Mum finds son, 3, in busy road after he walks out of nursery

A MOTHER who went to pick up her son from a South Yorkshire nursery has told of her horror at turning up to find her three-year-old standing in a busy road.

Charlotte Graves, 24, had gone to collect toddler Joshua from the Park Primary Nursery but, as she was approaching the pick-up point, found the tot in the road after walking out of the building, across the playground and through two open gates.

She then claims that after ensuring her son’s safety, staff told her it was Joshua’s own decision to leave the school building.

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Miss Graves said: “Normally I go to pick him up at 3.30pm, but that day I went earlier.

“When I was driving down the road I could see a kid stood there, but logic didn’t kick in as to who it was.

“When I realised I shouted at him to get on the pavement, pulled up wherever I could then left the car to go and get him.”

Miss Graves demanded an explanation from the nursery in Wheatley, Doncaster, but was told Joshua must have walked off when a teacher getting the nursery class ready to leave had gone to get a cardigan.

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Miss Graves, of Wheatley, added: “Thankfully he was only on his own out there for a matter of minutes.

“But anything could have happened to him, he could have walked off or worse.

“After it had happened I just wanted to get away, then just broke down in tears.”

Joshua was only in his second week at the nursery when the incident happened on September 19, and his mum and dad, Richard Czepiec, 27, decided to move him to a nearby nursery where he will start at next week.

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The couple have said the headteacher of the school did offer an apology, and are now writing letters to governors, OFSTED and politicians to try and improve safety measures at nursery schools.

The school has since changed its home time procedure and is currently consulting with parents to see if the new system is suitable.

Headteacher at Park Primary School Wendy Adamson, said: “Nothing like this has happened before and we have liaised directly with Miss Graves concerning this issue.

“The welfare of everyone here is extremely important.

“We have since reviewed our procedures and our staff take great care to ensure the safety of all of our children in a busy nursery environment.”

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