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Original poster

AIBU to think half an hour is not long enough for a school lunch break?

107 replies

LordTrash · 17/07/2017 09:37

Hello, really interested to hear all opinions on this, but especially those of teachers.

My dc school did a 'consultation' last month on whether to cut the school day by 10 mins by shortening the lunch break from 40 to 30.

I thought it was a bad move, and said so, giving a number of reasons. The school has now announced the 'following consultation' the day will be shortened as proposed, but they give no details of that consultation or how the decision was arrived at, so I wonder if the whole exercise was just flimflam to make parents think they were being listened to.

Word on the street is that they want to cut the lunch hour so older kids aren't getting involved in home time clashes with kids at a neighbouring (about 25 mins walk away) school.

So, is this done at your school? If so, how has it worked? I can't see how my dc - who do school council/production meetings etc at lunchtimes - can possibly find time to eat and unwind between sessions in such a short time.

OP posts:
Alicekeach · 17/07/2017 16:23

My school did this some thirty years ago. I liked it because it meant there was less opportunity for bullying and I got to go home sooner. The downside was that there was no time for clubs etc at lunchtime so music practice etc had to happen during assembly, which wasn't really long enough.

cricketballs · 17/07/2017 16:20

We moved from 40 mins to 30 mins this year and as staff we did have the same concerns as you op. It has reduced poor behaviour over lunch as they don't have time to do anything other than eat!

There is still time for some clubs (although it is difficult) but it has hit staff more than the students as by the time we have cleared up from the morning lessons, sorted for the afternoon, nipped the toilet, held a detention we are struggling to eat - the kids are fine!

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 12:29

KingThistle, my own dread of my v long lunch hour meant that I threw myself into extra-curriculars - learned a lot about theatre, gardening and opera that would otherwise have remained mysterious Grin.

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Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 12:26

Interesting to see how varied posters' experiences of school lunch 'hours' are. For me, half an hour is a new and alarming development, for others it's standard.

Not in S Yorks, Laconera, but a rural southern county considered affluent - but the particular area we live in is far from it!

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IHeartKingThistle · 17/07/2017 12:25

This is really common and it does impact on behaviour because, in a nutshell, there's just less time for bullies to do bullying. There are still whole swathes of kids in schools for whom lunchtime is a scary prospect. I'm in favour and I say this as someone with 12 years secondary teaching experience.

LoniceraJaponica · 17/07/2017 12:21

Are you on South Yorkshire LordTrash? We are in one of the worst funded LAs as well. DD's school is the 4th most underfunded in the country.

Whathaveilost · 17/07/2017 11:05

Bubbles, yes, I feel sad and angry that provision for my dc is worse than the provision I had (in the 80s) in so many respects

I was surprised how long secondary schools got for lunch when my boys went . ( youngest finished last year) They got 45 mins.
As I said before we got half an hour, same as the other high schools and that was in the 70s and 80s when me and my brothers and sisters were there.

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 10:46

Thanks for that link, Baby. Looks like another email to my MP is in order. Our LEA has been historically one of the worst-funded in the country so we're used to struggling, but it's getting ridiculous now.

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Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 10:43

Bubbles, yes, I feel sad and angry that provision for my dc is worse than the provision I had (in the 80s) in so many respects.

Our lunch break was 75 minutes - in that time we had a massive range of co-curricular options. Now all my dc hobbies (apart from sports teams) take place outside school.

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Babypythagorus · 17/07/2017 10:40

It's honestly not negligible. If you've a lot of kids and therefore a lot of staff to supervise lunch, reducing the wage bill by almost an hour a week is not nothing. I completely agree it's a horrible solution for kids, and staff, but it's one school leaders are increasingly being forced to consider. Along with a range of other utterly hideous things, like cutting music, asking parents for cash, etc etc etc.

John Tomsett is doing good work writing about the choices we are forced to make: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/how-my-school-losing-battle-funding-cuts%3Famp

BubblesBuddy · 17/07/2017 10:26

So when do young people have a chance to chat and relax? It's a bit like being a battery hen! Dreadful decision and such a rush. Poor for digestion too. Saving on supervision is negligible in a secondary budget. Such a shame there is no enrichment at lunchtime. Thank God my children had a better offering then this.

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 10:15

Thank you, Babypythagoras, that's valuable information.

Makes sense, the more I think about it - dc school has a reputation in the region for offering the widest range of options at GCSE, A-Level and BTEC/NVQ. Sounds like they might be looking at ways to keep that range.

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Babypythagorus · 17/07/2017 10:12

I strongly feel it'll be a cost saving measure. I'm a Head, and have recently left England for Scotland as I simply couldn't live with the kind of decisions I was having to make due to this government's policies (both related to funding and education more generally)

Depending on how big the school is, cutting the lunch hour, and therefore canteen staff and playground supervisors' time, will be a significant saving over a year. It's probably enabling them to keep music or something.

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 10:06

Not yet, Rhubarb, but I'm going to. Thought I'd get a round-up of MN views and experiences first.

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Rhubarbtart9 · 17/07/2017 10:04

Have you asked what they plan to do about food what with 20 min queues

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 10:04

That could be an element, then, Reinette. We did get the parental round robin asking us to contact our MP about school funding (which I did), so I know they're pretty worried about their budget.

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Whathaveilost · 17/07/2017 10:03

allthebest names
That's how my high school managed lunch times and that was over 40 years ago and it was to avoid fights with the two othe high schools nearby!

ReinettePompadour · 17/07/2017 10:02

LordTrash Its possible it is to save money.

Employing supervising staff every lunch hour is going to cost something. Reducing the times of lunch will enable teaching staff to cover 15 minutes each more easily so no extra salary, national insurance or pension contributions.

We had 10 supervisors for lunch so around £80 per day or £400 a week plus all the other contributions made by the school. A school can do a lot with £400 a week including hiring another qualified teacher.

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 09:58

Allthebestnames, again, more sensible than dc school's idea of just packing 1300 kids into the canteen for one half-hour break.

There's no fingerprinting or anything either - it's cash over the counter, which takes up time. Though hopefully they might change that. (If they can afford to.)

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Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 09:56

I don't think dc school are doing it to save money (though lunchtime staff might have a different perspective on that...) but I do hope all the children will get a chance to eat a decent meal and feel refreshed for the afternoon session.

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Allthebestnamesareused · 17/07/2017 09:55

Our school has 30 minute lunches but they are staggered for different year groups - so although each child gets 30 mins there are 4 sessions at 12 / 12.30/1.00/1.30

ReinettePompadour · 17/07/2017 09:54

Our school is about to reduce lunch from 1hr 10 mins to just 30 mins.

The consultation showed that the last pupil was served around 20 minutes into the lunch break. They use fingerprints to pay so its fairly accurate.

In addition the first problems encountered with rowdy/unruly students is around 30 minutes into the lunch break.

Cutting the lunch to just 30 minutes should get everyone fed and help prevent poor behaviour so a more focused afternoon session.

The school day has also been reduced by 40 minutes. It's got absolutely nothing to do with money saving at all apparently despite it being leaked to the newspaper by a Governor

Original poster
LordTrash · 17/07/2017 09:54

Simply, I'd be much happier with that.

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Allthebestnamesareused · 17/07/2017 09:53

The meetings etc will presumably be moved to after school.

simplysleepy · 17/07/2017 09:52

Sorry, daughters*