Supervision of pupils in primary school (kindergarten or elementary)
Verified 23 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
By dropping your child off at school, you give the responsibility to the school staff to look after him. Indeed, the school must monitor your child and guarantee its security. What is the scope of this monitoring obligation? Here is the information you need to know.
In kindergarten
The principal of school is responsible for organizing the reception and supervision of pupils.
The teachers must supervise students during school hours and other activities supervised by them.
Other people also have an obligation to supervise when they participate in the supervision of pupils. For example: a communal agent put at the disposal of the establishment, an external worker during a sporting activity, a volunteer guide during a school outing.
Your child's supervision must be ensured during all school time, that is to say for the entire period of time it is entrusted to the establishment.
Surveillance is continue regardless of the activity carried out and the place where it is carried out (during the course, recreation or outdoor activities organized as part of the school activity).
The surveillance service at the reception, at the end of the classes and during the recreations is distributed among teachers. One table indicating the organization of the monitoring shall be displayed in the school.
Reception of children
Your children are welcomed 10 minutes before the beginning of each half-day of class. The school can extend hours to better control student entry and reduce waiting times on public roads.
Before the care is taken by the staff of the school, the child is under the responsibility of the person who accompanies him to the school.
Checking the presence of children
The teacher checks the students present and absent.
In the event ofabsence of your child, you must inform the principal as soon as possible. If this is a foreseeable absence, you must inform the establishment in advance, stating the reason.
When the teacher notices your child's absence, he or she will report it to the school's management, who will notify you (if the absence was not planned).
The delivery of a medical certificate is necessary only in case of contagious diseases. You must then pass it on to the school as soon as your child returns to class.
Monitoring of children during school activities
Pupils should be monitored during all school activities which take place in the establishment.
Teachers supervise students until they are taken care of by the canteen or daycare. Responsibility is then transferred to the organizer of the activity extracurricular.
Example :
The town hall is responsible for the supervision of the students in the public school during the canteen.
Pupils who are not cared for by after-school services remain under the supervision of a person designated by the principal until school leaving.
Out of school
Your child is given to you directly. The persons you have designated in writing at the beginning of the school year can also pick up the child. The school administration cannot oppose the choice of the persons responsible for recovering the child. No age requirement can be required by the school.
If you are regularly late at school, a dialog is set up to take into account your difficulties and find solutions. If delays do not stop, your child may be temporarily excluded from school.
The school principal may also report these failures to the department's services in the context of a information of concern. It is a child protection measure intended to inform the department of the existence of a danger or risk of danger to a minor.
Special Safety Plan (SPP)
The school must also put in place a special safety plan (PPMS). This system must allow the safety of students and staff in the event of intrusion into the institution in particular.
Each year, 2 PPMS exercises (sheltering or confinement) are organized in the school.
Students must be monitored during organized collective travel outside the establishment.
Travel during school time
During school time, the movement of pupils between school and the place of a school activity (for example: the swimming pool, the gym, the conservatory) must be sidebars.
School outings and trips
Pupils should be monitored during the entire duration of the outing or school trip.
If your child is victim damage caused by a lack of oversight, you can ask repair before the courts.
Depending on the circumstances (agent's fault, lack of organization, etc.), it is the responsibility of the agent or that of the State that will be engaged before the civil courts or administrative.
In exceptional cases, she may be brought before the criminal court.
Compensation may be awarded to your child for damages caused (injuries, damaged property, etc.).
In elementary school
The principal of school is responsible for organizing the reception and supervision of pupils.
The teachers must supervise students during school hours and other activities supervised by them.
Other people also have an obligation to supervise when they participate in the supervision of pupils. For example: a communal agent put at the disposal of the establishment, an external worker during a sporting activity, a volunteer guide during a school outing.
Your child's supervision must be ensured during all school time, that is to say for the entire period of time it is entrusted to the establishment.
Surveillance is continue regardless of the activity carried out and the place where it is carried out (during the course, recreation or outdoor activities organized as part of the school activity).
The surveillance service at the reception, at the end of the classes and during the recreations is distributed among teachers. One table indicating the organization of the monitoring shall be displayed in the school.
Reception of children
Your children are welcomed 10 minutes before the beginning of each half-day of class. The school can extend hours to better control student entry and reduce waiting times on public roads.
Before the care is taken by the staff of the school, the child is under the responsibility of the person who accompanies him to the school.
Checking the presence of children
The teacher checks the students present and absent.
In the event ofabsence of your child, you must inform the principal as soon as possible. If this is a foreseeable absence, you must inform the establishment in advance, stating the reason.
When the teacher notices your child's absence, he or she will report it to the school's management, who will notify you (if the absence was not planned).
The delivery of a medical certificate is necessary only in case of contagious diseases. You must then pass it on to the school as soon as your child returns to class.
Monitoring of children during school activities
Pupils should be monitored during all school activities which take place in the establishment.
Teachers supervise students until they are taken care of by the canteen or supervised studies department. Responsibility is then transferred to the organizer of the activity extracurricular.
Example :
The town hall is responsible for the supervision of the students in the public school during the canteen.
Pupils who are not cared for by after-school services remain under the supervision of a person designated by the principal until school leaving.
Out of school
Students are discharged under the supervision of their teachers to the doors of the school. Your child is then under your responsibility.
So your child can wait for you outside school or go home alone.
If you are regularly late at school, a dialog is set up to take into account your difficulties and find solutions. If delays do not stop, your child may be temporarily excluded from school.
The school principal may also report these failures to the department's services in the context of a information of concern. It is a child protection measure designed to inform the department of the existence of a danger or risk of danger to a minor.
FYI
The department's services are responsible for monitoring children during school transport. The mayor is responsible for the safety of students on the public highway, especially on the parking areas of school buses.
Special Safety Plan (SPP)
The school must also put in place a special safety plan (PPMS). This system must allow the safety of students and staff in the event of intrusion into the institution in particular.
Each year, 2 PPMS exercises (sheltering or confinement) are organized in the school.
Students must be monitored during organized collective travel outside the establishment.
Travel during school time
During school time, the movement of pupils between school and the place of a school activity (for example: the swimming pool, the gym, the conservatory) must be sidebars.
School outings and trips
Pupils should be monitored during the entire duration of the outing or school trip.
If your child is victim damage caused by a lack of oversight, you can ask repair before the courts.
Depending on the circumstances (agent's fault, lack of organization, etc.), it is the responsibility of the agent or that of the State that will be engaged before the civil courts or administrative.
In exceptional cases, she may be brought before the criminal court.
Compensation may be awarded to your child for damages caused (injuries, damaged property, etc.).
Civil liability (Article 1242)
State responsibility (Article L911-4)
FAQ
Service Public
Ministry of Education