Issues at home time - We need your support!

Dear Parents/ Carers,

We have had some issues recently at the end of the day with concerns about whether children are with their parents or not. It is extremely important for us to know that children are not released until their parents have arrived and that children leave school with their parents.

The way we organise dismissal in the playground and by the main entrance on Arthur Street is for parents to stand away from the classes and for children only to go to their parent when they have been seen by the class teacher. Unfortunately, some of the confusion is being caused because parents are not respecting the gap we have created between parents and classes at home time and are getting too close or are calling children from long distances away. In addition, some children are not always letting the teacher know and have run off without telling them.

Another issue we have is also that many parents are on their phones when collecting children and are distracted. Some children have been released to parents in the playground but parents have been talking on their phones and haven't been aware that their child has been left behind.

I have reminded all staff to be extra vigilant when releasing children and to make sure that they speak to children about this too.

However, I also need to ask ALL parents to support us and work together to keep children safe:

Please make sure that you keep a good distance from where the classes are being dismissed from and don't walk up to collect your children
Please make sure that you walk to where your child's class is being dismissed from and don't call them over from one side of the playground to the other
Please do not ask other children to run over to the class to collect their brothers or sisters
Please make sure that the member of staff dismissing your child has made eye contact with you before your child comes to you
Please do not use your mobile phone in the playground or on the school site whilst collecting children - it would be much better for your child to greet them and ask them about what they have learned during the day!

Let's work together to make sure that all children stay safe,

Mr Beale