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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School makes children eat their lunch outside everyday

52 replies

conniedescending · 14/09/2015 17:57

The school has grown significantly in the last few years but the school hall has not been extended. As a result children in key stage 2 are required to eat their lunch outside as hall is taken up with key stage 1 children and hot dinners. That's fine in the summer or on fine days when it's dry but every year it irritates me as they continue to eat out in the rain or on very cold days. I Am told a classroom is available when it's pouring with rain but in practice it's very rare.

Last time I raised this I was told that children could eat indoors if requested but in practice the dinner ladies don't let them in or they have to wait outside the hall for the entire playtime for hot dinners to finish meaning they get no time to play outside.

I am not happy with this at all and think my children don't eat much in the winter as a result because they"'really too cold or it's too wet to sit down anywhere. They all ate outside today in drizzly rain standing up and I am cross about this. So, before I complain again, AIBU?

OP posts:
temporarilyjerry · 14/09/2015 19:50

I'd also raise this matter with the governors. Copy in the headteacher.
YANBU.

dingit · 14/09/2015 19:51

This has happened at our secondary. When it's been throwing down, ds has bought his lunch home uneaten, as he's had nowhere to go.

BackforGood · 14/09/2015 19:57

Staggering the lunchtimes wouldn't mean paying lunchtime supervisors any more though - the KS1 staff just come in at a different time from the KS2 staff. Presumably someone is currently watching the KS2 dc outside now ? So they just change the shift times a bit and the KS1 staff start and finish a bit earlier and the KS2 staff start and finish a bit later. Longer term, might even make the job more attractive for some people as they could presumably do one shift followed by the other.
Either that, or they need to invest in a large mess tent / marquee.

I'm all for a bit of fresh air, but I wouldn't expect to sit outside for my lunch each day throughout the Winter months.

Naicehamshop · 14/09/2015 20:03

REALLY complain about this - it is not acceptable. I work in a primary school and no way would we expect the children to eat outside when it is cold and wet. Contact the governors, (get hold of your parent govs or send a written complaint to the governing body) and let as many other parents know as possible. The school HAS to sort it out!

FishWithABicycle · 14/09/2015 20:11

Yanbu. One of the schools we looked at for pfb had this policy and that was a massive black mark for me (not the only reason I didn't like it) so it's obviously not unique but it's a terrible idea. They put all this effort into telling us how important nutrition is for young minds then they make policy decisions like this that lead to kids not getting to eat.

Seriouslyffs · 14/09/2015 20:14

They really are signalling loud and clear 'we don't care'
I'm trying to get my head round how it would work- do they each collect a packed lunch? Surely they don't expect them to balance a tray on their laps? Can they even sit down or are they standing around with a sandwich and packet of crips?!Shock

mytimewillcome · 14/09/2015 20:20

Could you complain to Ofsted? Do they deal with things like that? Official complaint to the council? I wouldn't allow it for my child.

Thebirdsneedseeds · 14/09/2015 20:28

That's a failure in duty of care. I'm shocked! As Depute head of a primary, there is NO WAY I'd expect children to eat outside. Only exception is if the whole school were doing a summer picnic or something.

Our school is hugely overcrowded. We stagger lunches and provide extra benches for children waiting to eat their lunches at a table. The parents at our school would go spare if they thought their kids were eating outside in the cold and rightly so.

I'd like to see the head going outside every day to eat their lunch. Fair's fair. Complain to the council.

sproketmx · 15/09/2015 00:04

Everyone used to eat outside at our primary. There wasn't a dinner hall. We ate our packed lunches in the shed if it was raining or snowing. They built a new school about 8 years ago that now has an assembly hall come dining room

Fatmomma99 · 15/09/2015 00:09

Another one who's Shock by this. Also work in primaries. Last year one of my schools was updating it's kitchen and because of the builders, couldn't get into the hall for a few weeks. They did do outside (and the weather was kind) but they didn't make children sit outside in the rain!

I don't say this lightly, but I would threaten to report to OFSTED with this. I think it's outrageous.

