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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking this school policy is unsafe?

34 replies

DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 12:20

And that the new headteacher is an utter arse out of his mind?

New Headteacher has decided to curb a litter problem in my DD's secondary school ALL food and drinks must be consumed within the cafeteria during breaks.

Sounds ok right?

Apart from the fact that there is 800+ pupils and only seating for 150-200 children at any one time?

Lunch break is 40 minutes.

IABU in thinking this is some kind of health and safety/fire risk? Should I contact someone about this?

I also think this is a recipe for disaster. We are supposed to be teaching our children healthy attitudes towards food but all this is causing is kids to miss lunch due to the crush, pick 'quick' things or inhale their food at warp speed whilst being pushed and shoved standing in the corner.

How is that healthy?

And don't even get me started on the no coat/hat/scarf on campus rule......

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 14/01/2013 12:22

Well unless he is planning to stagger the breaks and lunch time it won't work.....I am sure he will know the health/safety capacity for people in the canteen at any one time and will work to that but if you are worried just contact the school and ask them what the new rule is exactly.

Andro · 14/01/2013 12:37

And don't even get me started on the no coat/hat/scarf on campus rule......

Sorry, no can do...you've piqued my curiosity. Are they supposed to remove all outdoor garments prior to entering the school grounds or do they have lockers?

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 12:45

No staggering Betty. At least not so far and no mention of it.

I have asked the school for comments but am still waiting for a reply.

Andro - my DD has no locker - I don't know if the older years do. She has to remove all outside garments and bag/carry them with her. Only blazers are to be worn within school grounds. Despite many internal corridors being closed due to building works so most parts of the building are between long 'safe' outside routes.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 14/01/2013 12:45

It's the same at ds's school - they go inside in time slots, younger ones first and then the older ones. I think 40 min lunch break is madness though - I try not to think about it too much or I get twitchy Grin

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 12:48

They have no time slots here. I'd be a bit more ok about it if they did.

According to DD it's a free for all scrum type affair for a seat.

She has stopped getting hot food and gets a sandwich. Nothing wrong with that I guess but she should have a choice. Also, last week she was sent home with a migraine. She says she did get lunch but I'm not sure. She's had a few migraines before and all were triggered by not eating for a long time.

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 14/01/2013 12:52

I think you need to speak to someone and ask exactly what the policy is....if they are not staggering it is madness and dangerous and they are breaking health and safety laws for sure.....however, don't just take your dd's word for it that there is no staggering....check properly first.

YourHandInMyHand · 14/01/2013 12:57

Why aren't they working on the littering instead? Harsh after school detentions for those caught littering, and during the detentions they will be -> picking up litter!

The lunch hall sounds way too small, are they planning on expanding it?

Is this an academy/free school?

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 12:59

I have emailed to clarify the situation.

I don't expect a swift answer as the parents are in uproar over this and many other silly new rules over the last week.

One boy was actually sent home for eating a cheese sandwich just outside of the cafeteria door.

It's madness just now!

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drjohnsonscat · 14/01/2013 13:06

I hate that they expect kids to cart around all their stuff all day. Makes school feel like an overheated trip to John Lewis on a Saturday - not a calming and thoughtful environment. It sounds such a stupid thing to quibble over - no peg/no locker but I think it does say something about the way the school view their students.

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 13:11

It is an academy sadly.

I agree that they should focus on punishing those that litter and not the entire student body.

I doubt anything will change.

I have just done some rather interesting googling and it appears he abides by the MN mantra of TSSDNCOP.

He has a legal agreement in place that means he doesn't discuss why he was investigated and suspended from his last school. I'm actually a bit scared now!

OP posts:
Flobbadobs · 14/01/2013 13:17

By the sounds of it he was suspended from his last post for being a dictatorial bellend... Sorry but I hate things like this. Our high school has a policy of 'pick it up or suffer the consequences'. The consequences being if you get caught leaving litter or dropping it you have to stay behind either your lunch or after school and pick up as much litter as you can find. From what DS tells me it seems to work. It's an academy too.
Can you get a freedom of information request to find out if it will affect the childrens schooling?

YourHandInMyHand · 14/01/2013 13:23

Had a feeling it was an academy. They are basically a law onto themselves. Hmm

Local one to me had a head like this and she was suspended. Think she was eventually fired but not before lots of teachers, students and parents had suffered under her dictatorship.

valiumredhead · 14/01/2013 13:38

Yep, academies do what they like Their only saving grace as far as I am concerned is the ridiculously small classes.

