To ask a question on behalf of my son?

[KenLeeeeeee]

DS is only 8 and asked me to canvas your opinions on a matter he feels very aggrieved by.

Last year, his school built a small play area next to the main playing field. It consists of two identical climbing frame/slide/swings/playhouse combos and is contained by a fence and two gates. Since it was finished, we've never seen it open for the children to play on. The gates have big padlocks on and ds and his friends say they haven't known of it ever being unlocked during the school day.

So, my ds would like to know if he is BU to be cross that the school have built a very inviting and exciting looking playground only to keep it locked up for months on end.

I think it's possibly intended for use by the reception age children (it's right opposite their classrooms) and therefore kept locked at times other than their playtimes to prevent the bigger kids trashing it. Ds isn't convinced!

Dear Kenlee's DS

I would get together with your friends are write a nice letter to the head asking your question - only when you know the reason can you decide if it's right or not

ps. be nice to your mum - she is ACE

Aunty Gordy xx

Have you asked the school who is using it? Who funded it? Was it provided for a specific age range?

Is it actually finished and is it safe (yet)?

Can he ask his school?

HINBU!

Not bu at all imo. I think he should speak to the school councillor in his class and ask them to raise it at their next meeting.
My school has a playground like this attached to reception class. We have a rota so other years can use it when reception class are indoors.

gordy

Asking the school is a good idea. I will suggest he and his friends write a letter to the head to ask.

The playground was finished before last year's summer holidays, so everyone was quite surprised that it stayed locked up. The parents just seem to have gotten used to it being for looking at but not touching.

Dear kenleeDS I think you are quite right to want to ask questions.
You can ask your teacher, your head teacher, the governors at your school, the caretaker, the reception teacher. Keep asking as many people as you can until you get an answer that you are happy with.

If the answer is NOT one that you are happy with, then you might need to escalate your grievance a little. Ask other children to campaign and ask the Same people, ask to speak to the HT as a group, make posters, do presentations, enlist the support if parents and other teachers.

BE PERSISTENT.

But whatever you do, p,ease do not ahve a picture taken looking sad for the local paper.

Good luck

PS I am good at posters if you need help :)

Oops, crossed with kenlee

dead of night, pair of bolt croppers. Problem solved.

He will also been known as the student who liberated the playpark for all time.

There might be something H&S unsound with it.

Ohhhh I am liking CompostHat's suggestion though

I think it's great that your son is looking for ways to find answers about the playground.

But... a) weren't parents told about its purpose and b) if not, why haven't they asked?

I've seen this before actually. Huge wooden castle / climbing frame / slide thing costing around £15 grand, paid for by PTA funds, and sealed off because it didn't pass Health and Safety regulations. What a bloody white elephant that was. Hope yours is not something similar.
(Ours was dismantled after 2 years, having taken up half the playground for all that time and not been played on once). I never baked a cake for their bake sales again.

Asking the school is a good idea. I will suggest he and his friends write a letter to the head to ask.

Why can't they just ask the Head verbally or is he/she not normally about?

If not, I'm sure the teachers will know.

It does sound a bit odd though.

a) weren't parents told about its purpose and b) if not, why haven't they asked?

The school are a bit hit & miss with their communication. We haven't been told anything about this playground, but we did get a lovely thorough breakdown of their application for planning permission to build another entrance into school grounds from the street.

As to why we haven't asked... I really don't know! At first it seemed plausible that there was a possible H&S issue that wasn't immediately visible. Then I & a few others assumed it was closed because of the wintry weather. Now I think we're just used to walking past it!

Why can't they just ask the Head verbally or is he/she not normally about?

Technically he's the CEO rather than headteacher as it's an Academy and not the easiest chap to get hold of.

I've seen this before actually. Huge wooden castle / climbing frame / slide thing costing around £15 grand, paid for by PTA funds, and sealed off because it didn't pass Health and Safety regulations. What a bloody white elephant that was. Hope yours is not something similar.
(Ours was dismantled after 2 years, having taken up half the playground for all that time and not been played on once)

Waaaah! Oh no, I too hope that doesn't happen with ours.