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Original poster

12.5kg school backpack no lockers

163 replies

PalmLady · 07/10/2024 16:32

My son's Y7 back pack with only the absolute necessary items weighs 12.5kg. There are no lockers for them to use. This seems excessive to me? My son only weighs 35kg himself.

OP posts:
JohnofWessex · 07/10/2024 21:39

Looking at some of the other issues tat have come up with schools recently there so seem to be a number of 'Health & Safety' and 'Duty of Care' issues that dont seem to be addressed by schools or acted on by regulators

Jigsawpuzzled · 07/10/2024 21:18

My Y7 is the same and also needs kit 3x a week. I can't separate out the PE kit because he cycles so it all needs to go in the one backpack. Not sure how he'll manage when he also has to start taking his instrument! Our schoolbags used to be worse though as we also had textbooks which my DS doesn't carry, we didn't have lockers either so I do have sympathy and understanding

dutysuite · 07/10/2024 21:16

This was the same for my son when he started year 7. My son needed to carry a chrome book every day as well as sports kit/football boots for games lessons, food tech items, books, folders, water bottle and he had constant back pain because of the weight. When he was 15 we started to notice his spine had a slight curve and he was diagnosed with mild scoliosis. Who know if the weight of the bag had anything to do with it, but when mentioning it to the school they didn’t seem to care about the weight of the school bags.

TumbledTussocks · 07/10/2024 21:11

Tbf the supposedly very good school did have lockers but they were so out of the way - there weren't ideal. You also still needed to take everything home and back to do your homework.

TumbledTussocks · 07/10/2024 21:10

Why are so many posters convinced this isn't possible?

I went to a 'very good school' until we moved house and the weight of my bag was insane. I later went to a comp who had the foresight to give you a text book to take home and have some in the classroom.

Original poster
PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:48

TexanBrisket · 07/10/2024 20:46

Has he got a metal or plastic water bottle? What sort of trainers does he have? Are they a particularly heavy type?

Plastic 200ml, I ditched the metal one in the first week to try and lighten his load. The trainers are clunky, they're Nike school trainers and I reckon they're almost a kilo on their own. He says he doesn't want different ones because they're comfortable.

OP posts:
LangYang · 07/10/2024 20:47

DS yr 7 bag is 6kg and that’s with me being militant about only taking books for the subjects he has that day AND pe/games/sports kit always in a separate wheely bag that gets left in the sports pavilion. I can totally see how you got to 12kg with just one bag.

TexanBrisket · 07/10/2024 20:46

Has he got a metal or plastic water bottle? What sort of trainers does he have? Are they a particularly heavy type?

Original poster
PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:44

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:41

Right. So they have to take every exercise book home every night? That's ridiculous.

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Yes.
I'm actually glad people are doubting the weight because it shows how extreme it must be. 😂 I'd be interested in the weights of other school bags if anyone else can be bothered to test them.

OP posts:
Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:41

PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:39

No, they're just blank books to write in but they must have different ones for each subject. No text books yet. The journal is like a planner.

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Right. So they have to take every exercise book home every night? That's ridiculous.

Original poster
PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:41

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:16

Ah, @Talipesmum - we don't have planners anymore, it's all on Satchel One. Quite a saving!

We have Satchel one. I don't really know why they need a journal every day. 🤔

OP posts:
Original poster
PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:39

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:06

Do you mean textbooks? They're not usually issued. What's the journal? Is that like a planner?

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No, they're just blank books to write in but they must have different ones for each subject. No text books yet. The journal is like a planner.

OP posts:
Jazzjazzyjulez · 07/10/2024 20:33

My suitcase for a week didn’t weigh that and I’m not exactly a light packer!

Im not doubting you but how heavy is a per kit or food ingredients?

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:31

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:29

Do you take the classes books with you to each lesson? They’re often in different rooms for the same lesson over the fortnight. Only one or two subjects are they in the same room all the time.

I’d say overall though the bags aren’t too awful. There’s no textbooks for a start, maybe 6 of the a4 books but not much else other than a pencil case (and the stupid journal but it’s small). PE bag is separate and not that often. At least they wear rucksacks on both shoulders these days, unlike us as kids - social death to wear them on two shoulders!

