Mumsnet Talk

Son is in year 6. They had wet play at lunch time today.
Apparently the TA was in the class & wanted all the children to play a game. My son didn't want to. So he continued drawing.
TA has said he can't have his morning break tomorrow for not joining in.

I don't get involved with school things (unless it warrants it) but my son is quite upset about it.

He says it was lunch time & normally in wet play, they can do what they like.

I have questioned him intently about this.

Now of course, I only have his word! But he said he was drawing quietly & also he didn't realise the whole class had to participate, especially as it was lunch time.

He's gutted to miss morning break.

Should I call the school in the morning, or leave it? He's a good boy in general. He's certainly never in trouble or a problem child.

The only time I've heard if children missing break at their school is when they've been fighting.

I don't want to look like an over reacting over protecting mother. But I can't see how the punishment fits the crime.

Thanks all.

Unless he was misbehaving I don't think he should be punished for this, I don't think they can dictate what activities are Donne at break time.
The only thing would be if your son had been rude to the ta about it.
I'd ring the school.

Seems a bit mean to me. Dinner time is free time isn't it? I would email the school and just check.

Yaimee - of course they can say what the children do at break time. They are the adults in school - they are in charge.

Doesn't sound like anything major - in fact it sounds like he wasn't doing as he was told. Perhaps down to confusion if they normally have a choice at wet plays. I wouldn't go in to be honest. It's nothing major and your son will have forgotten about it in a few days.

Why call it break then? I wouldn't like to be allocated an activity in my dinner break.
Of course they can say where to eat, play, enforce rules and pull children up on their behaviour, but set them activities and force them to participate? Doesn't seem fair to me!

I'd be wanting an explaining ion of the other side I the story. He might be in the wrong, he might not, but I'd want to know.

Wet plays aren't exactly an everyday occurence Yaimee. It'll do the children no harm to be allocated an activity for the days it rains. It is much easier for minimal support staff to have them all together when they can't get outside and run around.

Whilst I understand thhe concept of free activity at lunch times the ta may have been doing an activity to help with behaviour from class or structuring an activity which included everyone which would help with behaviours in the afternoon. Unfortunately when it is wet play some kids go a bit stir crazy and this can lead to problems for the afternoon session.

I would probably not say anything as without being there you cannot judge to tone of the exchange between your des and the staff. The words may have been fine but if the staff have been disrespected by the child's attitude that may have resulted in loss of break tomorrow.

It's really difficult to judge if you were not there and as I have been in a similar situation with my dd I find childrens recollection of events tend to be very rose tinted.

But given the tweet she sent a month ago from the bus it seems possible she had seen him before.

i would ask the school, playtime should be free play time, even if it happends once every year inside, still should be freely chosen play

So sorry wrong thread. Not concentrating.

I don't think it'll do them any harm either but i can understand why the ops son feels that he was treated unfairly. If he was drawing quietly and not misbehaving, i don't think he should be punished. Not everyone enjoys those kinds of whole class games.

This is why I would like to know what happened.
He has had to stay in before at break times (for not handing in homework) but he didn't tell me. I found out through his friend. He won't tell me things if he has been naughty!

I think I will call the school just to clarify. I've no problem with them arranging things for the children to do. It creates far less noise & chaos!

He does draw a lot at wet play. He brings them home. for me to bin

Thank you for all your replies.

defintly ask, may be that it was the manner in which he replied etc

What was the game?

Yep, no harm in doing that.
Think it could well have been his response. Best to know!

he was hardly going stir crazy by drawing quietly! I would check with school what actually happened

The game was elevens.

I've no idea what the game is. Apparently you're out if you say 11.

Just a hunch - was it toward the end of wet dinner time?

Quite often the middays will get the kids to tidy up a bit early and and play something like i-spy for the last 5-10 minutes of break before the teacher comes back to the class... I'm wondering if it was that kind of situation.

DS1 says its a Maths game. He and DS2 have just demonstrated it. I was They both say it gets v boring.

tell him to say 11 next time!

Wild! I did say to him, why didn't you just join in & say eleven!

I am wondering if he perhaps didn't hear. He has trouble with his hearing.

I'm not a helicopter mum. Honest. But when I asked how he felt when he was to.d he'd have to miss break, he said he wanted to cry. He's not a cryer!

I'm going to call the school in the morning, just to clarify things. I don't want to cause trouble in the slightest. The school has every right to discipline the children in their care.

I would sympathise with your DS but wouldn't contact school. There are little unfairmesses in life and sometimes we're on the end of them.

Yes life has little unfairnesses. But when you are little they can seem huge. As a parent I would want to know why my child is upset. Teachers and TAs are not God.