Some advice on biking to school & using their bike shed.

[RiflemanSmith]

To be honest she is the head, she sets the policy.
If you don't like it don't park the bike there as she says simple.
Wether a helmet wild give any protection in RTA probably not, will it provide since protection if your kid crashes and bumps their head probably.
I know that wearing a helmet has no negative effect so what's the problem?
It's a school they only have the well being of your child in its policy.

 

[Rural halfwit]

Puddles, going on about experiments under the ECHR as Mister P points out may have you put in the 'odd' box.
I'd contact the LEA if you must go above the head but as stated just try to keep on her level.Her decision seems a little strange tbh..
If you want to go down ECHR route I'd go for right of freedom of expression my self..

 

[Puddles]

I have no intention of going down that route straight away. I am hoping that the Safer School route person can have words and advise her it not a good thing to make it mandatory, and to change it to it is recommended or suggested

Much as I accept she makes policy at school as I have said before It is simply not within her remit, it is not her choice. It seems to me to be the thin end of the wedge, to dictate what will happen in my time whilst my child is in my care and to force compliance by removing a facility from my child if I do not.

Just explained all the hoo har to Squidge as it does affect him, and he said "you should stand up for your rights as a parent mummy, we did rights at school & they said you should always stand up for your rights and not everyone will have pennies for a bike AND a helmet so that's mean"

So in for a penny...

 

[Rural halfwit]

Better yet, let the small person do the talking as you have highlighted..it is them this so called policy effects. I did that with a teacher once to explain some such' made up teacher rule' to one of my brood.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I have no intention of going down that route straight away. I am hoping that the Safer School route person can have words and advise her it not a good thing to make it mandatory, and to change it to it is recommended or suggested

Much as I accept she makes policy at school as I have said before It is simply not within her remit, it is not her choice. It seems to me to be the thin end of the wedge, to dictate what will happen in my time whilst my child is in my care and to force compliance by removing a facility from my child if I do not.

Just explained all the hoo har to Squidge as it does affect him, and he said "you should stand up for your rights as a parent mummy, we did rights at school & they said you should always stand up for your rights and not everyone will have pennies for a bike AND a helmet so that's mean"

So in for a penny...

Good lad, Squidge!

 

[ufkacbln]

It's a school they only have the well being of your child in its policy.

Yet fail to tackle the real problems of bad parking?

They have the well being in its policy when convenient

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Yet fail to tackle the real problems of bad parking?

They have the well being in its policy when convenient

That's not some thing they can actually enforce is it?
But as the op has already said they are always on about considerate parking, not alot else they cam do is there?

 

[summerdays]

That's not some thing they can actually enforce is it?
But as the op has already said they are always on about considerate parking, not alot else they cam do is there?

But why should they enforce helmets? They can't drive in the school, they can't ride in the school so it is a method of transport to school, in which she is not treating the children in the school equally.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

As a school governor & chair of many years, if a parent showed me a response like that from any member of staff, there would be strong words had, it is brusque to the point of rude, high handed and provides no rationale to the decision made. I should ask at the office for a copy of the parental complaint policy (you are entitled to policies) for the letter, if not the helmet silliness.
You don't say what sort of school it is, Local Authority (LA), church etc, each have some differences to their governance and interaction with the LA, but whatever type, I would contact the LA education services and ask for their model policy on travel to school etc and ask for their stance on mandatory helmet use, Also the same enquiry to the Dept for Education.

When writing to the Chair of Govs : keep it brief and to the point (unlike your first letter- sorry, but even by my wordy standards it was longwinded) ask if the helmet or no permit decision was agreed by Govs or delegated to the Head & bullet point your concerns with it, the hugely conflicting opinions on helmets amongst professional studies and what outcome you want from this (freedom to choose, apology for a brusque arsey response etc) - you may not get it, depends on the Head/Chair relationship but I always liked to know what the parent wanted as I was able to get to the point with all sides and either sort it quickly or be able to explain why not in the right terms.

