COLLECTION

Our collection policy was most recently updated in March 2024 and can be viewed here.

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 in the event of them being late/unable to collect their child.

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 3.20 p.m.for  Reception and Key Stage One and 3.25 p.m. for Key Stage Two. Nursery children may be collected at key points throughout the day , end of morning session 11.45am, end of lunch club, 12.30pm or end of afternoon session 3.30pm
• Parents are reminded to keep the area around the classroom doors clear to enable children to make a safe exit.
• Children in Reception/Key Stage One are let out of class at 3.20p.m. and handed over to their parent/carer. Parents/carers are expected to wait in the main courtyard for year 1 pupils and outside classrooms fire exits for pupils in Reception and year 2 to collect their child.
• Children in Key Stage Two are let out of class at 3.25p.m. Parents/carers are expected to wait for their child in the main courtyard or to make arrangements to meet their child at the pedestrian field gate.
• Children may walk home on their own as long as the class teacher has been made aware by the child’s parent, in writing.
• All staff will complete an end of day register.
• Children attending the Play Place are collected from within the main school building, registered to ensure all are present and escorted by a Play Place worker to the Play Place. A list of daily attendance at the Play Place is available for each class teacher.
• Children who use the school bus services are collected from within the main school building, registered and escorted to the buses. Any changes to transport needs must be notified by parents.
• If the person expected to collect the child is not there, the child will return to the classroom and inform the class teacher. Any child not collected within 10 minutes will be taken to the School Office and should be collected from there.
• Please refer to Guidance for Parents within this policy for the procedure beyond this point.

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 at the end of the school day.

 Please ensure that the school has up-to-date telephone numbers to contact you in an emergency. 

• If you are unexpectedly delayed and are unable to collect or will be late collecting your child from school, please contact the school immediately (tel. no 01937 832899)
• If you arrange for another adult to collect your child, you must let the school know the details of that person.
• If you are unable to arrange for another adult to collect your child then the school will look after your child at the School Office for the first 10-15 minutes, before making temporary provision at The Play Place.
• Please ensure that the school have received your most up to date collecting adults information, and staff are informed if changes are made to these.
• If you or an identified adult have/ has not arrived by 4.30pm to collect your child, the school will contact the Customer Service Centre (Children’s Social Care).
• If you are late collecting your child from Nursery (Foundation 1) we will charge for each additional 15 minutes you are delayed, at the discretion of the headteacher. 

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:

1. The teacher will bring the child/children inside and ensure they are supervised.

2. Children who have not been collected by 3.40p.m. will be supervised in the office

3. A member of staff will check with the office whether the parent/carer has telephoned and left instructions or an estimated time of arrival.

4. If no contact has been made by the parent/carer, the office staff will attempt to contact the parent/carer and the emergency contact by telephone.

5. 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.

6. Where appropriate, a member of staff will ask the child if they have any additional contact information.

7. School will continue to try and contact the parent/carer and the emergency contact/s.

8. If contact cannot be made with the parent/carer or the emergency contact/s by 4.30p.m., school will contact the Customer Service Centre (Children’s Social Care).
9. 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.

Parents will be informed of the policy via our school website.

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.