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Secondary education

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Original poster

Do you ask them to text you when they've arrived?

41 replies

hardboiled · 19/07/2013 11:27

Do you ask your Year 7 DS/DD to send you a text saying he/she has arrived safely to school? And a text saying he/she is leaving?

Primary school never calls if a child has not turned up, so if anything ever happened to a Y6 on the way to school the parent would never know. What about in secondary?

Or is it too "helicoptery"...Confused

OP posts:
mrsravelstein · 19/07/2013 11:30

no. first few weeks of y7 he did quite often text to say he'd got on the bus, and still sometimes does. if they don't turn up to school and you haven't phoned them in sick, the attendance officer will call you fairly sharpish to let you know.

notapizzaeater · 19/07/2013 11:30

Our primary ring give till about 9.20 before they ring to see why they not there. Our secondary school send an automated phone message out to all parents at 9.15 if they haven't turned up nd one been in touch. They then have so long to ring in before a real person rings round.

Inncogneetow · 19/07/2013 11:31

No. My boys (14 and 16) have never taken their phones to school. Phones are a menace in schools, and most have a policy that they shouldn't be in school. They cause bullying, disruption in lessons and all sorts of issues when they get stolen.

Most secondary schools have a policy that they will contact home mid-morning if students have not turned up, and there's been no message.

Theas18 · 19/07/2013 11:33

They'll be on the phone after registration if they haven't registered. Check school policy.

crazymum53 · 19/07/2013 12:14

dds school sends out an email or text to parents (depending on their preference) if their dcs haven't arrived (and they haven't heard any reason for absence) or even if they have arrrived late!
They are allowed to take mobile phones to school but they have to be left in their lockers during lessons.

lljkk · 19/07/2013 12:21

No, can't get DS to even take his phone with him.

Sparklingbrook · 19/07/2013 12:26

We would get a text from school if he didn't turn up. DS takes his phone but is turned off when gets off the bus to when he gets back on pm.

Original poster
hardboiled · 19/07/2013 12:30

Thanks all. I will check school policy, they probably contact parents if child missing from registry...
Right now, in Y6, DS has been texting - has the template ready in the phone. He has never once forgotten.

OP posts:
gazzalw · 19/07/2013 12:41

Absolutely not. The school would soon be in touch if they didn't turn up...My answer to all these semi-neuroses about needing to be in constant touch is this: we didn't have this type of access to our parents when we were our DCs age.....

DW was having a conversation with another Mum whose DD is in Year 8 - the DD forgot her phone and went home to collect it and therefore was very late for school. My thought was "why on earth does she need her phone?" - she is a walking distance away from school not miles and miles away.....

Talkinpeace · 19/07/2013 13:35

No
kids area allowed phones in school : the school uses SMS to send them urgent messages
but phones are confiscated if seen in use in lessons

BackforGood · 19/07/2013 17:41

No
We've always worked on phoning if there's an issue, not 'tracking' them every day.

LIZS · 19/07/2013 17:43

Only if there is a particular reason to be concerned , like bad weather and bus was running late.

Mintyy · 19/07/2013 17:44

No! never occurred to me.

GrimmaTheNome · 19/07/2013 17:45

No. We used to ask DD to text us when she got on the bus in the afternoon but that didn't last long. Now she only calls if the bus is going to be late (we have to pick her up from the stop).

bigTillyMint · 19/07/2013 20:12

No. But DD texts/phones me if there's a bus/other problem. Can't remember DS doing that!

I think you might worry more if they forget?

cory · 20/07/2013 13:20

No, school doesn't encourage mobile phones and quite frankly I would have thought it would create more worrying than it solved.

curlew · 20/07/2013 13:22

Nope. Helicoptery.

I used to worry more if my year 7s texted me- it usually meant that they were feeling friendless and lonely.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 13:30

Nope the school will contact me if they dont turn up. They do have a phone in case of emergencies, it was handy when snow meant buses werent running so ds1 let me know he was walking home.

mummytime · 20/07/2013 13:41

My DCs school is pretty hot now on texting to tell you if they aren't there. But it is just one of the scary aspects of secondary school, that you say bye to them and don't see them for a long time.
How far do they have to travel? Are they with lots of other students?
If they are travelling with others then the others are usually pretty good at looking after each other. DD got stung by a wasp on the way to school, her walking companions got her first aid and helped her get to school, where she was promptly sent home (she was stung on the foot and it was swelling up).

Aquamildred · 20/07/2013 13:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Biscuitsneeded · 20/07/2013 13:55

No, why on earth would they not appear at school, unless they have a track record of absconding?? I would always assume they did unless school phoned to say otherwise... If you make them text you to say they've arrived and then one day they forget, you'll panic! I think kids at secondary school need to be trusted to be able to move from home to school without constant checking!!

pointythings · 20/07/2013 16:46

We did it for the first week of Yr7, mainly for DD1's peace of mind, but after that - no. She is still alive at the end of Yr7, I'm pleased to report.

FannyMcNally · 20/07/2013 16:52

But unless you have a tracking device, he could be anywhere when he texts Grin

mrsminiverscharlady · 20/07/2013 18:07

We can check online to see if they've been marked present at registration, but I think school would tell us pretty quickly if they hadn't arrived.

I do expect ds to text when he arrives home as I'm at work. On one occasion I got a text that said 'home safely'. I phoned him and said 'that text was interesting. Because I'm at home and you're not' Shock Grin Silly boy was still on the bus and just wanted to 'save time' Hmm

RussianBlu · 21/07/2013 17:31

Secondary schools don't always get around to calling you if your child doesn't turn up. I speak from experience.

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