Parents are left furious after they are BANNED from entering school grounds to drop off and pick up their children due to safety concerns
- Wamberal Public School, on the Central Coast, has banned parents on grounds
- Parents must now pick up and drop off children at ‘designated meeting areas’
- The changes come amid concerns over violent parental outbursts on principals
- Parents can now only access the main grounds if they sign in as a visitor
Parents have been banned from entering the grounds of a school to pick up or drop off their children.
Citing security reasons, Wamberal Public School on the New South Wales Central Coast has introduced ‘designated family meeting areas for parents’.
‘Parents are encouraged to use these areas to minimise disruption to teaching and learning, increase safety for students and reduce pedestrian track in congested areas,’ an announcement in the school newsletter read.
Wamberal Public School (pictured), on NSW’s Central Coast, has banned parents from entering school grounds to pick up and drop off their children
The changes come amid concerns about violent parental outbursts on principals in schools across NSW.
Parents were notified about the modifications in the first newsletter issued as the school started for the year at the end of January.
No physical barrier has been installed but if they reach a certain point they are told by staff that they are not permitted to pass.
Parents can now only access the main grounds if they sign in as a visitor.
The newsletter informed parents staff members would be stationed at the two entrance points each morning ‘to supervise and care for students’.
The school have also begun trialling a coffee van for afternoon pick ups at one of the new designated meeting points.
Principal Paul Miller told parents the changes were for security reasons and a new gate had been fitted during recent facility upgrades.
He said they were introduced after consultation with the Wamberal P&C, the Department’s Health and Safety, School Safety and Security experts, and their Project Reference Group.
The decision has sparked outrage among parents, who gathered for a Parents and Citizens meeting at the school on Monday to have the ban reversed.
The school has set up designated family meeting areas for parents but they are not permitted in the main part of the school
‘We were never consulted about this — it just happened,’ parent Christine Dickson told the Daily Telegraph.
‘My daughter has always been happy to go to school but now she’s anxious and doesn’t want to come.’
The new rules come as studies on Australian schools have found alarming rates of parental aggression towards educators.
Research conducted by Professor Phil Riley found 45 per cent of principals had been threatened with violence and 42 per cent had been physically attacked in previous years.
Parents were responsible for the outburst 30 per cent of the time.
Parents gathered at the Wamberal Public School for a Parents and Citizens meeting to have the new changes reversed
Mr Miller addressed parents concerns in a later newsletter, and urged parents to share their thoughts on the issue via a survey.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said pick up and drop off policies were managed by each individual school at their discretion, to be made in consultation with the community.
‘We value and appreciate feedback from our community,’ he said.
‘This year we are trialling new ways to make sure the school day starts and ends smoothly. The changes take into account our school’s growth, safety, community feedback and the school’s unique physical layout.’
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any of the parents named in this story are violent.
Daily Mail Australia has commented Wamberal Public School for comment.
Parents of Wamberal Public School students are now only permitted to pick up and drop off their children at designated areas (stock image)