Picking up from school

[Sillytum]

I posted this on mumsnet and was advised to post on here as pick-up is different in Scotland.

Does / did your primary schools have any safefuards at pick up (eg named persons, passwords, formal handover).
Our daughter just started p1 and when we pick her up there are about 60 kids from 2 p1 and 2 p2 classes coming out at same time. A teacher will stop a child here and there and look for a parent but another 3-4 kids will walk or run past while she’s doing that. It’s still inside the school grounds but there doesn’t seem to be any checks or security for safe handover. If we were late for any reason our child could quite easily be left alone and although it’s still on the school grounds ok really not comfortable with it. I wondered if they are watching more then it appeared to me but I saw one child yesterday who I think ran out with his friend having to go back and knock the door as no one had arrived for him.

So, wondering if that’s normal and if I just have to lump it.

Since my original post, I’ve spoken with friends in Glasgow who said at primary there were fairly strict rules at pickup such as only specific names people could collect a child and the teacher would only let the child go when that person came forward.

At my DCs primary, a few years ago now, P1 & 2 lined up inside the open door and teacher/assistant let them out 1 at a time as the adult picking them up stepped forward and waved. In time the staff knew the person for each child so pointed the child in the right direction.
So any child without someone to pick them up was still inside as they'd go to back of the line if no-one was there for them

Our school lets out the P1, P2 kids one by one and their teacher will make sure there is an adult for each child that the child recognises and runs to. P3 is less stringent and P4s upwards fend for themselves.

We don’t have passwords or anything like that. In theory I think you are supposed to let school know if a new person picks up but that rule was never really enforced. I sometimes pick up my kids friends and no one raises and eyebrow as long as the kids seem to know what’s going on or I explain in cases where a parent is running late. I guess they also know me as a school parent.

At the school I work in, if a child can't see their grown up in P1/2 then they sit on the bench next to the door. The staff know who is going to after school club and a PSA lines them up at a different door to take them to the pick up point of after school staff. As there are EYP's too they support pick up at the bench.

My children's school had to have an adult come forward for the child, before they could leave the teacher.

Thank you for all the replies.

it all sounds quite similar and at my kids school the teacher looking for the parent and only letting the kid go when they see them is definitely what is being attempted but it’s just not done very well. In practice while the teacher is looking for a parent other kids will run past, sometimes a kid will point to their parent but you can see the teacher doesn’t see them and let’s the kids go. it’s just not very controlled.
I guess I just have to accept that’s how it is.

It just needs better managed then with only one pupil at the front and the rest have to wait.

It's very difficult with one adult and up to 30 children. They get excited when they see their person and want to run to them. It takes a lot of repetition and practice to make sure nobody disappears from the line without the teacher checking. But TBH that should be the parents' responsibility as much as the teacher. Parents shouldn't be shouting them over or telling them just come on when the child is waiting patiently to tell the teacher that they can see them. All you can do is just make sure your child knows to wait until the teacher has dismissed the children in front of him/her and can see he/she has someone to collect them.

With the best will in the world, 60 children dismissing at the one time is going to be busy. The best security comes from parents- phone the school or let us know at morning drop off if someone new is picking up or if you're going to be late. Drill it into your child that they must stay with the teacher until the teacher sees their adult.

My teacher-vision is also firmly on at hometime. Most parents will stand in the same place and when you get to know families, you can scan the playground much quicker. We also know our children and who we can trust to go to an adult and who will bolt.

Our primary has 1000 pupils. There are 5 P1 classes all coming out at the same time, with the best will in the world some kids are just not going to wait. What is it you're concerned about in particular? If it's just your own child leaving without you then you can work on that with them & make sure they know to wait with the teacher if you're not there. When DD was in primary one the teacher would tell them to go if they could see their adult but I'm unsure how much more they can do.

While schools have their own arrangements there is nothing to say children have to be handed over once they're in P1

Thanks for the reply. It’s nice to hear from the ‘other side’ too and I do understand it can’t be easy with so many kids.

Well yes my concern is own child primarily (if I was running late / had an accident and she ran out with a friend / got lost on the crowd) but more just surprised and trying to understand. My daughter has been to nursery in Scotland and Spain and started school in Spain (start age 3
there). And various hobbies clubs etc. - everywhere has had a secure controlled handover - except this primary school. From the replies I accept that’s how it is and of course I accept that but I’m astonished that this is how it is.

Yes it's a shock from nursery where they are so carefully monitored. If it helps at all I've never been late/delayed and my DD is now P7. If I was ever running late for her though I'd phone ahead to the office so someone could let her know to wait inside - maybe that would put your mind at ease? The likelihood of her leaving without seeing you or a familiar adult is tiny.

P1 is different from nursery as the city schools will have 2-4 classes per year all releasing at the same time. If you’re lucky they’re doing it from separate exits but it’s still more than 500 kids going out at the same time. A nursery will have staggered release and maybe max 100 kids. It’s totally different logistics.

I think if you’re worried the best thing you can do is train your child to stay with the teacher until they see you or whoever picks up. My eldest was good at this, the younger one had to be returned to the line a few times. They soon learn the drill.

If there is a specific issue with a child eg Sen or a custody dispute, schools put measures in place if not releasing to the playground is common especially smaller ones where the class teacher can easily identify caregivers

Sounds a bit disorganised. There are 60 kids in our P1 and they have two teachers sending them out 1 by one to a waving parent. No wave, the kid stands to the side.