Playground supervisor job? Has anyone done this?

Bartg · 2023-05-15T07:40:19+00:00

it is a paid position. Playground lunchtime /break supervisor. And also a bit of admin in between. Term time only so very family friendly. Just wondering what the playground supervisor but will be like if anyone has any experiences. It’s primary age.

Whiskers4 · 15/05/2023 08:47

A lot will depend on the age group. Also, do you know how many lunchtime staff they have in ratio to children (not what they're meant to have, but what they do have!).

Mabelface · 15/05/2023 09:03

I did it for a few years when my younger kids were in primary school. I enjoyed it on the whole and got on with the kids well. I still say hello to "my" kids even though the younger ones are now adults. I had one buy me a drink to say sorry for being a pain in the arse. 😂

Oh, and you'll be introduced to the magical healing properties of the wet paper towel, and you shall henceforth be known as "Miss" 😉

HolyFuckerRooney · 15/05/2023 09:08

Sounds great, do you have a say in everything/can you introduce new things?

Original poster

Bartg · 15/05/2023 09:25

thank you. Glad to hear some people enjoyed it.
Rooney, I am not sure what you mean? Like games to play? I don’t think so, I think it would just be managing scraped knees and playground squabbles

OP posts:

HolyFuckerRooney · 15/05/2023 09:27

Yes @Bartg like Playground Pals, games of the week, friendship benches etc

BorgQueen · 15/05/2023 09:34

I did it for 10 years but it was a private school so there was a bit more to it, like taking kids for music lessons during lunchtime or taking them to the school nurse, who was vile and once refused to accept a child had (obviously) broken fingers.
It taught me that whatever background, ALL kids are utter liars and will deny even when caught in the act, if left unsupervised they would happily kill each other, Lord of the flies style.

Twilightstarbright · 15/05/2023 09:34

@Bartg I’m a school governor. We train the supervisors in playground games, behaviour management, friendship bench type stuff.

Our current supervisors stand around talking and don’t supervise and the kids get into fights or injure themselves.

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/05/2023 09:36

HolyFuckerRooney · 15/05/2023 09:08

Sounds great, do you have a say in everything/can you introduce new things?

Our Mid-day supervisirs were supposed to play games with the children. Traditional playground games type of thing but I don't recall them actually doing it much.

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/05/2023 09:36

Twilightstarbright · 15/05/2023 09:34

@Bartg I’m a school governor. We train the supervisors in playground games, behaviour management, friendship bench type stuff.

Our current supervisors stand around talking and don’t supervise and the kids get into fights or injure themselves.

Exactly this.

Cupcakequeen75 · 15/05/2023 09:37

My sis did it for several years at a middle school and really liked it. She really got stuck in and engaged with the kids which they appreciated.
She did however see that there were certain staff (LS like her) who would huddle in a group chatting and completely ignore the kids. There was another one who wandered around all lunchtime in a world of her own not engaging with kids or other staff members. Think the school were so desperate for staff that if you could wear a hi-vis and put one foot in front of the other you were hired (it was a numbers game).

She loved it and the pay was quite good for a little mid-day job 5-mins walk from home (work 60-mins but get paid for 90-mins).

Whinge · 15/05/2023 09:42

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/05/2023 09:36

Our Mid-day supervisirs were supposed to play games with the children. Traditional playground games type of thing but I don't recall them actually doing it much.

Show quote history

Out of interest how many MDS do you have in the playground, and how many children are they watching? It would be lovely for these staff to play games with the children, but in many cases there are only 2 or 3 staff and if one is tied up with first aid, then it's difficult for the other staff member/s to take their eyes off the majority of children to play a game.

Op it's also worth knowing it can be quite a physically demanding job as many MDS move furniture to set up and tidy away.

Toddlerteaplease · 15/05/2023 09:48

"The magical healing properties of a wet paper towel"

This made me laugh. It really is a cure for all ailments.

HolyFuckerRooney · 15/05/2023 09:49

Twilightstarbright · 15/05/2023 09:34

@Bartg I’m a school governor. We train the supervisors in playground games, behaviour management, friendship bench type stuff.

Our current supervisors stand around talking and don’t supervise and the kids get into fights or injure themselves.

Who on earth is their supervisor?
Allocate them an area to stand in, print of the list of games that week,
Christ I'd go ballistic with people standing round chatting
It's a job not a social club

bakermummy21 · 15/05/2023 09:53

They stopped using parent helpers in our school as the kids would play up more for them than the teachers

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/05/2023 09:59

Whinge · 15/05/2023 09:42

Out of interest how many MDS do you have in the playground, and how many children are they watching? It would be lovely for these staff to play games with the children, but in many cases there are only 2 or 3 staff and if one is tied up with first aid, then it's difficult for the other staff member/s to take their eyes off the majority of children to play a game.

Op it's also worth knowing it can be quite a physically demanding job as many MDS move furniture to set up and tidy away.

Show quote history

I've been retired for quite a while now so I have no idea what the current situation is. There used to be quite a few when I was there though. The old guard didn't like playing games but some of the new recruits were more enthusiastic.

Justcallmebebes · 15/05/2023 10:02

My daughter did and loved it. Primary. She's now a teacher and her kids attend the school. The same school she started at

SallyWD · 15/05/2023 10:04

I was a housewife for 7 years then eased back in to work by being a lunchtime supervisor.
Positives: Generally it was good. Obviously fitted well around my own children and great to have the school holidays. I liked getting out and meeting new people. I loved the children and really built up a good relationship with some of them. No two days were the same. It was never boring! It was fun and a nice place to work.
Negatives: Some of the children were very difficult and I got tired with having to tell them off, break up fights etc (I do enough of that in my own home!). I earnt barely any money. I think it was £250 a month. At first this was very welcome as I hadn't been earning anything but after a while I wanted to earn more! The thing I really, really disliked the most was that it was right in the middle of the day. I felt I didn't have much time in the morning after the school run. Then I'd get back and it was almost time to pick up my children. Even though I was only working 1.5 hours a day I didn't really enjoy the spare time I had each day.
After 7 months I left and got a part time (17 hours per week) admin job. I work 3 days a week now and my hours still fit in around the children, although I don't get the school holidays but we make it work. I earn 4 times what I earnt at the school and I get two full days off a week where I can really get to grips with housework - or just do nice things for me. This is a much better set up for me.
I loved my time at the school and it was a good way to get back in to working but for me personally, I wouldn't want to do it long term.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 15/05/2023 10:13

I've been one for 4 years and it fits perfectly for the school runs.