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Secondary education

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Original poster

Police van at school when Yr 11 are dismissed for the last time

24 replies

ixqic · 17/06/2014 12:42

Do you know if the school your kids attend have ever had this? And if it does, what kind of school would you describe it as?

Just curious. I witnessed this for the first time last week and I was slightly amazed. Back in my time and all that....

OP posts:
HouseofEliot · 17/06/2014 14:11

No way have I ever seen that. My uncle is a headteacher they don't tell their year 11's the day they are finishing until the actual day to avoid trouble. That is a school in a very good area.

Returning · 17/06/2014 15:18

I used to teach at a school where the head had to inform the police of the day year 11 were leaving and they would send a van. He also did not tell year 11 until the actual day. The school itself was well managed with enthusiastic staff and so was not a problem itself, but one of the estates served by the school was known to be a problem and previous year 11s had made a tradition of trashing everything in sight on leavers day.

I wonder if it's the same school? outer East London?

Picturesinthefirelight · 17/06/2014 15:20

Dh used to work in a school that told the year 11s they were finishing at 3pm. Then sent them home straight after registration to avoid trouble.

Original poster
ixqic · 17/06/2014 16:40

Thanks for that. I've worked in this school for 10 yrs + and this is the first time I've seen a van parked blocking the gates. Was gobsmacked tbh. No it isn't in E London.

OP posts:
Meglet · 17/06/2014 16:45

It wouldn't surprise me. Have heard of it happening back in my day (though possibly urban myth?), 20+ yrs ago in Hampshire.

TheBogQueen · 17/06/2014 16:47

We had a school policeman Blush we were part of his 'beat.'

Luggagecarousel · 17/06/2014 20:38

I would describe it as a sensible and realistic school where there is less likely to be trouble, because the situation has been assessed, and appropriate measures taken.

There is always less crime in schools which have asked for a police presence!

MillyMollyMama · 17/06/2014 23:06

I am afraid I would think it was a pretty bad school and the Head was not in control! If I was driving by I would assume there was a problem. Can the school not keep fun and games on site and within reasonable boundaries? It is also not fair on the decent children.

mummytime · 17/06/2014 23:46

I used to walk past a police van every day on my way home from school.
I have known one nice school have one when year 11 leave - because they have a tradition of creating a mess.
Local expensive private schools put senior teachers on the streets to patrol between Stations and schools to prevent "incidents" and "bystanders being involved".

insanityscatching · 18/06/2014 10:56

When ds1 left in y11 there was no police presence, two years later when ds2 left there was a police presence. I would say that the school was on the downward slope towards the end of ds1's time there and ds2's year was particularly challenging and had been since primary days. The school has since closed.

Original poster
ixqic · 18/06/2014 13:09

in my experience of only 3 schools this is also a sign of the whole school being on a downward slope too.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 18/06/2014 13:36

There are police officers attached to most secondary schools in London AFAIK.

DD was predicting a right old bun-fight at hers on Fri (last day for y11) but she didn't mention anything after school, so I'm presuming it was pretty quiet!

TalkinPeace · 18/06/2014 20:37

Perspective : I left school over 30 years ago.

On our last day (private gels) there were regularly police "in the area" to stop us vandalising teachers cars

At Dh's school there was a mufti day and a load of the boys went dressed as the IRA - cue SPG turning up at school

OP
sounds like a cool rumour : the police do not have the resources to waste on such things

Timeforabiscuit · 18/06/2014 20:43

Naice girls grammar, 20 years ago, yes there was a police car.

School not on a downward slope at all, but we did have some "spirited" young ladies!

threepiecesuite · 18/06/2014 20:56

We have an attached police officer who milled about amongst the leavers on the last day. Ours also don't know when they are leaving.

Biscuitsneeded · 19/06/2014 18:54

I teach in a challenging school in a rural area. We have a police presence quite a lot of the time, but certainly on days like leavers' day (which is also kept very low key to avoid any planned 'high jinks'). We did have a fight break out in the leavers' assembly a couple of years ago, and now they don't even do one. I find that quite sad...

stonecircle · 19/06/2014 21:53

My kids go to a grammar school in a reasonably affluent area. Community police are always outside on the day year 11 and year 13 leave. And year 11 are usually dismissed straight after assembly having been told they're there all day.

MaureenMLove · 19/06/2014 22:14

Our year 11s left last week, straight after their Science exam. It's an average outer London school, with it's fair share of trouble at times.

They were, as usual, bloody marvellous! We try to keep it a secret from them, for as long as possible, but they usually work it out and you can feel the tention rising! It's usually the tention that they don't actually want to go! They suddenly realise the enormity of what's happening.

It took us about 2 hours to get them off site in the end. There was not one jot of bad behaviour and as usual they they made us very proud, and weepy all at the same time.

I believe we do let the community police know, but I've never actually seen them in attendance and certainly not in a van!

TalkinPeace · 19/06/2014 22:24

We try to keep it a secret from them, for as long as possible, but they usually work it out
sorry?
they all have their exam timetables in March, they know EXACTLY when they will finish
and did EVERY pupil take the same options?

DD finishes at 11 am tomorrow
most of the year group have already finished

woodlands01 · 19/06/2014 22:51

Most schools have an official 'leavers' day, independent of the options they take. fancy dress, shirts signed, final asenbley etc. etc. Police van sensible precaution in some areas. I have seen it happen, normally if they are not busy with something else!

MaureenMLove · 19/06/2014 23:01

I meant we try to keep their official leaving time and day from them. They don't get exam leave and none are put on reduced timetables, so as far as they are concerned they are in, as normal, until Statistics on Monday which every student is doing.

TalkinPeace · 20/06/2014 14:59

Maureen
Not a comp then I take it.

woodlands
DCs school ha the leaver's day before the exams : the last day that every pupil was in
if they messed about they put their exams and prom in jeopardy : no worries

UnderEstherMate · 20/06/2014 15:06

When I was in school we had police outside at the end of each day... I think I'm on the wrong website! Grin

mummytime · 20/06/2014 17:00

UnderEstherMate - I did too, hopefully it wasn't the same school. Actually most pupils didn't walk that way, but I did.
The riot police van was parked outside the most local shops to my school - partly because anyone North of the main road was in catchment for a different school and would walk past that point. This was although my schools front gates were only 50 yards away.

I had to walk through the rival school area home, but never felt threatened by their pupils.

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