 

[Schmilliemoo]

Let's hope she's equally strong when implementing their anti bullying policy. I find head teachers to be mysteriously powerless to enforce under these circumstances.
On topic I'd definitely go to the lea. The head is answerable to someone. Also will there be an audit of whether the helmets are of a suitable standard etc. and if she does force your wee un into wearing one is she accepting liability if it does contribute to an accident should it be proven a factor.
Head teachers can sometimes have a god complex. Maybe you should rally support from other parents?
Best wishes and good luck

 

[Puddles]

As a school governor & chair of many years, if a parent showed me a response like that from any member of staff, there would be strong words had, it is brusque to the point of rude, high handed and provides no rationale to the decision made. I should ask at the office for a copy of the parental complaint policy (you are entitled to policies) for the letter, if not the helmet silliness.
You don't say what sort of school it is, Local Authority (LA), church etc, each have some differences to their governance and interaction with the LA, but whatever type, I would contact the LA education services and ask for their model policy on travel to school etc and ask for their stance on mandatory helmet use, Also the same enquiry to the Dept for Education.

When writing to the Chair of Govs : keep it brief and to the point (unlike your first letter- sorry, but even by my wordy standards it was longwinded) ask if the helmet or no permit decision was agreed by Govs or delegated to the Head & bullet point your concerns with it, the hugely conflicting opinions on helmets amongst professional studies and what outcome you want from this (freedom to choose, apology for a brusque arsey response etc) - you may not get it, depends on the Head/Chair relationship but I always liked to know what the parent wanted as I was able to get to the point with all sides and either sort it quickly or be able to explain why not in the right terms.

Thanks all that really helps & I do have a bit of tendency to wiffle & repeat myself, (does not help when writing letter with the help of a 2 year - I should by now learn just to leave it until the wee people are asleep)

It is just a local authority school. I have written to the person in Local Authority that liaises with schools on travel plans & safe routes to schools and asked about this I am not expecting a reply till Monday earliest.

I am hoping probably stupidly that the head will be more informative and open on Monday perhaps she was having a bad day on Friday and did this as another poster suggested without really thinking about it.

 

[snorri]

.
I know that wearing a helmet has no negative effect so what's the problem? .

Well, that's rather a bold statement that few who have delved into helmet research reports would agree with, unless you have found some new information?

 

[Puddles]

Let's hope she's equally strong when implementing their anti bullying policy. I find head teachers to be mysteriously powerless to enforce under these circumstances.
On topic I'd definitely go to the lea. The head is answerable to someone. Also will there be an audit of whether the helmets are of a suitable standard etc. and if she does force your wee un into wearing one is she accepting liability if it does contribute to an accident should it be proven a factor.
Head teachers can sometimes have a god complex. Maybe you should rally support from other parents?
Best wishes and good luck

Bullying policy well judging by comments heard in the playground no they are not so hot on that but as I have no personal experience I cannot say, the head has always seemed very nice & approachable & helpful I even made her a cake for helping when youngest managed to pull a bench on her foot causing blood everywhere when we collected eldest from Tai Kwon Do (not enough eyes in my head) and she was really over the top with her thanks about that.

That said (see the wiffle) I have not had any dealings with her on an "official" basis shall we say so don't know what she is normally like when questioned.

 

[Canrider]

Well, that's rather a bold statement that few who have delved into helmet research reports would agree with, unless you have found some new information?

Leave it, it doesn't matter if a helmet is a Get Out of Death Free card, the issue here is the Head's attempting to dictate how a parent cares for their child out of school and off school property.
That letter from the head is basically a Please fark Off letter--let's just reiterate the policy and hope they go away. In the head's defense it may be boilerplate shot out by an admin rather than from the desk of.., but that's no excuse, it's just a politician's answer: 'You've got this wrong'...'Thank you for your comment, let me just repeat what our policy is, now Please fark Off'

 

[Puddles]

Leave it, it doesn't matter if a helmet is a Get Out of Death Free card, the issue here is the Head's attempting to dictate how a parent cares for their child out of school and off school property.
That letter from the head is basically a Please f*** Off letter--let's just reiterate the policy and hope they go away. In the head's defense it may be boilerplate shot out by an admin rather than from the desk of.., but that's no excuse, it's just a politician's answer: 'You've got this wrong'...'Thank you for your comment, let me just repeat what our policy is, now Please f*** Off'

Quite correct as I have Said Squidge does wear a helmet and no not from Admin, from her its not a large school its a little village school and she clocked me at the Summer Fair after school on Friday and did a u-turn a race driver would have been proud off