26 February 2024 , 21:40
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Parents were heartbroken to return from half term and find a new rule meant their children were 'prised from their arms' at the school gates.
Families returned for the first day back at Sandbrook Community Primary School in Rochdale on Monday morning and had to drop their youngsters, as young as nursery age, at the gates rather than walk them to class.
Mums have told us it was "utter chaos" with "children in tears" and "shaking at the knees with worry." The change was announced to parents in a letter before the February half-term, but families say there was no consultation and they had no chance to raise any objections before it came into force.
One mum, whose three children have additional needs, told us: "My children have been prized from my arms in utter devastating circumstances. As you can imagine this was the case with many families and children, even those without extra needs. The school grounds somewhat resembled a war zone and it felt as though staffing members were treating parents like criminals and children like prisoners."
She added: "How am I expected as a mother to three children with these extra needs to leave my children in the care of these adults for six hours plus a day when I can no longer have interaction with the staff involved in my children's care."
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Hannah Bradbury, who has two children at the school, agreed, saying: "I'm not happy about leaving my children at a gate, especially as they're expecting children from age four to take themselves to class. It's a parents job to take their child to school and it's a job I enjoy as a parent, I like to know my children are in school safely.
"It's very dysfunctional with children crying at a gate and being pulled away from their parents at the start of the day. Another told us it took a couple of hours to reassure her autistic six-year-old following the chaotic drop-off and said one member of staff laughed at her when she raised the problems this would create for children with additional needs."
The letter sent to parents from the school's safeguarding team explained that "gates will open at 8.40am and will close promptly at 9am." It said: "It is essential that the school day starts quickly and that learning is the key priority. After the half term, we will be trialling a new system.
"Each gate will be open as usual and there will be a member of Sandbrook staff to greet children. They will then walk to their classrooms by themselves (just like they do after break and lunch). Teaching staff will be in their classes to welcome the children and will start to focus on learning. Additional staff will be positioned on the yard to support the children whilst the new system is embedded. This system is in place at one of our other Trust schools and is really successful."
It adds: "We encourage all our children to arrive at school on time as attendance and punctuality are key to a successful education. Any children who arrive after the gates have closed will need to be taken to the office and will need signing in."
Parents are calling for the change to be scrapped but say they "don't know where to turn" to get the school to revert to the old system. Susan Armitage, head of the school, said: "Sandbrook Community Primary School are trialling a new protocol for parents dropping their children at school and all parents were advised in advance of this change by letter. In addition, all parents of children with a high level of need were contacted by telephone to explain the new procedure. We will monitor the effectiveness of the new arrangements in helping the start of the school day as they become the norm."