what is your primary school policy regarding lateness?

[brette]

In my Ds's school, the child is led to class by a member of staff, and they have to carry a yellow card to class that says "I am so sorry for being so late"... State school. Reception class.

To be honest I don't have a clue, neither of mine have been late yet.

But I would be cross if they had to do the carrying the card thing, it is penalising the child for the adult failing to get them there on time.

They have to be signed in by the parent, and a letter is then taken to the teacher to confirm this.

ours are given a slip by the secretary to take to the class teacher to say they have been registered. Not that mine are ever late but i'm a TA in a reception class

Yes I do also think it does penalise the child when clearly it is the parent's fault.

if a child is after the close of registration (20 minutes after school starts) they have to let the office know so that they are noted as being in school in case of an emergency and to note their lunch choice.

Not always the parents fault is it? Some children are a devil to move in the morning - sometimes the threat of having to take a letter to the teacher is enough to make them get a move on.

Can you tell I have one such child? We're never late, but we were on one occasion and that was solely down to her refusing to move - and she's 9.

If they arrive after the register is taken they have to go to the office to be marked in as late, because they have already been marked as absent. The same children are late all the time.

My ds is often late - school phobia. School are very good, he goes to his class and I usually tell the office staff. If he had to carry a card as well there is no way I would get him into school.

Riven that's so sad. It's so hard when you have a school refuser. Is that your ds that's a tennager now? If the school hadn't been as good as they have with us I don't know what we would have done. You, Lynette Scavo (on here) and another teacher I've met through my job are the only people I've ever talked to who really understand it - people really, really don't understand how hard it is.

teenager (sp)

dunno as only been late once in 4 years and was before registaration had started

but there are regularly bits in the school newsletter about persistent lateness and how it is disruptive

sorry to hear that about your DS , cornsilk..must be so hard when the place they spend so much time is a place of fear

It's not the school itself actually - it's the going to school and the uniform - hard to explain. He likes it when he's there, but actually getting him in there is a nightmare.

Ours have their names entered in a late book and if it becoes a regular thing then their parents are contacted.

Our school recently had such a problem with lateness that for a week we had a social worker there every morning who gave a letter to each child that was late, for them to pass on to parents.

It is always the same people that are late, and most of them live on the doorstep.

sorry.

it is good the school are understanding though.

would htey allow him not to wear unifrom perhaps? or modified so it is less uniform like?

Don't know. I think you just take the child into the office and let them know they've arrived.

I already modify his uniform to suit him! His school are really good with his quirks and eccentricities, thank goodness. I wish he could stay there till he was 16!

Ruby that cake on your profile is amazing!

that is great !

Thanks lulumama!