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Secondary education

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Original poster

Is early school collection illegal?

28 replies

DivaliciousDani · 16/10/2023 17:17

My eldest child was put on a managed move to a school out of the catchment area because of he's behaviour. The school he's in now is wonderful & he's getting on really well so we've decided to keep him there. While on the managed move he's original school was collecting him & dropping him off by minibus. He would have to leave school 45 minutes early for this. Now its no longer a managed move I now have to drop him off & collect him which is a pain but it needs to be done. The problem is I'd like to collect my youngest from he's school 20 minutes early to collect my eldest. I've looked into my boys timetables & my eldest is in lesson until the end of the day but my youngest has something called AcTu which is a tutor session where they sit & read. I've explained that my youngest could do this in the car whilst going to collect my eldest. I obviously don't want my eldest to miss out on anymore & that is why I have chosen to collect my youngest early. I can't really see an issue but the Assistant Principal has told me that he has spoken to the attendance team & they are unable to do this. I'm abit unhappy that the school can say what I do or don't do with my own son. It's literally 20 minutes. Is it illegal for me to demand that this is how its going to be? Am I in my rights to just take him anyway? Are there better ways to get around this I wander. Thank you.

OP posts:
menopausalmare · 16/10/2023 17:20

So he'll be missing the last 20 minutes every day? That's a lot of learning across the year. You need another plan, I'm afraid.

AppleKatie · 16/10/2023 17:24

They were never going to allow this OP.

how old is he? If secondary he can wait in the library for you to get there surely? Or start making his way home?

zazazoop · 16/10/2023 17:25

This plan is unworkable - you'll need to find another solution

Charlingspont · 16/10/2023 17:26

No you mustn't take your youngest out of school early every day. It's not fair on them. Your oldest needs to wait for you somewhere safe, like the school library.

Sirzy · 16/10/2023 17:27

If your youngest is at the local school is there no way he can walk/get a bus/cycle?

Em2ds1dd · 16/10/2023 17:29

For the sake of a 20 minute delay can’t the older child wait for you?

is the school the younger child attends aware of the situation, could they help eg letting you park in staff/school car park for a quick exit but it’s not too long for the older one to be waiting.
Perhaps he could walk part way and meet you!

titchy · 16/10/2023 17:32

So your oldest has had very poor engagement with education and you now want to encourage the same in your youngest? Wonder where they get it from Hmm

Your oldest can wait. He's not a little kid - it's only 20 mins.

redsky21 · 16/10/2023 17:32

Of course you can't pick him up early every day 😂 Seriously, did you really think the school would accommodate this?! Absolutely bonkers

SummerInSun · 16/10/2023 17:33

Agree. I find for my DS that form reading time is often actually time when they can chat quietly to friends and form tutor, the form tutor might address any issues that have been coming up in class with either behaviour or learning etc. It's not just killing time - it's an important safety valve for them emotionally and educationally.

But also, why should younger DS be deprived of school and made to feel different from his friends? If your older DS has been in trouble my guess is you have been very focussed on him and his needs and younger DS shouldn't feel that he gets pushed around so you can pander to the family trouble-maker (not saying that's what you are doing but younger DS might feel you are).

Pick the youngest up on time and older DS who is in high school can wait somewhere - chatting to friends, library, chill with a book in a local cafe even, for 20 minutes until you arrive.

Peaceandkindness · 16/10/2023 17:37

No you can’t pick them up whenever it suits you. Put one in afterschool club and get the other or tell one to wait in the library (secondary) or sit it the foyer and read. You are telling them school isn’t important and the rules will be bent for you and life’s not like that

AnSolas · 16/10/2023 17:37

You are teaching your younger child that his time and his education is of less value to you as you are "rewarding" your older child for being poorly behaved.

You need to find a better way

cansu · 16/10/2023 17:39

No you can't collect him early to accommodate the school run for your eldest. You need to work out a different plan.

MarchingFrogs · 16/10/2023 17:40

Is the 'having to' drop the older one off and collect him because the school is in the middle of nowhere in terms of transport from where you live, or was it a (slightly bizarre) condition of the new school agreeing to make the move permanent?

twistyizzy · 16/10/2023 17:41

20 mins per day over the full school year = approx 58 hours of learning (I say approximately in case anyone is going to jump on my poor maths skills) that he is missing and all you are doing is teaching him that education doesn't matter.
Your oldest has to wait until you get there.

DinnaeFashYersel · 16/10/2023 17:41

20 minutes is completely disruptive for both your child and for the rest of the class.

You need to come up with an alternative plan.

Can you pay for him to go on the bus?
Can one child go to afterschool club whilst you collect the other one?
Can a relative help out?

MolkosTeenageAngst · 16/10/2023 17:42

It’s not illegal and can be given at the school’s discretion, I teach in a special school and we have some students on flexible timetables where they come in late or go home early or don’t attend every day etc if that is what suits the child best. It is not illegal for a child to miss school with a good reason, but missing school without a good reason is a problem and schools can seek to enforce your child’s attendance. I don’t think the logistics of picking up your other son will count as a good enough reason for your youngest to miss school! It would be a decision to make things easier for you, not to benefit your youngest son in any way.

If your eldest child is having to attend a school out of catchment because that is the nearest suitable school that can meet his needs and it’s at least 3 miles away then he should be entitled to school transport so a taxi or minibus should pick him up and drop him off at home. You need to contact your local council to find out how you apply for transport if you can’t manage two pick ups from different schools, you will probably have to prove that his current school was the nearest suitable school that could met his needs but I assume if it was a managed move this was the case?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 16/10/2023 17:42

It would be an unauthorised absence every day and if that is when they take the afternoon register, means he'd be attending no more than 50%.

Your eldest will just have to wait 20 minutes.

Sprogonthetyne · 16/10/2023 17:43

It would be an unauthorised absence every day, which would be a concern to the attendance officer, and could result in fines. Would an alternative be either after school club for youngest or eldest waiting at their school until you can get there (or split it so they take turns)?

If you talk to both schools and explain the problem, they might be able to add them to extracurricular clubs, that would bridge the gap.

Butterflybluepink · 16/10/2023 17:44

We did it , I had one child at one primary school and another at a different one - pick up time was the same so we told the school we would collect dd early each day at 245 so dh could then drive to the other school to get ds at 315. They didn’t like it but they can’t keep a child there against a parents wishes

Worddance · 16/10/2023 17:48

You have a legal responsibility to educate your son. If you hand this over to the school, the legal responsibility becomes theirs. If they could discharge that responsibility in less time, they probably would. But legally, they have to deliver an education in the time required which is determined by them. So you have to accept their decisions unless you want to take on the whole legal responsibility yourself.

BettyBunMaker · 16/10/2023 17:53

If the school your eldest is at is the nearest school that can meet needs you could argue for send transport.

IcanandIwill · 16/10/2023 18:02

We did this. I had two kids as two schools that needed to be collected at the same time. Admittedly it was only 10 minutes earlier but school agreed it. Could you compromise somehow. Although I do think of this is a managed move then I'd definitely explore if you have a right to transport for the eldest.

PurpleBugz · 16/10/2023 18:12

OP ask your LA to provide a taxi for your eldest. You should be entitled

Bluevelvetsofa · 16/10/2023 18:14

Academic tutor time is important. Collect the younger one at the end of school and the older one can wait in the library, if there is one.

prh47bridge · 16/10/2023 19:52

It is not illegal for you to demand it, but it is legal for the school to refuse to accommodate your demand. You do not have any right to remove your son from school before the afternoon session ends. The law is on the school's side.

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