leaving mindee alone outside school gate

**Loushah** · 24-01-2012, 09:34 AM

In need of advice....I look after a 7 yr old and 10 yr old siblings which go to the same school, the gates open at 8:45.

Last week the 7 yr old starting swimming and she needs to be there at 8:45 and the school have requested that parents take them into the swimming baths so I have to go into the swimming baths with her also taking to lo's in with me in a double pram. In order to get her to swimming on time, I have to leave the 10 yr old outside his school before it opens, which last week wasn't too bad but today it was pouring of rain and he didn't want to wait in the rain, so we waited but this made the 7 yr old late.

What would you do?

**sarah707** · 24-01-2012, 09:49 AM

I would be late rather than leave any childminded child of any age (unless high school and walking independently) on their own.

I would go in and explain to school that you cannot just leave the child as you are then not insured if something goes wrong.

Ask the school how they can help you deal with this - maybe by having someone there to meet the older children.

Hth

**snufflepuff** · 24-01-2012, 09:53 AM

I'd speak to someone at the school, explain that you cannot leave any child alone so is there any way the 10 year old can go in to a classroom early perhaps? Or even sit near the reception desk or office? Otherwise the 7 year old will have to be late for swimming.
What does the parent think about him being left alone?

**Loushah** · 24-01-2012, 10:03 AM

I absolutely agree I hated leaving him on his own last week, but also felt really bad the 7 yr being late today...everyone had gone in to the changing room and a lot where all ready in their swim wear. The parents told me to drop him off first early.

**ziggy** · 24-01-2012, 11:03 AM

To be totally honest i wouldnt care what the parents say, i wouldnt leave a child in my care.

I agree with sarah and would ask if school could help out.

2 minders in our village leave their minded children in car on the main road outside school for up to 10mins each day, a lot of parents have commented on it, better to be safe than sorry

**SammyM** · 24-01-2012, 11:59 AM

If it were me I'd rather be late.

**blue bear** · 24-01-2012, 12:33 PM

Can 7 year old be in kit under clothes so when you arrive late it's just a matter a stripping off uniform and hopping in?

**sarahjane** · 24-01-2012, 12:38 PM

You can't be the only person this is affecting - there must be parents with other children in the school who need to be in 2 places at once.
I would approach the school too and see if they can offer a solution for you and anyone else this affects. If I was a parent then I wouldn't be keen on leaving my own child either.

**blue bear** · 24-01-2012, 01:31 PM

Can 7 year old be in kit under clothes so when you arrive late it's just a matter a stripping off uniform and hopping in?

**The Juggler** · 24-01-2012, 01:39 PM

This happened with one of my mindees before. I told mum and school that I could not drop to swimming baths so would drop mindee to school earlier and one of the teachers would have to escort him to the baths

**Tippy Toes** · 24-01-2012, 01:52 PM

I wouldnt leave mindee outside gate, like others have said have a word with the school and see if the can go into class just a little bit earlier. xx

**The Juggler** · 24-01-2012, 01:57 PM

hon (sorry on my high horse about this). This is a curriculum activity - it is the schools job to get the pupil to the activity.

When we were asked to do this, I AND many parents complained until they agreed the swimmers came early to school and were escorted there as a group.

For us to have done it would have meant walking to the school, drop off juniors, walk 15-20 mins other way (with preschoolers walking) then 15-20 mins back to infant school and pre-school. The deputy head thought this was OK

The message was loud and clear - it's the schools job. I would speak to the headteacher and tell her that this is not possible for you

VINASOL · 24-01-2012, 04:43 PM

another thought...if the 10yr old is late, does this mean that he will miss the register and be classed as missing a 'session?'...this is another reason that the school needs to co-ordinate itself. why can't the children go into school as usual and then staff take them swimming? Surely they need to do the register first? My DS (9) has swimming on a Friday morning but they go into school as usual, do the register and then off they go.

actually thinking about it, isn't this a safeguarding issues? allowing parents who are not CRB checked into an intimate situation of swimming baths (i.e. children getting changed)?

**Loushah** · 24-01-2012, 08:14 PM

I have spoken to their mother tonight and she said that she is going to speak to the school but I don't think they will really see leaving a 10 yr old on his own at the school gates as a problem. They have a school bus that drops all the children off at the school gates 5 - 10 minutes before they open and they have to wait outside the gates unsupervised and some of them are a lot younger then 10 yrs old.

I have also spoken to the 7 yr old girl and she is going to wear her costume underneath her school uniform, we are going to put her swimming cap on whilst waiting for the school gates to open and I am going to carry my baby and 19 month old into the swimming baths rather than take the double buggy...this should all save time.

I agree with what a lot of you have said, the school should really be organising the transport for the children and there must be others affected.... I haven't been minding the children long so don't want to kick up a fuss at the school as the parents are still in their settling in period.

VINASOL....It is a unisex changing room, and general public can go in there...they do have their own cubicles though....even then don't like the idea of unisex changing rooms

**The Juggler** · 24-01-2012, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by Loushah

I have spoken to their mother tonight and she said that she is going to speak to the school but I don't think they will really see leaving a 10 yr old on his own at the school gates as a problem. They have a school bus that drops all the children off at the school gates 5 - 10 minutes before they open and they have to wait outside the gates unsupervised and some of them are a lot younger then 10 yrs old.

I have also spoken to the 7 yr old girl and she is going to wear her costume underneath her school uniform, we are going to put her swimming cap on whilst waiting for the school gates to open and I am going to carry my baby and 19 month old into the swimming baths rather than take the double buggy...this should all save time.

I agree with what a lot of you have said, the school should really be organising the transport for the children and there must be others affected.... I haven't been minding the children long so don't want to kick up a fuss at the school as the parents are still in their settling in period.

VINASOL....It is a unisex changing room, and general public can go in there...they do have their own cubicles though....even then don't like the idea of unisex changing rooms

there is no way I would be taking 2 babies into a swimming changing room - that is ridiculous hon. I would speak to the school and governors if they think this is not their responsibility

Also

to leaving ALL those children unsupervised OUTSIDE school gates for 10 mins every day - I'd love to see their Safeguarding policy

**Loushah** · 24-01-2012, 10:50 PM

ha ha so would I...one of the mindee's said that the school bus is more expensive then me (I don't know how true this is or if his parents told him this)...It is bad that these parents put their trust in the school to pick their children up and take them to school and they do that.

The parents drop the children to the teachers in the reception and the teachers take them into the changing room but because we got there late the children had already gone in. I didn't feel comfortable letting her just go in the changing room on her own, wanted to make sure that there was a teacher present.