It is essential that the school ensures all children arrive at and leave school at the end of the day with a safe adult. We appreciate that for many families, arrangements need to be flexible, and it may be that a few people care for the child after school. Sometimes there will be ‘one-off’ arrangements. For this reason, we have set out clear procedures for staff and parents/carers to follow.

External school gates are opened at 8:40 daily when staff are present supervising each entrance. Staff on duty will welcome children entering the school grounds and direct them to line up at designated collection points. Teachers will then meet their classes on the playground, answer any parental questions, and lead their classes into the building.

Children arriving before 8:40 must be supervised by their parents at the school gates. External school gates will be closed promptly at 8:55 as part of our safeguarding protocols. Any families arriving at school after this time will be required to make their way to main reception on Ross Walk. These children will then enter via main reception where they will be signed in by a member of the office team.

The school offers a breakfast club facility daily for families who require this. The breakfast club runs from 7:45 and is run by school staff daily at the cost of £1 per session. Entrance is through our side gate on Ellis Avenue and is held in the downstairs hall. Following breakfast club, children are escorted to their drop off points where they join their classes.

Children are to be collected at the end of the school day from their child’s class teacher or the teacher supervising the class at the time. The children are dismissed between 3:20 and 3:30pm.

The school acknowledges that many of the children may have siblings in other year groups which may mean that parents/ carers would have to go to various drop off and collection points around the school. To support with this, the school will allow Year 5 and Year 6 children to wait at their sibling’s collection point at the end of the school day. Parents/ carers need to provide details of the alternative collection point on the letter which is given to Year 5 and 6 children at the start of the academic year. Alternative collection point letter 23-24

  • Reception classes are dropped off and collected from classrooms via the entrance on Ross Walk
  • Year 1 and 2 children are dropped off and collected at collection points via Ellis Avenue and the side gate on Bruin Street.
  • Years 3 and 4 children are dropped off and collected from the gates on Bruin Street
  • Years 5 and 6 children are dropped off and collected from the gates on Loughborough Road.

The most important factor to consider about suitability of a child walking to / from school alone is any risk to the child. If parents/carers wish to let their child travel to/from school independently, then they must assess the risks associated with the school route and their own child’s confidence. Only children in Year 6 are allowed to leave the school independently to walk home provided parental consent has been given in writing. The school keeps a register of children who have permission to travel to and from school independently, which is shared with the child’s class teacher. Children must notify the class teacher when leaving school. Children will always be encouraged to walk home together in pairs.

If a child should not arrive home at the expected time the parent/carer is expected to notify the school immediately.

These permissions only apply to children leaving school at the end of the school day: any child leaving school early (e.g. for medical reasons) or leaving school later than normal home time (e.g. evening performance) must be collected by a responsible adult.

If parents wish older siblings to drop off / collect younger children they must meet with the school to discuss the situation and if this is agreed then parental consent must be given in writing. If the school has any concern that older siblings are not competent to take younger siblings to and from school or there are concerns about any child’s safety or welfare due to these arrangements, this will be raised with the parent (ideally in advance of collection) and the principal reserves the right to withdraw permission for a sibling to collect or drop off a child.

If the school has a concern that the parent/carer is using drugs/alcohol and therefore may not be able to prove safe care for their child/children the school will speak with the parent/carer to inform them of the concerns and monitor the situation. However, if the extent of a parent’s own needs mean that they cannot keep the child safe from harm, then a safeguarding referral to Children’s Services will be made. If an adult with parental responsibility presents at school and staff are concerned that their presentation suggests they are unable to offer safe care, one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads will speak with the parent/carer to clarify the situation and assess the risk to the child. The school will aim to retain care of the child whilst awaiting the advice of Police and Children’s Services but the school does not have the authority legally to retain a child against a parent/carer’s will. If a parent/carer is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and takes the child/children off site, the school will then ring for a Police welfare check on the non-emergency number, 101.

Abbey Mead Primary Academy does not expect any child to be collected late. If a parent/carer is delayed for any reason, it is the parent/carer’s responsibility to arrange for a responsible person to collect the child/children from school on their behalf and inform the school office of changes in collection arrangements by 3pm, allowing the office time to ensure messages are passed on to class teachers. If an unauthorised person arrives to collect the child, the school will contact the child’s parent/ carer. If the school is unable to make contact with the child’s parent/ carer, or the parent/ carer does not give their permission, the school will explain that they are unable to release the child to anyone else without authorisation from the child’s parent/ carer.

The school procedures covering the collection of children at the end of school the school day are to ensure they are safe and in the care of the parent or an authorised adult by 3.40pm at the latest. The school must have the full contact details of parents/carers and other adults (such as grandparents) authorised by the parent/carer to collect their child. It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to ensure contact details are up to date and that they have sufficient authorised adults for a range of emergencies.

If a parent/carer or a responsible person has not collected the child/children from the school by 3.40pm on more than three occasions it could trigger the activation of child protection procedures including, where necessary, making a safeguarding referral to Social Care.

If nobody comes to collect the child, they will be taken to after care. The school will make every effort to contact the parents, carers or authorised person whose details have been supplied. Until the child is collected, they will stay at school in the care of two members of staff including the DSL or DDSL.

Whenever a child needs to be collected before their formal dismissal time, parents/carers must provide prior notification by contacting the school. This is to ensure that the class teacher is notified and therefore has sufficient time to distribute any homework/notices.

At the time of early collection, parents/carers must report to the school office. Parents/carers are required to sign the child out with the time that the child is being collected. Office staff will notify teachers that the parent/carer has arrived to collect the child. Parents/carers are requested to wait in the office area for their child to arrive from the class.

The school recognises that at times, children will need to attend appointments (including medical appointments) during the school day. In such cases, parents/carers are welcome to collect their child for the appointment and then return them to school during the school day. Parents are required to sign their child out of school. The office will ensure that the child is signed out of school when leaving the premises. When parents return their child to school, they must report the child’s return to the school office so that the school is aware that the child has returned and is back on the school premises. The office will ensure the child is signed back into school upon their return.

Club leaders have responsibility to ensure that all attending children are handed over to the agreed recognised responsible adult. Parents/carers will be informed of the timings of the after-school club and the required collection point. In no circumstances will children be left alone to wait for their parents. If parents do not pick up promptly, then the children will be placed in the care of member of staff and parents will be contacted.

The school acknowledges that those with parental responsibility have a legal right to collect their children from school which will be respected by the school. In the event of any dispute, it is the responsibility of the parents to notify the school of the arrangements that have been made. The school will of course comply with any court orders that may be in place.