Finallyonboard · 15/09/2015 00:12

I'd have removed my DC for this. The school obviously have no concern for the children's wellbeing.

Topseyt · 15/09/2015 00:25

Ask the head teacher when she last joined the children and ate lunch outside in the cold and wet.

I'd be seriously annoyed by this. It's like putting your children to eat their dinner outside on the drive in the rain while mum and dad eat in the warm and dry inside.

Yes, I would complain. I'd have to, and I am not one who would march up to schools giving off at the drop of a hat.

sashh · 15/09/2015 08:08

Back in the 1970s I was at a school that had to have two 'temporary' classrooms - sort of static caravan thing - due to an influx of children from some new housing.

We had staggered lunch times and play times because of lack of space, I don't see how this could be different now.

I also don't understand the not wanting to pay lunch time supervisors, unless the children are outside with no supervision which can't be right.

At another school (went to primary in three different places) the groups were mixed age with 2 children from what is now yr6 being 'lunch prefects' on a table with 2 yr5, 2 yr4 etc.

If there are enough seats for children to sit on then here are enough seats for them to be inside to eat.

Original poster
conniedescending · 15/09/2015 08:17

I'm going to poll some parents today and see how many are aware. My youngest just went into ks2 and I bet his friends parents who haven't older children are unaware about this. To be fair in a torrential downpour and when we had the snow they ate inside but damp, drizzle, frost, wet benches etc they eat outside.

Last time I raised this with the head they made me feel like I was precious and he said my children could eat inside but my concern was for all children.

OP posts:
babybythesea · 15/09/2015 08:18

A solution is more than possible. My DD goes to a small village school with no hall at all, and they manage. They have three classrooms plus a cookery/library/group work/anything else they need room. So they eat in their classrooms, and go on to teach in them immediately afterwards. If a group of kids can eat sensibly in their classroom and it be a workable system in one school, they can manage it somewhere else. The hall issue is a red herring.

Bakeoffcake · 15/09/2015 08:29

Our village primary school is short of space and they use a classroom for children who can't fit in the hall.

I'm all for DC getting lots of fresh air but if the school want them to eat outside they must provide shelter and plenty of tables and sitting areas. To make them stand up eating their lunch is absolutely ridiculous. Angry

Naty1 · 15/09/2015 09:02

Can older children not have hot food?

TwmSionCati · 15/09/2015 09:07

YANBU why on earth would the school expect children to eat standing up in the rain? I find it hard to believe as one drop of rain made 'wet play' at my children's primary school!
Actually it is disgusting.

PennyPants · 15/09/2015 09:56

Our HT would never allow this. When our dining hall was extended, they ate packed lunches in a classroom. They're expecting Dc to do something they wouldn't do themselves. It's ridiculous. Definitely complain.

bendybootpumpkinpatch · 15/09/2015 10:29

Op do you live in London?

TPel · 15/09/2015 10:39

Definitely get the governors involved. I imagine they will be having a full governing body meeting soon and it should be raised as an issue there.

It is a totally unacceptable arrangement - I don't know how the staff can sit inside and eat whilst young children are outside.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 15/09/2015 11:29

When my dses were at Primary school, they had the same problem - a dining hall that was not big enough for everyone to use - so the school dinners were served in the dining hall, Infants with packed lunches also ate in the hall, and Juniors with packed lunches ate in their classrooms, supervised by a prefect (or maybe two prefects - it is a while ago, and the details are a tad foggy) from Year 6.

I agree with everyone here that connie's children's school policy is completely unacceptable. Good luck with getting the other parents onside, and dealing with this, connie.

LittleLionMansMummy · 15/09/2015 11:54

What happens when it snows?! Shock I am truly appalled by this and would definitely be complaining to whoever would listen.

BlackeyedSusan · 15/09/2015 15:07

I think, if i remember correctly, the free hot dinners information for schools includes aboit where they must provide adequate space for children who take packed lunches to eat as well. I am not sure outside would count.

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