Collecting Children from School- Safety Procedures 

Purpose:

To ensure the safeguarding of all children, it is essential that the school has a procedure in place for the safe collection of all children at the end of a school day, and guidance for parents/carers in the event of them being late/unable to collect their children.

Aims:

• To keep children safe.
• To ensure that all members of the school community are aware of the correct procedures for the end of the school day.
• To highlight the importance of maintaining clear lines of communication and up-to-date contact details.

Policy:

The school expects children to be collected at the end of the school day, which is 3.30pm for all children across the school (11.45am for Foundation One morning session). 

Children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One are handed over to their parent/carer at the end of the school day.  If an alternative collecting adult has been arranged, the office team MUST have been informed before children are dismissed to unknown adults. We also hold photos of collecting adults for when supply staff or Teaching Assistants are responsible for dismissing the class. At the end of the school day, we keep all young children on the carpet area so that they do not accidentally leave the school building. We ask that parents bear with us as it is an important safety aspect. Dismissing young children safely takes time.

Parents/carers may agree to allow children in Key Stage Two to leave the classroom without adult supervision as long as the class teacher has been made aware and the parent/carer has provided written confirmation of this to the school office.

If the person expected to collect the child is not there, the child will remain with, or return to the class teacher.  Please discuss this with your child.   Any child not collected within 10 minutes will be taken to the main entrance/office and if they are not collected by 3:45 they will be placed in wrap around care (a charge will be made).

If you would like to speak to your child’s teacher at the end of the day, please wait until all children have been collected so that staff can fulfil their duties without interruption.

Please refer to Guidance for Parents within this section for the procedure beyond this point.

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Guidance for parents/carers in the event of a parent/carer not arriving to collect their child at the end of the school day

• As a parent/carer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is collected on time at the end of the school day.
• Please ensure that the school has up-to-date telephone numbers to contact you or a nominated person in an emergency.
• If you are unexpectedly delayed and are unable to collect your child from school, please contact the school immediately ( no: 01302 770427)
• If you arrange for another adult to collect your child, you must let the school know the details of that person, preferably as they enter school in the morning.

If a parent/carer does not arrive to collect their child at the end of the school day and the school has not been made aware of alternative arrangements, school will take the following steps:

 The teacher will keep the child inside and ensure they are supervised.

• A member of staff will check with the office whether the parent/carer has telephoned and left instructions or an estimated time of arrival.
• If no contact has been made by the parent/carer, the office staff will attempt to contact the parent/carer and the emergency contacts by telephone.
• Where appropriate, a member of staff will sensitively ask the child whether there is a reason that could account for their parent/carer being late.
• Where appropriate, a member of staff will ask the child if they have any additional contact information.
• School will continue to try and contact the parent/carer and the emergency contact/s.
• If contact cannot be made with the parent/carer or the emergency contacts by 30 minutes after the end of the school day or after school club, school will contact the Customer Service Centre (Children’s Social Care).
• In an emergency, school will contact the police.
• We will not allow your child to be taken home by another adult unless this has previously been arranged by the parent/carer and s/he has given permission.

Please note that a record is kept of all late collections