School warns: Collect kids on time or we call social services

BRITAIN’S top-performing primary is threatening to report parents who pick their children up late to social services.

Fox School wrote a letter saying that if they still had not arrived by 4pm, it would notify its in-house child protection officer – who may call in social workers.

The primary – which is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and lists ballerina Darcey Bussell and Tony Benn’s daughter Melissa as ex-pupils – claimed the top spot in a Sunday newspaper’s guide in December.

It has the UK’s smallest catchment area, with its 303 pupils required to live within 107 yards of the gates in Kensington, West London. Nearby three-bedroom terraced houses sell for more than £4million.

The letter to parents said: ‘If your child has still not been collected by 4.00pm, the member of staff responsible will then notify the designated safeguarding lead/ child protection officer. This may lead to social services involvement.’

Schools are increasingly taking a tough line on parents who pick up children late as it can mean staff have to stay behind to look after them. Many already use fines but it is rare for a school to call social services unless they fear there is a real risk to the child’s safety.

parents at Fox School said they did not know why the threat had been issued. One mother, who asked not to be named, said: ‘ I’m guessing it’s because they’ve had a problem with certain children.’

Another said: ‘It won’t be a problem for me because I pick my son up on time.’

A spokesman for the local council said: ‘This is a school-led initiative to help ensure children are safe at all times.

‘The school has ample after-school provision and activities available for both working and non-working parents.

‘If a parent does not arrange for their child to be collected after school, it can put the school in a difficult position.’