To expect school to ensure kids are suitably dressed outside?

[holleyshiftwell]

When I picked up DD (5) from school today, she was absolutely frozen, crying and very upset. She had been outside for two hours taking part in the weekly Forest school activities, without gloves and just her cotton tights in her wellies.
It has been -1 here all day today.

This morning when I dropped her at school, I ensured she had thermal socks, thermal trousers, an extra fleece jumper, gloves, scarf etc in her bag, ready to wear for forest school - just as school had asked parents to do.

I asked her why she hadn't worn any of these items.

She told me she hadn't had time to put them on before they had to go outside.

AIBU to be really cross with school for not ensuring that these little ones are properly dressed for outside activities in this kind of weather? I am particularly cross as DD was off sick most of last week and only just recovered.

I love the fact they do forest school, and that she gets to spend time outside, I think it is really important. I also appreciate that children need to learn to take care of themselves and become self-sufficient. But it was minus one!

I'd have a chat with the teacher, in a 'Is it best if I send dd in fully dressed and ready for outside?' type way.

I wouldn't necessarily believe your dd didn't have time, although if they didn't give them time to get dressed then its outrageous! Do you know if any of the other dc were affected the same way?

This sort of thing happens at my school, children will say they don't have gloves, a hat etc, but when we go and look in their bags they do have them. Sometimes I don't think the parents tell the children they have packed these things for them so they don't know!

The teacher should definitely be telling the children to put on the things they have before they go out.

Maybe your DD was dawdling over something else, and that's why she had no time.
I wouldn't make a fuss. The cold is unpleasant but does no lasting harm. Dd will have learned to put warm clothes on next time!

why dont you just send her to school with more clothes on?

my dd doesnt have forest school, but in this weather she is still wearing tights, trousers, socks, boots, polo neck under her school shirt, jumper, she has gloves in her coat pocket, scarf etc?

If they've asked for the kit they should ensure it's worn. Or highlight to you that dc didn't have x, y or z. Our reception teacher apologises every day at the moment when the children are late out as they've been putting hats, gloves, scarves, wellies on.

Tip: put her thermal socks in her wellies. That way she'll at least have those on next time.

Thanks for the ideas.

Nailak- She is very well wrapped up on the way to school, just as you suggest, but inside school is really warm as they seem to have the heating on pretty high, so she couldn't keep that many layers on all day! They do forest school after lunch.

Sokmonsta - thanks for idea about leaving the extra socks in her wellies, will do that and hope they don't get lost!

Cloudsandtrees - DD knew exactly where her clothes were as she packed her bag this morning! I also talked her through it when we got to school, and showed her again where things were. Thing is, DD is just very slow at getting changed and quite shy, she wouldn't ask for for help or say 'wait I'm not ready'. Think I will have quiet word with teacher and ask if they can make sure she is wrapped up well enough.

Phyllis - does cold really do no harm to a child who has just recovered from being ill and still has a nasty cough?

I think they should help those who can't dress themselves warmly when they're going to be outside for 2 hrs!

I dress my DS in a thermal vest, the school t-shirt, sweater, long johns, trousers, leather boots and a fleece lined waterproof jacket or a padded one. I recently bought some expensive waterproof gloves for him but he looses them fairly frequently- luckily these ones turned up! Without fail though I meet him and his coat is wide open, scarf is hanging off, hat half on. I unserstand that the teacher cannot dress 30 pupils for the outdoors but i dont understand when she is standing outside with the pupils at leaving time and she has only 2 left, 1 of whom was my DS dressed as I just described, she can't just help him with his zip- to me that is just about being a decent human being and nothing to do with her status as teacher!

If you supply the stuff they should absolutely ensure your DD has time to get it on to go outside and at 5 then give some assistance if need be especially if they have trouble with thick gloves etc.

At going home time I think it is fine for the teachers to not help them do zips up etc as they usually have 30 of them and parents can do it as soon as they collect them. I do think that children in YR should be able to do the basic PE kit, shoes and coats though TBH.

It's quite likely she was asked several times if she was wearing all the clothes she was supposed to and she said yes because the other children were saying yes and she felt like she was supposed to say yes too, regardless of the truth.

She will have to learn to assert herself and her needs.

Also didn't have time is very often DC for couldn't be bothered.

Although at 5 I agree the teacher ought to have checked to see she didn't have obvious things like gloves.

YANBU!! My DD has ADHD and doesn't ever choose to wear a coat. I have lost count of the times I have seen her in the playground without her coat when it has been cold. She is 7, it is not her decision to make. I am the one who has to look after her when she is ill. I think that at about 9 they are able to link actions to their result but until then the adults around them need to make the decision.