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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

In being annoyed children were kept in ALL day yesterday?

90 replies

Dancergirl · 01/12/2010 11:10

We live in NW London/Middlesex borders and we had a few inches of snow on Monday night. School stayed open, roads were a bit icy but pretty much ok.

So I was v surprised to hear from my dds yesterday that they weren't allowed out to play at all yesterday. I had a governors' meeting last night and asked the head why and she said the playground supervisors made the decision as the snow was 'too deep' and some of the children didn't have wellies. Plus it was still (lightly) snowing.

FFS - there was barely a covering on the ground! When they finally got out of school at 3.20pm they all went mad after being cooped up all day.

AIBU?

OP posts:

cupofteaplease · 01/12/2010 19:42

Jenniferturkington: 'YANBU, it's beyond belief that children are stopped from playing in snow. For fear of what? Someone falling over or having wet tights??'

No, for fear of a child breaking their arm! I have 180 pupils to watch when on duty. That's never a problem, except when the ground is icy. I can't have eyes everywhere unfortunately. I will be taking my class out later in the week for Forset Schools, as will all of the other teachers with their individual classes. However, for this activity there is higher staff:child ratio and the forest floor is less slippy than the playground. So the children will get to explore the snowy landscape, but not running around like lunatics!

LeQueen · 01/12/2010 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NestaFiesta · 01/12/2010 20:23

LeQueen, that all sounds great, but my son keeps getting head injuries which worries me more than a skinned knee or a bust lip etc. I agree kids should be outside as much as possible, but he falls over/off things and bangs his head all the time so ice makes me particularly afraid for him.

cupofteaplease- I agree- the wild outdoors is a lot safer than a smooth concrete playground in this weather!

duchesse · 01/12/2010 21:59

Nesta- head injuries- mine did too! He's had: stitches x 3, butterfly strips countless times (6 maybe), glue 2x from the age of 11 months when he started running everywhere, to 6, when he had his last stitchable accident. Oh, not quite, becuase he was pushed into a concrete fencing post by a friend at 8. But apart from that he has not had many accidents at all since 6. I remember only too well the sick feeling of wondering when the next time he'd hurt himself would be, knowing it was only a matter of time, and that broadly there was little I could do to prevent it. I used to fantasize about having a padded cell I could leave him for 5mn while I got a cup of something without having to go and see what he'd done to himself next. My point is that he grew out of it and with luck yours will too, leaving only distant memories.

ShoshanaBlue · 01/12/2010 22:29

Some councils routinely pay out for daft claims because it's cheaper than the legal bills.

Some 'solicitors' or 'lawyers' will send teams out knocking on doors asking if your child has had an accident at school....

Yes, my child does go into school wearing wellies and has to change into shoes in school, but those living nearer to the school are perfectly able to manage in their shoes. It just isn't deep enough here.

Child has been kept in for 2 days for 'wet play' - playground is very icy in parts even though there's not a great deal of snow. I just took child out to play in snow for a bit after school with a couple of friends as it was much safer to do it that way.

Original poster

Dancergirl · 01/12/2010 22:37

'Kids should have the choice to be in or out in this freezing weather'

Fattyarbuckel - what a brilliant thought....that's the answer! That would suit the children who really hate the snow.

I do think it's pathetic though to keep the whole school in for the reason that SOME of them don't have wellies. Why not send out the ones that do? Or even, shock horror, put up with a few damp socks? As someone said they can always be put on a radiator to dry.

OP posts:

NestaFiesta · 01/12/2010 22:38

Thank you duchesse. Your poor DS and poor you! I am so relieved to hear he grew out of it. I quite seriosuly told my DS he would have to wear his bike helmet on the playground if he didn't start looking where he was going. He charges round like a blind elephant with a rocket up his bum.

duchesse · 02/12/2010 08:12

He wears his scars with pride Nesta!

cory · 02/12/2010 08:24

When I was at junior school, we used to have an ice slide down the slope next to the school house: the younger teachers went on it too. I don't suppose anyone's conscience was troubled by the thought that you might break an arm: the entire town was like an ice rink for 3 or 4 months on end and people just lived with it. We were expected to play skiddies, because it was seen as a healthy thing to do.

But then my Scandivavian nephews are allowed to climb trees in their school playground; here in the UK my dcs were told they must not touch the leaves because they might be dirty.

Serendippy · 02/12/2010 08:29

YANBU, the school WNBU, the parents who sent their kids in without warm clothes and wellies WBU.

sofaaddict · 02/12/2010 08:34

YABU. I'm sure that you wouldn't appreciate the school sending your children out to play in the rain - if it is snowing/and or wet on the ground then the chances are that the children will get some clothing wet. There are not the facilities to dry 30x tights, socks, bottoms of trousers etc. in each classroom and I seriously doubt that parents will have sent in spare clothes. I wouldn't like it if my child was sat in anything wet for the rest of the day just for some time outside (because even in wellies, over excited children will get part of themselves wet). I would prefer her to play outside with me when I can then snuggle indoors and get her dry quickly.

OneTwoBaubleMySanta · 02/12/2010 08:36

What needs to be remembered is that teachers are not paid for lunch time breaks so schools have to rely on lunch time staff. Our school has real trouble recruiting and retaining these staff because of the limited hours etc. so supervision at lunchtime when it is snowing and icy could be why children aren't allowed out.

They stay inside and trash work in my classroom instead.

StewieGriffinsMom · 02/12/2010 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

colditz · 02/12/2010 08:45

If my child skidded in the ice and broke their arm I would say "Oh poor babby. But I did tell you it was icy and yto be careful. Maybe now you will remember." I certainly would not blame the school for my child being an oaf!

Original poster

Dancergirl · 02/12/2010 19:56

Actually sofaaddict, I have a thing about the rain too. If really pouring heavy rain, then fair enough they should stay in. But I do think they should go out in rain or drizzle - as long as they have a waterproof coat with a hood I don't see the problem.

OP posts:

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