over dd's class (age 6/7) being fined team points for going to the toilet during lesson time?

[doublechocchip]

Just wondering if this is normal, dd (year 2) came out of school today bursting for the toilet, on the way back to the car I asked her why she hadn't gone in school and she said that she hadn't wanted to as the teacher fines a child who goes to the toilet during lesson time 5 points from their team.

I asked if the teacher had done that to stop messing around in the toilet and she said she had but surely you would just send them one at a time? She also said that she didn't like to go at some break times as there are more children messing about in the toilets and she's too shy to go in.

Do other schools implement this kind of thing? I mean the messing at lunchtime sounds like a bit of lack of supervision but fining them if they need to go during lessons? Am not too happy about it at all but am willing to be told I'm over-reacting!

I also remember that I had to wipe my backside on tracing paper...that definitely put me off going in primary school

Seriously? My god, that is ridiculous. Please make a complaint. What a horrible idea.

Go and see the teacher after school. It probably seemed like a good way to stop messing about/ continual loo breaks in lesson time and encourage them to wait until breaktime like the big kids, but it's obviously upsetting your daughter, and she's not comfortable going at lunchtime, which also needs sorting.
(My dd, also Yr2 is often desperate for the loo after school too, but I think that's just because if she's busy she doesn't notice she needs to go until she's desperate).

When I was in first year juniors yr3 I can still remember a girl pleading to go to the toilet

The teacher said no, you should have gone at break

She must have asked 5 or 6 times during the lesson -until she started crying and wet herself

Teachers are much more flexible about allowing toilet trips and drinks but that's a whole other thread but too many children going is disruptive

Definitely talk to the HT, that is not on, especially they are younger children

My DD is yr 3 (7 nearly 8) and has a similar policy. Not necessarily fined but they get a bonus five points If theymmanage to not go all day apart from break and lunch which is frankly just unrealistic to me. Told her never ever to hold on to the point she's bursting. She might end up having an accident and no five points is worth that humiliation.

Sounds like a newly qualified teacher to me. How ridiculous. You should complain to the head.

It's not an incentive!

Deducting team points for anything is totally against the way they're supposed to work - they're a reward not a punishment. Barmy idea!

And I am totally against restricting toilet going in that manner anyway!

Experienced teachers know who's trying it on and who really needs it - a pattern tends to build up! It isn't that hard to manage, really it isn't. Not at that age.

I do wonder sometimes...

Now, a retired head teacher told me that you can never tell a child that they may not go to the toilet. Something to do with human rights.

The issue isn't the team points, the issue is that she doesn't feel safe to go during breaks. That is a real problem to do with supervision and behaviour which the teacher either doesn't know about, or is unable to manage.

How much money are they being fined? Money grabbing twats.

Erm they are being fined team points, not money

However, this is awful. 6yo is only little still. Also by making it into a penalty rather than an encouragement, you get sensitive children like OP's DD who don't want to let others down and end up potentially hurting themselves (not using the loo when you really need it is very bad for you).

DD not being able to use the toilet at break time because of other kids in there is also worrying. The ERIC scheme sounds like a good idea.

This is bad especially for little ones, holding on too long can lead to kidney or bladder infections. Going to the toilet is a basic human need, we are not talking about adults or teenagers, but 6/7 year old children, still at infant school departments!

Definitely talk to the head ASAP not acceptable!