Writing lines for missing clothing

[Babybel10]

My 6 year old daughter recently began a new primary school as we moved from another area. Yesterday she came home incredibly upset and cried. Her new P.E. bag containing all her new kit inc. Clarks trainers was missing from her peg. It had been there in the morning plus I know it’s in school as the school only send the bags home each half term. As a teacher myself (in a different school), I would have immediately asked a TA to help her find it or looked for it myself which can easily be done whilst monitoring the class getting ready for P.E. If not found, I would have asked her to borrow some plimsolls and enjoy the lesson! She had been especially looking forward to it. I used to teach in a very deprived area and always made sure I had spare kit in the classroom-I even used to bring it home and wash it every so often. I must reiterate, it’s a parent’s responsibility that young children have a kit. I’m extremely annoyed that she was made, by a TA, to sit outside in 5 degree temperature for an hour and write out pages of lines saying, ‘ I must bring in a kit’ whilst the other children ran around having fun. I teach at a local primary and wouldn’t wish to appear to undermine their response. However, I know it was handled incorrectly and a young child could have avoided being so upset and simply joined in. I’m also missing an expensive kit and new bag that I would like the opportunity to find.

[porkandcheese]

Appalling. Year 6 child who needs prepping for independence at secondary school maybe, 6 year old child expected to assume responsibility for PE kit that a parent will wash, dry and pack, no way. Never mind that it went missing in school. I'd be in there asking how they felt your daughter writing lines could prevent other children removing kit from where it should be in future.

[scurryfunge]

Lines? How archaic. Speak to her teacher about the TA's approach.

[Babybel10]

Thank you. As you say, writing lines isn’t going to prevent future kits being moved! I’ve often found when things go missing, young children love to be seen to help. It would have been an opportunity for a quick bit of teamwork to find it rather than a 6 year old not understanding why she was writing lines (in the cold) saying she must remember to bring in something that’s already there.

[Blahblahblahzeeblah]

Dreadful response. At 6 years old a lack of kit is entirely the parents fault anyway. The fact that here is at school somewhere and no-one helped her find it just makes it even worse.

[user789653241]

In ks1, when my ds forgot to bring in pe kit, he was allowed to join in with his normal uniform.
Sit outside writing lines in cold weather for 6 year old is too harsh, I think.

[user789653241]

It's even worse for your dd, since she didn't even forget to bring in, it went missing in the school!

[endofthelinefinally]

So nobody actually helped to look for the kit? Or made any enqiries?
That is shocking.

[endofthelinefinally]

Awful behaviour by the TA.

[Babybel10]

Apparently not, young children can’t always quickly explain clearly. The TA knew they had all had P.E. the day before so her kit must still be in school-she even has a spare pair of plimsolls in her tray she could have used. I’m perplexed as to why she didn’t just put those on and join in.

[metalmum15]

That's awful, and I'd be in school demanding that the kit be found and all pegs and lost property searched. Usually even in years 5 & 6 they can just do something in their uniform, even if it's not the full pe lesson due to weather, muddy grass etc.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I’d probably looking at complaints procedure and accelerating this one.

[mustbemad17]

I thought writing lines wasn't allowed any more!! Our school used to use it a lot until we got told it had been banned!

I'd be furious. The whole thing is out of order especially making her sit for an hour in the bloody cold

[GreenTulips]

Well if tjebother kids know they're going to have to write lines I would assume someone took her kit!

[runningoutofjuice]

Are you saying that the teacher took an outside PE lesson and let your dd sit in full view of her writing lines that the TA had given to her? A TA wouldn't give a punishment like that; it would come from the teacher if anything. Sounds draconian if it happened this way.

[Slightlyperturbedowlagain]

I'm not one to make a fuss, but I would be in calmly suggesting that this is actually victim-blaming and insisting that this expensive kit was found - by me searching the school thoroughly if need be.

[Lowdoorinthewal1]

I think you should ask for a meeting with the teacher and say 'DD says x y and z happened. Is that the right version of events?' and take the conversation from there.

I am a teacher too and usually totally supportive of school, including accepting that teachers are human and have bad days. However, I would be a bit miffed about this. If your DD's account is accurate (she is 6 and was upset, maybe the event has rewritten itself a bit in her mind?) I would delve into the teacher's justification for it.

[MaisyPops]

I think you should ask for a meeting with the teacher and say 'DD says x y and z happened. Is that the right version of events?' and take the conversation from there.

I am a teacher too and usually totally supportive of school, including accepting that teachers are human and have bad days. However, I would be a bit miffed about this. If your DD's account is accurate (she is 6 and was upset, maybe the event has rewritten itself a bit in her mind?) I would delve into the teacher's justification for it
I agree with all of this.
(Also a teacher)

[WitchOfTheWaste]

I'm mainly with you, but only mainly. Definitely unacceptable to make a six year old do lines. But... My slight counter to this is that, in our primary school, I would say we receive several phone calls every week and sometimes several in one day from parents reporting that children have lost various bits of kit and demanding (sometimes quite aggressively) that the teacher or TA spends time turning the school upside down looking for them. School staff are massively overworked and really don't have time to be doing this. Children do have to start taking responsibility (even at this age) for looking after their things, and not just leaving them randomly all over the school for someone else to pick up, which many of them do (I'm not saying that's what's happened in your child's case). And parents have to take responsibility for naming their children's kit, which many fail to do however many times you ask.

So no, you are DNBU about the punishment, but I also think it's reasonable for the school to take gentle steps to encourage children to not lose things (or parents not to forget to send them in). We do stop children from taking part in PE if it's the umpteenth time they or their parents have lost or forgotten their kit. Sometimes it's the only thing that makes a difference.

[Somerville]

Are you 100% sure your 6YO didn't embellish the story? Repetitive writing isn't how schools discipline pupils anymore. Even at Hogwarts it was only a fascist headteacher who did that.

[FrLukeDuke]

They did it on Educating Manchester.

[Norestformrz]

I'm not sure how many pages a six year old could write in a typical lesson . Having said that it certainly doesn't seem appropriate reaction to missing kit.

[youarenotkiddingme]

I’d want to ask the school for their version of events.

Then I’d ask the question “and what did the lines teach dd?”.

It’s only after they’ve opened up I’d point out that pe kits stay in school and so it’s disappeared in school.

I find you get a less defensive attitude if you give less information countering their stance from the off.

[Babybel10]

Apparently, it was the teacher’s ‘PPA’ time (planning/assessment time) out of class. The TA was left with a P.E. Coach and instructed dd to sit outside in full view of the rest of the class writing lines that she must have a kit that exists in school. By implication, she didn’t believe or give the child a chance to explain never mind attempt to find it.I have spoken to the teacher-rather awkward but, like most schools, I’m not allowed in the building to search for the kit. I’m only allowed to look in the outside ‘lost and found box’. This is an entire kit inc. a new bag! I’ve informed her how upset my daughter was and cannot understand the action taken. Thank you to those who have understood why I’ve been so concerned.

[Babybel10]

The school’s version of events match my daughter’s description. The explanation for it is that it wasn’t a qualified teacher who asked her to do this!

[youarenotkiddingme]

That’s not an explanation - that’s a crap excuse.

Anybody can work out to ask a child if they know where their kit is or listen when a child tries to explain.