External pedestrian site entrances from Carr Lane, Bellfield and Ashgate are open from 3.20pm; the staff car park is closed. Lessons finish at 3:30pm and children will be dismissed from their designated exit after this.

School collects information from parents about how children are leaving school at the end of the day. This information is stored in each classroom and is used at the end of the day to dismiss children. Children will only be allowed to leave school in the way that parents have specified.

Parents must inform the class teacher or school office if there are changes to the usual collection arrangements – for example, if a child is going to a friend’s house after school.

Children will only be allowed to leave school unaccompanied if parents have given permission for them to do so.

To ensure site security, parents must drop off and leave the school site promptly. They must not congregate on site or by the school gates.

In a situation where there are disputes around who should be picking up or dropping off a child due to disagreements between a number of adults who have parental responsibility or care for the child, schools will use the guidance produced by the Department for Education (DfE) on understanding and dealing with issues relating to parental responsibility (DfE, 2018). School will abide by  any Court orders that are shared with them.

In the event of children being collected late school will:
• contact parents or carers
• call emergency contacts if parents and carers cannot be reached so an authorised adult can come and collect the child
• keep records of late collections.

• If parents and carers have authorised someone else to collect the child, they may not always be aware the child is being collected late, so we will keep them informed if this happens.
• In instances of persistent lateness school will contact parents or carers outlining their concerns. This will also be recorded as a safeguarding concern using the school’s safeguarding procedures.
• If school has ongoing concerns about a child’s welfare, we may make a referral to children’s social care so that the family can receive support.

• If parents, carers or other authorised people are not able to collect the child and have arranged for someone else to come instead, the parents or carers must notify the school as soon as possible.
Identification will be required when the person comes to collect the child.
• If nobody comes to collect the child, we will make every effort to contact the parents, carers or authorised person whose details have been supplied. If we are unable to get hold of any of the
authorised people by 5pm we will apply child protection procedures and contact children’s social care.
• Until the child is collected, they will stay at school in the care of two members of staff.
• School staff and volunteers will never:
• take the child home with them
• transport the child home
• go in search of parents/carers

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will make a full written report of the incident which will be added to the child’s safeguarding file. If appropriate, this report will also be shared with children’s social care.

• School will not allow children to go with any unauthorised person without first getting permission from parents or carers.
• If a child’s social worker is planning to collect them from school, this should be agreed in advance by the child’s parents and carers.
• If an unauthorised person arrives to collect the child, school will contact the child’s legal guardian. If the school is unable to make contact with the child’s legal guardian, or the legal guardian does not give their permission, we will explain that they are unable to release the child to anyone else without authorisation from the child’s legal guardian.
• If an unauthorised person refuses to leave the premises, becomes aggressive or violent or attempts an unauthorised removal of the child then it may be necessary to contact the police.  This will be recorded as a safeguarding concern using the school’s usual safeguarding procedures.

There may be times when the school is worried that the adult collecting a child is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or their behaviour otherwise suggests that they may not be in a fit state to safely look after the child.

In this case, school will:
• contact another family member or authorised person to collect the child
• record the incident as a potential safeguarding concern

Repeated instances of an adult appearing unfit to provide safe care will be discussed with children’s social care.

If school has immediate concerns about a child’s welfare, and an alternative family member or authorised person is not available to collect the child, the school has a duty to prioritise the welfare and safety of the child. We will attempt to keep the child on the premises until we have received guidance or support from children’s social care or the police on what action to take.

If, despite the school’s efforts the parent insists on taking the child, then we will:
• contact the police
• make a safeguarding referral to children’s social care
• keep a full written report of the incident.

Only the pedestrian site entrance from Carr Lane is open. The staff car park is available for picking up from the Out of School Club only after 4.40pm. Parents and carers must collect their child from the entrance/ exit associated with each club. Club managers are responsible for visually handing over children at the end of a club and following school safeguarding procedures.