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Not really. Only a few times a week. It's a massive pain. I was just responding to the "make teachers suffer" part. Actually I think it's nonsense that the students have to carry that much around. Ours don't. See my other posts.

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:29

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:22

I have all my classes exercise books in boxes in the classroom. The KS4 get taken home, but not after each lesson, usually just once a week. Ours tend to just have a bag with pencil case, water and whatever book they're taking home that week. I think it's utterly ridiculous to ask children to carry that much! It can't be good for them and is completely unnecessary.

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Do you take the classes books with you to each lesson? They’re often in different rooms for the same lesson over the fortnight. Only one or two subjects are they in the same room all the time.

I’d say overall though the bags aren’t too awful. There’s no textbooks for a start, maybe 6 of the a4 books but not much else other than a pencil case (and the stupid journal but it’s small). PE bag is separate and not that often. At least they wear rucksacks on both shoulders these days, unlike us as kids - social death to wear them on two shoulders!

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:24

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:20

We’re all really enjoying signing the blank page “to engage parents with homework” once a week. 🤣

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😂

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:23

stomachamelon · 07/10/2024 20:22

Sorry I know it's not funny but once again it highlights the differences in education in the uk.

My students don't even bring a pencil case. They are presented with one in the first lesson and it's walked to every lesson during the day by their LSA. They bring nothing whatsoever to school.

Yes, some of mine are like that. As I said upthread, they don't even bring a pen.

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:22

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:19

They have homework usually once a week, or perhaps once a fortnight for each subject. Same from y7 upwards. And there’s nowhere to leave them in school - sometimes the class teachers collect them in but generally not. Surprised it’s homework just once a term for yours!

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I have all my classes exercise books in boxes in the classroom. The KS4 get taken home, but not after each lesson, usually just once a week. Ours tend to just have a bag with pencil case, water and whatever book they're taking home that week. I think it's utterly ridiculous to ask children to carry that much! It can't be good for them and is completely unnecessary.

stomachamelon · 07/10/2024 20:22

Sorry I know it's not funny but once again it highlights the differences in education in the uk.

My students don't even bring a pencil case. They are presented with one in the first lesson and it's walked to every lesson during the day by their LSA. They bring nothing whatsoever to school.

BlackOrangeFrog · 07/10/2024 20:21

PalmLady · 07/10/2024 20:02

Today he had 4 subject books and a journal. Books are all A4 and have to have mandatory book covers which may add a few grams. 😁

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5 books can only be a absolute (generous) maximum if 5kg, but really more like 3kg.

Some water and a pencil case, again, at most 1kg.

So probably... Really he's carrying 6kg ish?

And then on PE food tech, he has more because he decided to shove it all into one bag?

It's not really like he's heaving 12kg around all day every day now, is it?

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:20

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:20

What a waste of time and money!

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We’re all really enjoying signing the blank page “to engage parents with homework” once a week. 🤣

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:20

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:17

Yes, I was really hoping they’d get rid! I’m sure it won’t be long… all ours is on ClassCharts.

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What a waste of time and money!

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:19

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:15

Ok. I'm surprised they take them home each time. Ours remain in school. In KS3 the homework is only once a term , KS4 more frequent, but still. Perhaps, OP, ask the school why they can't be left in the subject classroom? They're not doing homework for each subject every night?

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They have homework usually once a week, or perhaps once a fortnight for each subject. Same from y7 upwards. And there’s nowhere to leave them in school - sometimes the class teachers collect them in but generally not. Surprised it’s homework just once a term for yours!

MermaidEyes · 07/10/2024 20:18

And no, to whoever said they must have pegs or somewhere to leave their pe kit - nope definitely not!

You can guarantee that PE kit wouldn't still be there if it had a half decent pair of trainers in it 🙈

Talipesmum · 07/10/2024 20:17

Hallamlass · 07/10/2024 20:16

Ah, @Talipesmum - we don't have planners anymore, it's all on Satchel One. Quite a saving!

Yes, I was really hoping they’d get rid! I’m sure it won’t be long… all ours is on ClassCharts.

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