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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or is 30 minutes too short for school lunch?

139 replies

flossydog · 20/01/2026 12:14

I live next to a school, and it has a 30 minute lunch break. I went to three secondary schools growing up, and checking their timetables, they now have a 35, 40, and 45 minute lunch break respectively. I suspect some of them have shortened the break in the 20 odd years since I left.

AIBU or is 30 minutes too short to eat your lunch, go to the loo, and socialise?

(I often take an hour out for lunch at work as an adult, but it's not as if I'm on the clock.)

OP posts:
Mumof1andacat · 20/01/2026 12:32

I left school in 2001. By the time I was in year 10, school had cut the lunch break to 35 mins and shortened the school day by 30 mins to 'compensate' it was to cut the poor behaviour and to stop students leaving the grounds.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 20/01/2026 12:28

flossydog · 20/01/2026 12:23

My child isn't old enough yet, so it's just me considering it from the outside, sure.

I think the workplace comparison isn't quite right though because kids have different needs.

Show quote history

It was you who made the work place comparison but fair enough. Works fine in my DCs school

CandiedPrincess · 20/01/2026 12:26

My teens were bored with a long lunch at school, there was nothing to do.

Dablab · 20/01/2026 12:24

TamarindCottage · 20/01/2026 12:19

My school lunch break was 85 mins - 1150 to 1315 which was brilliant, and even year 7 kids could leave school grounds for whatever reason

Crikey that's ages. Not so hot on actually teaching and supervising the kids during the day then 😂

Original poster
flossydog · 20/01/2026 12:23

ToKittyornottoKitty · 20/01/2026 12:16

YABU, it’s a fairly standard lunch break both in schools and the work place. Do you even have kids in the school?

My child isn't old enough yet, so it's just me considering it from the outside, sure.

I think the workplace comparison isn't quite right though because kids have different needs.

OP posts:
Sartre · 20/01/2026 12:21

It’s too short for school dinners. My DC have to take a packed lunch otherwise most of their lunch would be wasted queueing. Their school does it to cut down on socialising which may sound odd but it’s to prevent fighting. I can understand, we had an hour and it was too long. Fights broke out most day at our school.

GoldenPineapple15 · 20/01/2026 12:20

Ours was shortened because the school could not recruit lunch time supervisors , the kids were getting bored and getting g up to mischief . Break has been lengthened so they now have two 35 min breaks . Most pupils eat in the first break .

TamarindCottage · 20/01/2026 12:19

My school lunch break was 85 mins - 1150 to 1315 which was brilliant, and even year 7 kids could leave school grounds for whatever reason

Sirzy · 20/01/2026 12:19

As long as it’s properly timetabled so not queuing for half of it then it’s fine. Too much unstructured time tends to be a problem

GalaxyJam · 20/01/2026 12:18

I agree it’s too short. My kids get 1hr 15 mins (independent school).

BCBird · 20/01/2026 12:17

It is too short in my opinion. I have worked as a teacher in schools where it is 30, 40 and 50m
Most schools chose a short lunchtime because they want to limit the possibility of poor behaviour in my opinion. Quite a few are moving to split lunchtimes to get all the pupils served.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 20/01/2026 12:16

YABU, it’s a fairly standard lunch break both in schools and the work place. Do you even have kids in the school?

Dablab · 20/01/2026 12:15

Schools have more pupils than they are built to house, so have to stagger lunch slots a lot of the time. Run properly, kids can eat and have a wee and get back for their next class in thirty mins. They chat all day in class anyway.

Onemorechristmas · 20/01/2026 12:15

Yes, too short for a proper break. I’m assuming it’s to do with cramming more pupils into the same space?