Does your state primary have 'teams' or 'houses'? And do they eat at lunchtime in their 'teams'?

[PoorOldEnid]

as dd1/dd2's primary (new head) has just introduced Teams throughout the school (red, blue, green, yellow) and now they are expected to eat in their teams. Dd1 is very unhappy about this as her yr 4 group of girls is tiny anyway and there isn't another yr 4 girl in her 'team' - so she is having to sit with other children every lunchtime and not her peer group. She doesn't mind the other children, they just arent her friends IYSWIM.

I think I may go and speak to the head but wanted to know if this is the norm.

It is a small school (100 pupils) so I dont think teams are necessary personally but there you go.

[S1ur]

No not ime, not at primary level - not enough pupils to make it useful.

[PoorOldEnid]

cant help feeling new head has come from v big school and is imposing cookie cutter policies on a tiny school

[PoorOldEnid]

anyone else? I am going in tomorrow but don't want to complain if this is the 'norm' in schools

[ahundredtimes]

Is she doing it to make people talk and be friends out of their peer group?

[S1ur]

There is something to be said for children of different year groups mixing, it does have good effects I think.

But I have only seen this happen in larger schools where a 'class' of each year group mix through the school vertically rather than horizontally.

SO y7, y8, y9 etc

instead of all y7s.

In primary, or a very small school - you end up with your situation which is hard on the younger children I think.

[BreevandercampLGJ]

Our school is just under 400, and they have houses and there is little or no rivalry until the end of the summer term draws nigh...then all hell breaks loose, in a nice way. They go all out to get as many house points as they can, as the house with the most points wins................................................................................................ .....a small silver cup.

But in answer to your question, they eat their lunch, with their friends.

[LadyOfWaffle]

We had this at private primary, and earned points etc. We would compete in these teams for sports days etc. too.

[PoorOldEnid]

yes I expect it is to make them 'mix'

but the classes are already 'mixed' fgs - eg a mixture of y 3 and y4 in dd1s class

there are 6 yr 4 girls in total, dd1 is the only one in her team

also older children can now give team points for manners etc at luncthime

I think it is stupid stupid stupid (see earlier posts onpointless Star of the Week)

[goldilocksandmylittlebear]

We have 200 children and house teams - great for sports day and behaviour rewards across the school. Families are in the same house.

I expect the reason they mix the children at lunch time is to help behaviour and social skills. We have 1 year 6 and year 5 child helping a Y1,Y2,Y3,Y4 on a table, so 6 in total. Often the children chat less, eat more and get out in the fresh air a lot faster!

I would be surprised if the head moved her, one rule for one etc etc

[singersgirl]

Big school (400+ children) with 4 houses. Between 50 and 60 children per year group. They don't sit in houses at lunch time, but if they did there would be other children of their age and gender in their house. They get house points for good work and every week the house captains (Y6 boy and girl for each house) announce the winner in assembly. Sports day also organised by houses. I think they rotate the winners on sports day, to be honest, as it seems to be a different house winning every year.

Seems unnecessary to make them sit in houses for lunch. Do they get house points for quick and tidy eating?

[WideWebWitch]

Yes they have 'houses'
no they don't have to eat together

v odd sounding imo

[singersgirl]

Ah, I see from your crossed post that they do give house points for manners. And there was me thinking it sounded daft....

[Fennel]

Our school is this size, they have Houses, for sport's day and house points. But no they don't eat in houses, they eat where they like, packed lunches mix with school dinners, all ages mix too. Very casual.

[PoorOldEnid]

this is the new head who said 'why are you being such bitches to each other' to the year 6 girls

one little girl was 'oh, x its just a word' says the head

[WideWebWitch]

What an ODD thing for a head to say
really not on imo

[goldilocksandmylittlebear]

ummmmmmm that's not good

[PoorOldEnid]

horrid

i feel gutted as previously school was like Miss Cackles Academy for young ladies

and therefore perfect for my dds

[ahundredtimes]

Oh. I wouldn't like that.

She sounds odd.

[PoorOldEnid]

i know

[MollieO]

Ds just started in yR. School has houses but no they don't have their lunches divided into them. They have their lunches together as their class. We had houses at both my primary and grammar and we didn't eat together there either. Seems a bit weird to me. What next? Competitive eating?!

[ahundredtimes]

Maybe she's just trying to have an IMPACT.

Maybe she walked to school at the start of term saying to herself 'They will notice me, I will do things, I will have an IMPACT'

and things will calm down in a bit, and she'll stop asking Y6 why they are being bitchy.

[Grammaticus]

Yes to houses.

They eat lunch in their forms though.

[ghosty]

Enid, she sounds awful ... saying 'bitches is just a word' has me and I swear like a trooper (just not in front of children )
I don't think houses are a bad thing but not letting them eat with their friends is not right.

[snorris]

My dt's school has only 150 pupils but they do have 4 teams. They eat in the hall in the class groups though,yr1 & 2 (plus reception when they go full time) and then yr3 & 4 together.

Bit and at your new head though.

[christywhisty]

DDs school has always had houses, but until new head came, it was only really sports day and I am sure they were different houses each year.

Now they get house points and the winning house at the end of term have a non uniform day.