'I've lost trust in my son's school after he slipped out and wandered onto busy road'

A Dunfermline mum says she feels “sick” and has “lost trust completely” in her son’s primary school after he slipped out of the grounds during lunchtime and wandered into a busy main road.

Robbie, who is partially verbal and currently undergoing assessment for autism, had been attending the school on a half-day basis with one-to-one support in place.

Hayley says she was called to collect him after two members of staff found him alone in Pittencrieff Park, having crossed a main road to reach the city centre, last month.

Robbie, five, who attended Pittencrieff Primary School in Fife, is understood to have left the school and crossed a main road before making his way to the local park.

Two members of staff collected him from the park and his mum, Hayley Fyfe, was notified and called to the school.

“I felt really sick when I first collected him at half past one,” she told STV News. “Very little detail was given.

“I was very angry. It’s emotionally exhausting, if I’m being honest. You put your trust into these people, and I’ve lost trust completely.”

After appealing for information online, Hayley says several witnesses came forward. She claims Robbie was almost struck by two cars, and believes he may have been missing longer than the school reported.

“The school are trying to brush it under the carpet, sugarcoating things, claiming he was only gone for six minutes.

“I would have liked accountability, a truthful explanation. I don’t think we’re going to get that.”

Fife Council said the family and wider school community were informed, adding that staff “acted immediately” and located the child “safe and well within five minutes”.

Hayley Fyfe with five-year-old Robbie STV News

Hayley says she is currently trying to find a new support arrangement for her son.

“I’m definitely going to be making sure it’s a safe environment for Robbie.

“It should never have happened in the first place, with everything put in place. There’s nothing that school could now do to settle me to put him back there.”

Education Manager Karen Lees said: “On Wednesday, November 19 a school child briefly left the school grounds and was located a short time later in Pittencrieff Park. Staff acted immediately upon noticing the child was missing, and the child was found safe and well within five minutes.

“The child’s family, and wider school community, were quickly informed and we are conducting a full review of the circumstances to ensure this does not happen again. The safety and wellbeing of children in our care remains our highest priority.

“We are working with the family to make sure this child’s needs are met and supported moving forward.”