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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you complain about a 17 minute lunch break at high school?

95 replies

Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 18:27

My two boys aged 11 and 13 attend the same high school. A new head teacher has recently taken over.

They used to get a 20 minute break then a 50 minute lunch break. New head teacher has just announced that she is changing the break to 15 minutes and lunch to 17 minutes. 15 Minutes to get lunch and eat it and go outside for a bit then two minutes to walk back into the next lesson.

The children are obviously outraged and it seems like a few of the parents are too. Would you complain about this or do you think a 17 minute break is long enough? Having spent some time working out the new timetable it looks like she has shortened the lunch break and lengthened the school day to 20 minutes so the children can fit another lesson in.

OP posts:
GooodMythicalMorning · 07/03/2015 18:45

Thats awful. If they get held up for any reason then they could be missing lunch entirely. I would be complaining a lot.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 18:45

I really don't understand it. How she thinks it is a good idea. She must have been expecting a huge back lash? she pissed people off by changing the uniform for no bloody reason from black to green.

I will call Monday and ask for an explanation then complain directly to the head. My son wants to start a petition Grin

OP posts:
LaChatte · 07/03/2015 18:47

Just Shock

InQuiteAPickle · 07/03/2015 18:50

I would never have coped at school with a twenty minute lunch break! I was a slow eater and plus it's the only time you get to chat to your friends.

Chatting and eating - I would have never finished on time. I definitely wouldn't have had any time to go outside!

In my office I get 30 mins for lunch and I thought that that was crap at first!

StaircaseAtTheUniversity · 07/03/2015 18:51

The only time I've ever heard of this has been either to get the kids out really early (like 2/2.30) in order to offer a kind of incentive for having no lunch time to speak of or to stop there being fights in a school notorious for having lots of fighting/gang type culture. If neither applies then it makes no sense. Also this is coming from teaching in some rough inner London schools- is this school in that category? Again, if not seems a bit weird.

IreneA78 · 07/03/2015 18:52

are you sure you have got it right?17 is such an obscure number.Why wouldn't it be 15 or 20

Original poster
Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 18:53

No, not a rough inner London school.

We are in Norfolk. Decent area.

OP posts:
waithorse · 07/03/2015 18:53

Ridiculous.Shock

IreneA78 · 07/03/2015 18:54

short lunches are usually to stop them 'losing' kids in the afternoon.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 18:55

It looks right. It definitely says 17 minutes and that was confirmed by the timetables received today as well.

I have looked through a lot of FB posts at the timetables which has been posted in different year groups and they all say 17 minutes for lunch.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 18:58

sorry that was meant to say

I have looked through a lot of the timetables posted from students in different year groups and classes and they all have 17 minutes for lunch.

OP posts:
eddiemairswife · 07/03/2015 18:59

What about pupils who go home for dinner?

yellowdaisies · 07/03/2015 19:02

Bloody ridiculous. Takes my DS longer than that to have a poo! Never mind queueing and eating too.

And presumably there won't be any lunchtime clubs either?

backwardpossom · 07/03/2015 19:02

That is completely inappropriate. Not just for the pupils, but also for the staff. I also do not see how they could do it. 17 minutes? It sometimes takes me longer than 17 minutes to get to the canteen by the time I deal with pupils/incidents/behaviour etc. Complain complain complain.

ragged · 07/03/2015 19:03

Not a De Souza school is it?

Original poster
Sallystyle · 07/03/2015 19:05

No Ragged not that I know what one of those is

OP posts:
Ludoole · 07/03/2015 19:07

Ds's school have 40 mins and even then the bell often goes while they are still queuing... Angry

meglet · 07/03/2015 19:09

yes, I would complain. it's not enough time to eat, go to the toilets and get some fresh air. The students and teachers are going to be ratty all afternoon Confused .

ragged · 07/03/2015 19:11

U2, take pity, pm me which school this is? EDP would love this story, you know. Amazed to learn that any other Norfolk school has green blazers (thought DS's was only one).

De Souza = schools run by the Inspiration Trust, Rachel de Souza is head.

Geepee71 · 07/03/2015 19:12

That's less than Working Time Regs allow, which is 20 mins minimum for working a 6 hour day, I'd be questioning legality of this.

CupidStuntSurvivor · 07/03/2015 19:15

Unworkable. Completely. I don't imagine those timetables being around for long.

yellowdaisies · 07/03/2015 19:16

I'd go to the local press if the school persists.

youarekiddingme · 07/03/2015 19:16

So does it say 12-12.17 lunch then 12.17-13.17 lesson 3 (or whatever?). I don't see how it fits in? Surely it makes the time table stupidly timed?

The school my DS will start in sept does 15 minute break then 25 for lunch. But they finish at 2.30! They offer extra curricula from then til 4.

yellowdaisies · 07/03/2015 19:17

Is it maybe a 17 minute lunch break followed by a bell, then 3 minutes to get to the next classroom maybe? Still way too short though

Stealthpolarbear · 07/03/2015 19:21

good point you are
op this is maddness