Year 7s having to eat lunch outside

[curlyLJ]

Not sure if IABU here, but my daughter is in year 7 and has to eat her lunch outside every day, unless it's raining. Even yesterday when it was barely 3 degrees 🥶 She said the benches were all frosty, so she had to stand or she would have got a wet bottom.

I emailed the school and the Head of yr7 replied citing Covid in their reasoning for this, but to me it just doesn't make sense seeing as they are in classes all day, oh and they are allowed inside if they're doing a lunchtime club.
Other than that, they can only be inside when buying food or using the toilets. The rest of the lunch break is to be spent outside and although they are encouraged to wear extra layers, I don't think it's good for their well-being.
I bet the teachers are all eating inside in the warm!

Is this the norm for secondary schools at the moment or have I got grounds to take this higher?

My Year 8 is also eating outside but she doesn't seem too bothered as she's with all her friends. She's also currently in shirt sleeves in the house whereas I am wrapped up toasty!

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal

God, as a society we really do treat children appallingly sometimes.

Adds "are they allowed inside to eat?" to my list of questions to ask when visiting secondaries next year!

Eldest DD (15) had to eat outside all last year

I asked the question when looking around at secondaries for DS a few weeks back!

Yup, this has been the new normal since covid at our school too. All the (necessary) open windows in lessons make it worse.

Packed lunches were always eaten outside at primary too.

I am a right old nannygoat with my DC, they get porridge for breakfast and a hot lunch in a food thermos whenever I can. I think it sounds miserable.

Not in the UK and it's the same in my DD's school. No option here for hot food either so they are all eating outside. As a result they are huddling together in the loos to get in from the cold. Break time should be the enjoyable part of the school day and it sounds miserable

I’ve taught in 6 schools. None of them had a dinner hall big enough for everyone to eat inside-this isn’t a new thing, it’s not even a covid thing. Buy them a big coat and a thermal vest. Teachers probably eating at their desk so hold off with the teacher bashing!!

@superram there’s another thread running where the children are not allowed coats even outside at lunchtime

@ChloeCrocodile

it just doesn't make sense seeing as they are in classes all day, oh and they are allowed inside if they're doing a lunchtime club.

Classes are within year groups, which limits the spread to the wider school. Having the whole school crammed into an often too-small dining hall is far more risky from an infection control perspective. And children who are allowed inside for lunchtime clubs will likely be doing so in small groups - which is less risky as there are fewer people to spread it to and more distancing is possible. The supervision is almost always done by a teacher volunteering their time.

Last year, some schools had policies of children being in form rooms for 30 minutes at lunch, supervised by the form tutor. Every teacher I know who had to do that simply refused to do it again this year. And they can't be forced to work an additional 2.5 hours per week for free.

Clubs are mixed year groups though and they're allowed to do those at lunchtime And there's a PTA film showing this week which is 200 kids from years 7&8 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don't see why they can't do slightly staggered sittings if they really is the case anyway.

@Confusedteacher

It is just because if the Covid rules. Lots of schools (mine included) do not have a large indoor space. Our break times are short anyway, 2x 30 minute breaks, and seeing as they are inside the rest of the time I don’t think it’s a bad idea for teenagers to spend an hour a day outside in the fresh air.

I have no problem with them spending time outside in fresh air, but they should have a warm, dry space where they can sit and eat at least.

That is ridiculous. I’d be very annoyed. There is literally no sense to this at all considering they’re having lessons inside…!

They ought to allow any child that can to go home for lunch, that would reduce the numbers so that the remaining children have room to stay inside. If this was my child I would be picking them up every lunchtime if I could, even if it was only to sit in the car for lunch.

At my secondary school 20 years ago everyone who didn’t have school dinners ate outside unless it was raining and there were no benches. Honestly, I just assumed this was normal. There was no canteen to fit 1000 plus pupils so where would you put them?!

I thought all kids spent all breaks outside unless it was raining. And ate outside, unless they bought something and ate in canteen? I did all through secondary. Most schools dont have big enough canteens surely? I wouldn't be bothered - they can walk around a bit and warm up that way. Good to get some (very) fresh air.

Why don't they stagger the lunchtimes? So have some years eating at 11 and some at 1pm so everyone gets a turn inside. I'd hate to eat my lunch outside in the cold! 🥶

DD's school have everyone outside for break unless it is actually torrential rain, and even then they are encouraged to go to the "shelters"