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Original poster

Removal of all breaks and lunch for a week

36 replies

babypeach · 10/10/2024 19:11

Hi all,

just wanting some perspective on this. My daughter’s secondary school have removed her entire year group’s break and lunch times as punishment for a group of students who repeatedly bring vapes into school, run around school during breaks and generally misbehave.

my daughter has never had a detention or been anything but a model student her whole time there. I’m not one to complain to the school in general. I often find many of their rules illogical and have said that sometimes she might get a group detention Alan’s to just put up with it but …not being able to go outside at all for a week? They have been to they must be silent and sit still through all breaks otherwise more punishment will follow. She is very worried that those students will
continue to misbehave, given their lack of respect for rules in general, leading to more punishments for the majority of kids who haven’t caused the problems.

I also have concerns that cooping kids up like that will cause issues in concentration etc even in kids that are usually good, again leading to further sanctions.

ive never complained to the school but I did this idea really quite awful and don’t understand how it will help? It won’t magically make these kids behave and stop vaping/being rude/having behaviour issues etc. what do the school plan to do at the end of the week if the problem doesn’t away? What’s the exit plan? Just keep doing it?

I plan to write to the school (though I know it won’t do anything) and just wondered if other people here felt the same or had other views?

thanks!

OP posts:
jay55 · 10/10/2024 19:23

So there is zero incentive to behave well as you'll get treated the same as someone who runs wild. Nice choice by the school Hmm

Shortpoet · 10/10/2024 19:22

The individuals should be disciplined according to school policy, whether that is detention, suspension etc.

Group punishment is only going to create more discipline problems in the short and long run. It breaks the trust and bond for children like your daughter who do everything right.

I always support the school sanctions when my child is in the wrong. I’d be complaining about group punishment. It shows a weak leadership and poor ability to tackle the real problems.

Summerhillsquare · 10/10/2024 19:21

It staggers me that adults will defend collective punishment for children, would they tolerate it applied to them?

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 10/10/2024 19:19

That is absolutely shit behaviour management! Most schools I've worked in don't allow whole-class punishments, never mind whole-year-group ones. It's unfair and a bit pathetic, frankly.

MyBestFriendKenny · 10/10/2024 19:19

The school need to address the issues with the specific young people who are causing this issue. They won't change because their behaviour is affecting their peers who make better choices. In fact, I'm fairly sure they'll find it hilarious. I genuinely do not understand how a school thinks that this approach will be successful. All it does is make the 'good' children resentful of their peers and their teachers.

MagentaRavioli · 10/10/2024 19:18

I am almost always on the side of the school. But I would write to complain that:

  1. your dd is receiving a punishment despite not being involved in any bad behaviour. Look up the school’s behaviour policy (they have to have this on their website) and ask why a sanction is being applied to your dd: how does it relate to her behaviour.
  2. Your dd is a well-behaved child and is already punished by having to share classes with these children, whose behaviour impacts on her educational chance. Ask what the school is going to do to ensure that the behaviour of these children stops having an impact on your dd.

i think teachers have to put up with a lot, and am on side 99.9% of the time, but this approach is genuinely unfair.

Shortpoet · 10/10/2024 19:18

Would you want to sit in silence for an hour and not be allowed outside because some other people you work with had done something wrong?

Precipice · 10/10/2024 19:18

Why has this been done? The pupils running around the school should be easy to identify. What is the justification for applying this sanction to the whole year group?

What does this mean in practice? The pupils can read or do homework so long as they do it calmly and without talking in the classroom? What about going to the toilet? If a pupil is drinking a proper amount, they should have to go during the school day.

123ZYX · 10/10/2024 19:17

What does their behaviour policy say?

It might have something on collective punishment

Otherwise, it will say what the punishments are for. If she hasn't done the punishable act, she shouldn't receive the punishment

TheBelleOfBelfastCity · 10/10/2024 19:17

What a totally idiotic way of ‘managing’ the problem. The school ought to be ashamed of themselves - if they really think that this is an appropriate or effective way of going about things then I’d look at moving your DD ASAP. I highly suspect that this won’t be the only area in which they are lacking.

This is going to create an entire year group of tired, disruptive and fed up kids who can’t concentrate for the week. No breaks is not ethical for any child.

Munie · 10/10/2024 19:14

It's still a break from lessons and to have lunch.

They're just not allowed to 'socialise' i.e. vape, be out of bounds and behave antisocially. Until they learn to follow the normal rules as a group, they're going to have problems. It sounds like this might have just the right impact on those who can't do the right things.