunkermunker · 02/07/2008 12:45

Why unreasonable?

RubyRioja · 02/07/2008 12:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

icecreamsoda · 02/07/2008 12:46

But the child has been dropped in a carpark, she has to walk up to the school gates, from there she could walk through another set of gates that are still open at that time of the morning and out into the main road. her mother could not see her through the gates from her car.

She is 4.

OP posts:

charliecat · 02/07/2008 12:46

well the child clearly knew what she was meant to be doing and was doing exactly that so i think you were being unreasonable. Im sure shes not gonna die walking round the school grounds on her own. And im sure she will do exactly that when shes taking the register/forgets her water bottle/needs a pencil when in other playground.

Fennel · 02/07/2008 12:46

I let my 6yo go to school on her own occasionally now, she's yr 2 but officially they are supposed to be accompanied. I wouldn't be that impressed if another parent told the office and I got ticked off.

I know my child is sensible, she lives nearby, and she plays out in the area of the school on her own. I don't mind the school having general guidelines about key stage one children but I see that as them covering their backs in case of problems, not as something that parents have to adhere to.

hunkermunker · 02/07/2008 12:47

I don't have strong feelings one way or the other - I guess it depends on school layout, etc. People on this thread will post strong viewpoints from their own schoollayout and ignore the fact that the OP's school is on an oil rig surrounded by shark-infested waters, etc.

Original poster

icecreamsoda · 02/07/2008 12:48

We all drop our children in the playground and they go into class on their own. But the classroom doors open out on to the playground.

If anything happened to that child who would be held responsible?

OP posts:

MegReally · 02/07/2008 12:48

I used to walk to school when I was in reception; school was round the corner so my mum couldn't see me. And it was definitely reception because we were in another building for the rest of infant school. There were no roads to cross. I'm still alive, see

Twiglett · 02/07/2008 12:49

how can she be 4 if she's coming to the end of reception .. even if she's the youngest then she'll be nearer 5.

I think it's natural selection mesel' .. if she's too dumb to avoid the sharks and pits with pointed sticks then that's one less child to educate surely

Twiglett · 02/07/2008 12:49

and if she's one of the oldest in her year she'll be nearer 6

Original poster

icecreamsoda · 02/07/2008 12:50

There's a difference between 4 and 6. Child in question only started at the school in question a few weeks ago.

OP posts:

nkf · 02/07/2008 12:50

At my children's school, most parents take their reception age children into the classroom, hang up their coats, put their lunch boxes away, lead them over to the mat and then try to get the teacher's attention for a quick discussion.

They probably think parents who leave at the classoom door are negligent.

Twiglett · 02/07/2008 12:51

but you said she was in reception

Fennel · 02/07/2008 12:51

lol at the natural selection.

There's another thread going on where everyone is bemoaning the way children don't get to roam free any more and how terrible that is. But it seems if you give your children a bit of freedom you're liable to have other parents complaining about you to the school office.

WilyWombat · 02/07/2008 12:51

YANBU - parents are required to queue with their children in the playground at our primary. tbh I dont think it would hurt to leave the child once they were in the queue but we have a kiss and a cuddle I say "have a nice day" and it only takes an extra 10 minutes out of my day.

CarGirl · 02/07/2008 12:51

I walked to school from the age of 4.5 on my own and at lunch time as well! It was the norm!

I have 2 different playgrounds to drop dc off at (they are R & yr1). There was a stroppy letter from school last week about dc must be accompanied until they are in school - how am I meant to be in 2 places at once! Drives me mad - they are just covering their own backs, when do dc ever start to learn independenc & responsibility if they're never given any?

Original poster

icecreamsoda · 02/07/2008 12:53

She is. She came from another school.

She is 5 at the end of august. I know this because she has befriended a friend's dd and they share a birthday. So she's one of the youngest in the class.

OP posts:

themildmannneredjanitor · 02/07/2008 12:54

my son is in reception and he is still only 4. he won't be 5 until right before he starts year 1.

they don't lt you drop at the classroom in our school after the first few weeks-it's drop at the doors.

i would always walk my little one to the door though.

WilyWombat · 02/07/2008 12:54

Yes but when WE went to school the other parents werent driving 4 x 4s the size of an elephant at speed outside the school

themildmannneredjanitor · 02/07/2008 12:55

and i don't think it has EVER been normal and standard practice for 4 year olds to walk to school alone! i cdertainly remember being walked to school in the early 70's.

Fennel · 02/07/2008 12:58

This child isn't walking to school alone at 4. the mother is bringing her. but dropping her off outside. I could imagine doing that with dd3 next year when she's nearly 5. If she wanted me to. Mine sometimes rather like being independent and doing things on their own. which is just as well as I like it too. also I have 3 of them and often my neice and nephew to look after so they get used to not always having me escort them into class.

you can still give them a goodbye kiss, just a bit earlier in the going to school process.

Flip

1 2 3 4