What would happen in your school?

[Corneliawildthing]

All our infants get free school lunch. After lunch they play in the playground. One parent, who claims other kids are hitting her child (they are not - in fact it's the other way round), now comes and stands in the playground, watching her daughter every lunchtime. There are always 2 playground supervisors in the area who "don't like to say anything to her" and the HT avoids confronting parents.

Grab.*.

In addition to the union you could easily go above the head. Anonymously contact your LA as a “concerned parent”.

...why not ask the parent to become a lunchtime volunteer? Get her DBS checked and on the playground in an official capacity?

It's always been like this. Parents come in and out by the gate to drop off and pick up kids but nobody had ever done this before.
Ths head encourages parents to call her by her first name so familiarity has bred contempt and they walk all over hrr

Why would you need a safeguarding lead to realise that, shit, any old random with any old predilection has access to the school yard when the kids are there so that needs to be fixed?

She wouldn’t get access to the playground without being buzzed in through the office. Would be a safeguarding issue to have an unchecked, unsupervised adult in school grounds.

If Ofsted got wind of lack of security it would no doubt prompt an inspection.

My DS has SEN and has been struggling to settle and I've been in school a lot but ONLY with being signed in, with a visitor badge and for a specific purpose.
(I have a DBS for another purpose but not for school. I'm in England).

You don’t need a safeguarding lead to “realise” this. Any adult in the school would realise the clear issue.

However it’s the safeguarding leads job to deal with child protection issues.

We have spoken about the situation but wd knows the head won't do anything about it. Theoretically anyone could come in the gate when the kids are out playing.

I'm in Scotland too and there will be a safeguarding person, they might be called child protection officer but there will be one, it is part of GIRFEC. Who do you go to if a child discloses something or you have a concern?
No unauthorised person should have access to the school playground and this woman should be told to leave. Why does the janitor not lock the gate during break time, surely there is as much risk that a child could wander off/run off? This needs addressed quickly as it is a HUGE safety concern. If HT is unwilling to do anything speak to the education manager or call the local authority head office education department, the HT is failing in duty of care.

Does she have a dbs check. I doubt it. The head sounds rubbish. I’d be contacting ofsted.

I know of a fair few number of country schools who do have more open playgrounds, where there aren't massive fences, perhaps just a waist-high hedge and a gate. Not all schools are completely closed in.

OP, I think you need to speak to the head and remind her that false contact with the children like this requires a DBS and, were Ofsted to find out, would be a safeguarding fail. She needs to get the parent out of the playground.

False? I meant regular!

The head is our child protection officer. The gate doesn't go right across the opening so a person could always get through. Children have run our of it in the past. A lot of pupils go home for lunch so they come and go by it

No way would that be possible at my DC's school. Yes a parent could watch from the fence, but the playground is locked after drop off until pick up time.
And my DC's Primary school had a first names for everyone policy (eg. children called their teachers by their first names). But this is dangerous. If she can get into the playground then what is there to stop children getting out? (My youngest would have brought herself home if unhappy.)
My DC's secondary is far more secure - if you need to access the school you have to be buzzed in from reception.

So any random person could stroll into your playground and hang out?
Fuck no.

I don’t give a shiny shite who she is. She should be removed. If not then you’ll have a host of parents rocking up.

Also, no safeguarding lead in Scotland? Ok, but there must be someone that you report concerns to. Scotland wouldn’t be so lax as to simply not bother, surely.

Sorry, cross post about the head being the child protection lead.

Yes any random could enter the playground. I have occasionally seen people use it as a short cut which they also do at the high school which is totally open.

...why not ask the parent to become a lunchtime volunteer? Get her DBS checked and on the playground in an official capacity?

What a dreadful suggestion.

If you work in this school, you need to send an email to your Head outlining your concerns i.e. Member of public is able to access the playground when children are out there. Speak to your Union. If your Head does not immediately act in the info you've emailed to her, then contact the LADO at the LA.
Doing nothing is not an option. Your Head is being a total dick!

Wtf people use it as a shortcut??

After dunblane I thought everything had tightened right up! I'm shocked and appalled!

I can just imagine the conversation on Monday morning
Me - I'm concerned that Mrs M is standing IN the playground af lunchtime. It's s security risk
HT - No it isn't. We know her

Yes that really is how daft she is

1. Contact your local authority.
2. Write to the governors.
3. Email OFSTED

If the head is so ridiculous I'd report it. Not sure how it works in Scotland but there's county council contacts here, or higher safeguarding contacts. It's complete madness the situation right now. (I'm a teacher too)

Safeguarding issue. She shouldn't be there.