South Shields' headteacher's plea to parents after reports of 'near miss' outside school

The incident, reported to staff by an onlooker, took place outside Ashley Primary School, in Ashley Road, South Shields, at around 8.50am on Monday.

It prompted the school to contact parents and guardians via text to remind them to park carefully during the school run.

The message read: “Parents/carers are reminded that they must not drop off in the area in front of the main gates. This is a danger to children’.

Headteacher Denise Todd added: “We were contacted by a parent who said there was a near miss involving a car and two pupils outside the school.

“There was no-one injured and thankfully this type of thing does not happen very often because the vast majority of parents are very sensible about where they park.”

A series of yellow lines and markings restricts cars from parking immediately outside the premises.

Mrs Todd said school entrances are also locked for at least 15 minutes before the start of the school day and at its end as additional precautions.

She added: “We take everyone’s safety really seriously and put lots of things in place.

“We close the gates so no parent can drive in or out at the start or end of the day while it is busy.

“The majority of parents are fine and park a distance away before walking their children the rest of the way. That’s what we encourage them to do.

“But occasionally people do park where they shouldn’t. It doesn't just happen here. It happens everywhere.”