School lunchtime

[YokoWakarimasen]

Apparently at DD's school the children only get 15 minutes to eat lunch, and if they are not done in this time, tough - it gets binned or put back in packed lunch bags to bring home. This is because there are too many children to sit in the lunch hall at the same time in the new school building (Scotland - the newer schools are all tiny!). I think this is massively not ok - it can't be healthy to teach them to guzzle it all, surely?

I have emailed to find out more, but WIBU to take this further?

[ForalltheSaints]

I'd be concerned that this encourages children to eat food too quickly, and becomes a habit for life.

[momtothree]

Ours do R- y1 and 2 ten to twelve -
Y3 and 4 12 and y 5/6 ten past

So older kids have lessons longer and aren't in a long queue,

At 20 past a bell goes which signals those who want to leave can now go to the play ground with two lunch staff - those left are the older ones who need little supervision and a few stragglers /slow eaters

So there's no swap over - just a stream of children

[YokoWakarimasen]

This is my issue - a sandwich can be eaten -coincidentally dd doesnt like sandwiches - but its generally not a healthy one to get kids to eat it on time. Because of time parents give a sandwich and say, a biscuit but then child gets told to bring healthier food than that , and tbh sandwich with jam or processed meat isn't great. But eating a balance of healthy food takes longer - an apple is time consuming to eat. As is a salad. The time limit means parents give food that can be eaten quickly over healthy food.

[RiverTam]

Lots of them can and do. Schools don't do this for fun, they may well have been forced to bulge as they have classroom space but one hall for all lunches, assemblies and indoor PE. For a very small number of children this might be a real issue but I doubt it is for the majority. And some slow coaches will simply learn to crack on instead of messing about.

Time yourself the next time you eat. Unless you are super super slow with a huge plate of food I can't see how anyone, head down but not guzzling, can take more than 15 minutes to eat, for example, a plate of pasta and a yoghurt.

[Oly5]

Yanbu. I'd be fuming about this and wouldn't let it drop either.
No way can s young child be expected to finish in 15 mins

[switswoo81]

Sorry that reply was to yoko asking did I think it was enough time.

[switswoo81]

In my experience it is. At the meeting with parents at the start of the year I always say if your child is struggling with these times to come in and have a chat they can eat after playtime etc but in 14 years teaching noone ever has and I think I'm very approachable! . I get twenty minutes to ear lunch and ten the day I'm on yard supervision duty. I just bring something easy to eat like a sandwich or wrap.

[mammamic]

YANBU totally unreasonable

[switswoo81]

I know it sounds short yoko but we have never had an issue with it.they usually eat fruit / yoghurt at little break and a sandwich/ crackers at big break. they eat in the classroom and I read to them while they eat so there is no messing or chatting. Many would be finished before time is up.

[YokoWakarimasen]

I am hoping o work soon so an after school snack isn't going to cut it. I am reconsidering how we eat - I may start making a cooked breakfast and aim for a snacky lunch.

I did hear back and the headteacher said that p1-3 get the second sitting for 30minutes and that only p4-7 are on 15 minutes. That's better at least.

[Stillwishihadabs]

The eating clinic at a children's hospital came and did some teaching recently around selective eaters. They said under no circumstances should a meal go on beyond 20 minutes to half an hour- this was for children with problems around food so I'm guessing 15 minutes would be enough for most nt Dcs.

[YouMakeMyDreams]

Are you sure they have to be out in 15 minutes. Ds2 kept tweeting me that when the big ones bell goes he has to leave the hall but I have worked in the school and ds1 goes there as did Dd and I know that's not true. The little ones do go 15 minutes earlier because there isn't enough for one sitting but tbh that 15 minutes clears enough of the infants to get the older ones in so they can stay longer if they need. Ds2 just wants to get outside.

[yummycake123]

Really?? 10 minutes? 15 minutes? That's not enough, it should be at least 30 minutes. Some kids will eat fast, but others need to take their time. Especially if they are 6! YANBU, schools are crazy these days...

[rivierliedje]

Goodness, that's short. What about those with hot dinners!?
We had about half An hout to eat and then another hour to okay outside.and the teachers at a teachers table in primary. In the lunch room.

[janeycam27]

They get 15 minutes at my son's school too. Same issue - small hall and too many kids. I was a bit put out when I found out as we pay £6 a day for his lunch and he is always hungry when I collect him from school. I don't know what the solution would be though as lunch can't go on for 2 hours.

[LunaLoveg00d]

We have similar issues at our school. We have one hall which is used for PE, assembly and as a dinner hall. The Scottish government in their wisdom have said that all primary school age children need 2 hours of PE a week. 14 classes x 2 hours = 28 hours and they are only in school 25 hours a week. Children do have to be encouraged to eat quickly because of the space pressure - there is just not enough room to have everyone sitting down at the same time. Lunches are staggered, on nice days the packed lunch kids are allowed to eat outside on the grass, but it is still very busy.

Plus children need to run off steam and play at lunchtime so sitting for 45 minutes over lunch isn't an option.

OP you need to be creative about this. Suggest the PTA fundraises to buy more tables for lunch or picnic tables for the playground. Give her less to eat at lunchtime and then she gets toast or something at 3pm. Think about giving her things which are quick to eat or can be eaten outside - our school do insist that children eat things like sandwiches and yoghurt inside, but can take crisps, cereal bars or apples into the playground.

[Flumpsnlumpsnstuff]

Yes but they go home at 1:30 switswoo81
Therefore it's more snack than lunch. I'll lay odds they have a nice sandwich or snack when they get home

[kitkat1968]

Does it really take more than 15 minute to eat lunch? Maybe you are feeding them too much?

[YokoWakarimasen]

switswoo81 really? you think ten minutes is enough?

[switswoo81]

Children in my class (5 years old) get 10 minutes at break time and 10 minutes at lunch to eat packed lunch. Now they go home at 1:30 but there has never been problems or complaints with this.

[5Foot5]

That is ridiculous. I think I would struggle to eat lunch in 15 minutes as an adult let alone a 6 year old.

Like a PP I was in the slow eaters club at school and it is not as simple as just cracking on and not dithering. I physically couldn't eat any faster, and believe me I tried. There was a rule that nobody on the table could go out to play until everybody on the table had finished eating, so imagine the pressure being the last one with food and all the others urging you to get a move on and get it eaten. It doesn't make you quicker, quite the reverse it becomes impossible to swallow and every mouthful is an ordeal.

Also I am sure there is a theory that slow eaters are less likely to overeat than fast eaters so in a time when childhood obesity is a concern then surely children should not be encouraged to guzzle their food as fast as possible.

YANBU I think this is a dreadful policy and would be objecting to it

[YokoWakarimasen]

Half the school is out on the playground afaik - they switch over to eat lunch, but line up on rainy days.

They have lunchtime supervisors, it isn't the teachers. I suppose they would need more or to pay them longer. I just don't see how they can do this and say health and well being are at the heart of the curriculum .

[Cubtrouble]

The teachers! Who should be given 5 minutes flat to eat their lunches

I am joking