Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Should sport in school be damaging?

32 replies

Zontiki · 07/11/2019 19:32

The teacher in DDs sport lessons (who is the head of sport there) told the pupils that they should not be afraid of lacrosse sticks and of falling down etc., as braking legs, arms, fingers is normal in sport and everyone of them will sooner or later break something in the PE lesson.

DD was shocked and is really afraid of PE now. Indeed last year one girl from DD's class broke her leg and another girl broke two fingers as she was hit by a lacrosse stick.

DD is very serious about her musical studies, she plays piano and violin and has high grades in both, and she is in two orchestras. If she breaks arm or finger it will be disaster for her.

What should we do? Is it possible to ask for permission not to attend PE lessons?

We are not against sport, and in fact I like sport and always encouraged my kids in jogging, cycling etc. However we always thought the sport should be for health and not against. Of course there can be accidents, but if you don't care to take precautions and your sport is damaging, why should my child be forced into it in school against her and my will?

OP posts:
treeofwhispers · 07/11/2019 19:49

Email the PE teacher/form teacher and explain how DD is feeling really reticent regarding PE because of this comment in light of her musical interests. Hopefully there should be some reassurance given.

GlacindaTheTroll · 07/11/2019 19:41

Teacher was teasing.

Bad accidents are pretty rare. One or two in a large school in a year if unlucky, but usually less. You know - from your own experience and from family/friends - that it's simply not true that everyone gets broken bones at school.

Lacrosse isn't especially dangerous, but if she hates it, what other sports are available?

Floofffs · 07/11/2019 19:41

My son fell backwards on the gym floor and banged his head and broke his arm, this was high school and not little clumsy kids but still unusual and he was just unlucky

Having said that though his head was fine but it did lead to osteoporosis being diagnosed about 6 months later. If it wasn't for this fall it could have been years before we found out and broken something like his spine.

Trustmeimamidwife · 07/11/2019 19:41

is it possible to ask for permission not to attend PE lessons
Eh?!
The teacher shouldn’t have quite phrased it like that and broken bones are not to be expected and are not part of the subject.

However there is such a thing as personal responsibility- if your DD is careful in PE lessons I.e doesn’t do anything she deems too risky and as long as she obeys the safety rules, there’s no reason why she should break any bones.

Goodness me.

Original poster
Zontiki · 07/11/2019 19:40

Right, there is a risk when driving cars, but saying that "sooner or later you will smash into lamp post or hit someone" is a bit strange approach.

OP posts:
WelshCake2019 · 07/11/2019 19:40

Wwyd!? Complain!!! They are meant to plan out such incidents as part of their lesson plans. They're obviously not planning properly or even showing a duty of care to students by teaching them about ways of mitigating risk! Ask to see or ask for an investigation from the HT into the conduct and planning of the PE dept.

LoyaltyBonus · 07/11/2019 19:36

I don't think it is normal to break something in PE. I think grave concerns would be raised about a school where "everyone of them will sooner or later break something in the PE lesson". That said, it is a risk in sport, but then there are risks in cooking, science, woodwork, crossing the road too.

Swipe left for the next trending thread