£110 worth of kit missing & he's only been in school a month!

[mumblechum]

OK, I'm really losing it now. In the last two weeks, my ds, just started Y7 has lost:
1 Mouthguard, worn once, cost £33
1 Rugby shirt, worn twice, cost £27
1 PE shorts, worn 3 times, cost £5
1 PE tshirt, " " £5
1 pair trainers, £40

I keep telling himn to go and get them out of lost property but he keeps saying he's tried (fair enough, I've looked for some of this stuff myself and the lost property in this new school isn't a box, it's a room.

Apart from the trainers, it's all named. No one at school seems to have the job of repatriating named stuff (and I know it's his responsibility, not theirs).

I'm torn between being really annoyed, because obviously I can't afford to keep replacing things at this rate, and sympathetic (I do think they're a bit overwhelmed, esp. going from tiny village school to highly competetive,1,000plus grammar). What would you do?

Firstly, I wouldn't give up until you're certain that it isn't going to turn up - wait until the end of term. A lot of stuff often materialises at that point when parents suddenly realise that their child has someone else's items.

Speak to the school office and ask what the school's policy is. If things are clearly named, they really shouldn't go missing. Perhaps a general letter could go out to all parents to check their child's things to ensure they don't have someone else's by mistake.

As a last resort, make ds pay for replacements out of his pocket money . Tends to concentrate the mind somewhat.

I know how you feel

DS lost his rugby/hockey boots last week and he hadn't even worn them

He had taken them out each games lesson but because they had been on astro turf he had worn his trainers

I was not a happy mummy

Anyway they turned up the next day by the changing room - someone else had obviously picked them up by mistake - they were named though

So hopefully the same thing will happen for your DS

Has he told the games teacher?

Perhaps they could have a games kit namecheck

ie check all the boys have their own kit and it is named

Does he have a games locker - DS keeps all his PE and Swimming kit in there {obviously his swimming kit comes home each time after the lesson - as did his games kit cos he got rained on yesterday}

This is separate from books locker though - otherwise books would get muddy

We lost so much stuff last year (though dd is in primary school) that I volunteered to go in and sort out the lost property . Surprisingly, most of it wasn't named and most of the stuff dd had lost did turn up - it was being worn by other children whose parents hadn't checked the name tags.

I agree with Freckle - perhaps a week where everyone could check all their kit and return stuff that isn't theirs - or if you are really desperate, volunteer to sort out the lost property room.

Oh I really sympathise. DS1 lost all of his PE kit in his first half term at secondary school last year. It was all named and he kept checking lost property (or so he said) but we didn't get it back... until last week! By which time I had shelled out the £60 or so it cost to replace it. Oh well, at least I have a spare set now
It's really difficult when they're at secondary school and they're supposed to be responsible enough to look after their own things but clearly aren't!

Wow - 33 quid for a mouthguard! My dds cost £1.50.

Sometimes I think children are a bit too shy to go and ask at the office when they first start at school, so why not put a note in his planner for his form tutor? I have found the planner is invaluable for getting notes to my dds tutor as it is the only thing they reliably look at!

I know, what a rip off! the school send you this leaflet telling you your child will be potentially braindamaged if he gets wacked in the mouth by a hockey ball (??) & you kind of feel obliged. If he doesn't get it back, I'll buy one of those boil at home things for a couple of quid.
Good idea about the planner. I'll put a note in on Friday which is when the tutor signs it. Ta.

Um, as an ex hockey player ... if you get a mouthguard that isn't specifically fitted to your teeth you risk having ALL your front teeth knocked out at once (snapped for want of a better word) ... I know, I have seen it happen to a friend of mine

Having said that, am appalled that so close to the beginning of term they have a lost property room full of stuff ... don't they get rid of it at the end of the term/year?

Perhaps you should go in and look for it if your DS ... that is what I would do.

Has he def checked lost property, if it is all named you shuld be ok, it cna take time
once last yr (ds yr 7 last yr also at grammar) ds brought home ONe of his trainers and one of someone elses, also once wore another boys trousers home despite ds being nearly a foot taller than the other boy [sigh]
I got ds 2nd hand footy boots
He has lost his shorts again - I said go to lost property and get another pair.
He drives me insance at times too

As a last resort I helped a friend with a similar "lost property" child sort out all the lost property and, using a complete school list, repatriated named stuff or took the names out of "old" stuff for use as spares/2nd hand uniform sale. This was only at primary (large enough though with 90 pupils per year).

As a last resort, could you offer to sort the lost property room?? You'd probably need help!!

I phoned up the school today and spoke to a very scary Matron who tells me that the LP is kept locked now, so I can't go and root through it, but "all named items will be returned to the relevant pupil". I'll give it a week then if nothing shows up go the second hand sale, restock and next time he loses something, he sells his PSP to pay for it. Yes, he really really will!!!!!!!

My DS lost his Swimming trunks one Thurday, then thought he left his entire rugby kit & boots at the bus stop on a Friday night! Fortunately for him they were under the desk of his last lesson on Friday, retrieved on Monday, & his trunks were returned on Monday as taken home by mistake & the Mother spotted the name.

We have told him that he has to pay for any kit not replaced. Rugby top is a special order only! Anoher posh Grammar!

Milliways, I do have a couple of rugby tops in case you do lose one anytime! (I wear them for gardening - they're very cosy!)

Rusty - that would be great (Sorry, only just seen this). He is tiny though & the smallest one is big on him, but he will grow!

Are you on CAT?

Hi Milliways - you're welcome to it - I've just got a gardener so I won't need it anymore , but having said I had a couple, I can now only find one, but I'm planning to have a turn out over half term, so the other one may turn up!
DS was tiny too - when he left, he was still wearing age 13-14 shirts!
This rugby shirt is size 32" - 34", but actually measures 21" straight across the chest under the arms.
I have "allow CAT" on my preferences, but I've never done it, or paid the fee - do I need to do anything?

cant believe how expensive the stuff is!?