Pigsmummy · 14/01/2013 13:44

When was i was in Secondary school we had staggered eating times, canteen only. It worked, maybe he is trying to do that?

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 13:53

We didn't pick the school - luck of the lottery here - but until now I've been fairly impressed.

It's all a bit cloak and dagger over his last job by the looks of it Hmm

But apparently this is his MO. Go in hardline and get them all doing as he pleases.

But children missing education for a button issue is ridiculous.

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Naysa · 14/01/2013 15:03

My sister's school has become an academy and the old headteacher left and they have a new headteacher.

He's moved registration from 8.50am to 8.35am and if a child is late for registration the get "isolation" for two hours, missing lesson time. How strange is that?

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 15:34

That is strange Naysa. Miss 2 hours for a few minutes lateness?

I am all for him making changes despite being officially termed an interim h/teacher but seriously? He is acting a bit power hungry here.

He's excluded pupils on the day before their exams which meant they missed important revision classes - and not for huge reasons either. One was for swearing - in front of a teacher. Not at the teacher but in a general conversation with his friend which he happened to overhear.

OP posts:
Charmingbaker · 14/01/2013 15:49

YANBU
If litter is a problem can't they have a designated area of the playground where the kids can have lunch outside, that way they can monitor littering in one area. It does sometimes feel that common sense is missing in many decisions.
How long has this rule been in place for? Of more than a week you are perfectly justified to raise your concerns. If it was my DCs school I would speak to a few other parents first to get a consensus of opinion.
Naysa- my DS school excludes pupils from the first lesson if they are late ( even if only a minute), it has really reduced lateness and stops the latecomers disrupting the first lesson of the day, however 2 hours does seem excessive.

ihearsounds · 14/01/2013 16:00

Defiantly check about the staggering. A friend of a friends parent was adamant that a school did not stagger, when in reality the school did. But the pupil hadn't realised.

Swearing, doesn't matter if it was in a general conversation or not, it is usually against school rules to swear. Often found in home/school agreements.

No hats, scarfs etc, sorry don't see the problem there either.

Google his name. Bound to be something there about why he was sacked. However, could have been for trivial reasons or false allegations. Wouldn't be the first teacher/head that has had false accusations made from students who cannot get away with being disrespectful and concoct allegations.

CaseyShraeger · 14/01/2013 16:09

ihearsounds -- it's SNOWING at the moment across much of the UK and you don't see a problem with children's not being allowed to wear hats/scarves/coats when outside on school property (although they have to carry those garments around with them)?

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 16:15

DD is certain they don't stagger lunch times but I am yet to hear back from the school for confirmation.

I agree the swearing should be punished but maybe with a detention - not by removing the pupil from an import study session the day before an exam that counts for 40% of his GCSE. It's just excessive.

I kind of understand no hats or scarves around the school but coats too? Really? If it's raining she's soaked through before she gets to her home room from the school gates (no running rule also) so then has to sit in a soaked blazer all day. I really don't see a problem with wearing her coat until she gets to class so she can then be comfortable and focused on her class.

I did google him. He has a reputation for this. There are loose rumours about misappropriation of funds or that his methods destroyed staff morale. Also quite a bit about him hiring his own people in after huge redundancies. It seems that one school governor was informed of the issue. He instigated an investigation but the issue was never disclosed to the rest of the governors and some kind of injunction was put into place to stop the reason being disclosed.

I just find that very difficult to swallow really. I know it's most likely funding/admin issues and not very serious but still...why keep it a secret?

OP posts:
Vagaceratops · 14/01/2013 16:19

We have the same stupid rule with regards to coats/hats/scarfs/gloves. Every morning there is a bottleneck at the school gates as all the children try to take off their outdoor stuff.

Our school is quite spread around too, with 9 different buildings across the site

bigbluebus · 14/01/2013 16:41

He sounds like a bully.
I am so glad there are no such stupid rules at DS's school.Behaviour is generally good - bad behaviour is certainly punished appropriately - including Saturday morning detentions with the HT for some offences!
Children at DSs school are allowed to wear coats and scarves inside school grounds, just not in classrooms.

Original poster
DeltaUniformDeltaEcho · 14/01/2013 16:51

I don't get it Vaga - it must just be an aesthetics thing so the staff get to look at a pretty sea of colour or something.

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PenguinBear · 14/01/2013 16:53

Report to Ofsted. Ofsted still do academies so I'd report!