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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To email Head Teacher about children being kept inside all week?

163 replies

mrsvilliers2 · 16/12/2017 10:18

Can't decide if am BU or not. It's an infant school and ds told me that they have had to watch a film for break and lunch for the past week. The first two days I understand (lots of snow and ice) but the last two the playground was clear and not slippy. Dd was allowed out in nursery (same school but different play area). My problem is ds is a child that need to be run Hmm

OP posts:
Lizzylou · 16/12/2017 14:44

Maybe the school year could be rejigged so that the main holiday is over the winter, just in case of inclement weather

In recently years we have had snow in Feb/March, one year in April. 6 months off just in case of snow? Hell yeah.

NovemberWitch · 16/12/2017 14:44

Never met a primary teacher who prefers a wet play. Met lots of children coming to school in inappropriate clothing and footwear for the weather. Lots and lots of children who don’t walk to school because of the weather and are driven. If they walked, perhaps parents would think twice about their clothing.
I agree that our cold, soggy, icy winters and hot summers and wet and windy in between seasons mean that most of us are not fully equipped for it all. Because as the old sayings go ‘If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute’ and ‘Why do the English talk about the weather all the time? Because we have so much of it’ Unlike a Continental climate.

WildRosesGrow · 16/12/2017 14:46

Madge - you could try actually considering some of the points that people have made, rather than laughing at them. As multiple previous posters have mentioned, the weather here is borderline, e.g. it would not be worth parents buying completely snow and ice proof coats, boots, hats and other items each year, when they are likely to be needed only for a week or two. They would also need replacing each year as children grow (sorry I know this is obvious but so are some other points that people are missing).

I grew up in England, but somewhere reasonably hilly, where snow was a bit more frequent. We walked to school whatever the weather, so had great snowproof boots. (Which then left us with baking hot feet inside if we didn't remember to bring pumps to change into.) My children do not currently have snowproof boots, I don't feel that they are neglected. Where we live now, the pavements are cleared, on the occasional snowy days, so it would be very unusual for them to need more than their sensible shoes.

If we lived in a colder climate, we would include snow proof clothing in our essentials budget, and presumably also make sure to pass on too small clothes so that people on lower budgets could use them without being made bankrupt. There just is not the need or demand for it in the English climate. The few extreme days of the year are therefore tricky.

Grit - councils have very tight budgets. They can only budget for an average winter. There is very little leeway. They also have limited storage space, particularly as the stores of grit need to readily accessibly without taking the gritters too far out of their way (e.g. can't just fill up an old quarry in the middle of nowhere as a long term grit store, as it would be too far from the roads that need gritting and too difficult to dig out when needed).

But I'm sure you will just ignore this and carry on rudely laughing at the inferior ways of the country that you have strangely chosen to live in.

Greenshoots1 · 16/12/2017 14:54

Bless you, in my extremely cold homeland we also had plenty of ice. It really went well with the winter

there is a completely different set of circumstances in the uk, where the temperature hovers around freezing for days or weeks at a time, refreezing water into totally smooth, and frequently invisible ice several times a day, no matter how many times it is treated, and breaking up surfaces.

It is lot harder to manage than staying well below zero for a couple of months, as it did in Southern Germany, where I have also taught.

Much more damaging, dangerous, and much more expensive to deal with.

IDefinitelyWould · 16/12/2017 15:06

I'm loving my dd's school this year. Every child has to have snow pants, jacket, hat, gloves and boots and they play out whatever the weather. They've been playing sliding on the ice, building igloos and rolling down the hills. There have been no a and e trips as a result of playtime. It has been below -10 for a couple of months now, they do a risk assessment at -25 but usually play out to about -30. The kids love it!

manicinsomniac · 16/12/2017 15:26

Such a shame that many children haven't been able to play outside at school this week - it's been the best week of the year for it in the areas where we've had the snow (from a child's pov that is; bit cold and fraught for the staff!)

We only had about 65% of our pupils make it to school on Monday so we had snowball fights, snow walks, sculpture competitions and free snow play on a rotation with academic lessons for most of the day.

The other days attendance was back to normal so we did normal lessons but the children have certainly been out playing in the snow/ice/slush at every break time. In fact we cancelled some indoor clubs so that we could get more supervision outside and give more children more time in the snow. It doesn't happen very often in the home counties after all, we needed to make the most of it.

But that kind of thing can only happen if parents can accept that yes, it is possible that a child might hurt themselves. That's life. Not all schools have a parent body that will accept an ethos like that. But it's the children who lose out.

Goldenbear · 16/12/2017 15:27

I live in the Home Counties and I'm sure 2013 was the last time we built a snowman. I walk home with my children who are 10 and 6 it's a about 2 miles up hill and it helps get rid of some energy if it's been wet play. I do have appropriate coats for my two but they were quite expensive and a lot of my children's peers have fashion coats and shoes on. Tbh the walk home has not been particularly cold 5/6 degrees as you are moving and its uphill - my youngest runs up the hill with a tshirt on and hat and gloves as her very well insulated coat is too hot! It would be a complete waste of money for the council to plan for the invisible snow!

allegretto · 16/12/2017 15:40

Yeah right, as if that really happened.
Well that's what the teacher told me so I tend to believe her.HmmIt

Lizzylou · 16/12/2017 16:06

We've not had much snow, just lots of ice and black ice. It's been horrific driving to work on the ungritted minor roads, but OK on the main roads.
Our school carpark was an utter deathtrap.
Every day has been a wet play (secondary) and it has been pretty horrific but far better than broken limbs. No snow fun here.

HidingBehindTheWallpaper · 16/12/2017 16:11

Elf and Safety and No Win, No fee lawyers are why.

Thats it. It's go bugger all to do with not wanting a child to break an arm or anything. It's all to do with not wanting to get sued.

There is a school near me which has recently implemented sending children out in all but the most severe weather. Their logic is that if the child has the correct clothing then it isn't a problem. There has been a load of complaints.

Missm84 · 16/12/2017 16:14

I'm a year 6 teacher, there must have been a very good reason for them being kept in. I don't exactly see the problem.

ShowMePotatoSalad · 16/12/2017 16:59

It's so funny how people are banging on about "elf and safety" (ugh) and how the school is being too cautious with the kids, but think them being kept inside for a week and not allowed to "run around" is something to complain about. If you think kids are robust enough to cope with a bit of ice in the playground surely they can cope with watching a film at break times for a week?

Natsku · 16/12/2017 20:20

It has been below -10 for a couple of months now, they do a risk assessment at -25 but usually play out to about -30

Now that's decent, I'm a bit disappointed with DD's school which sets the cold limit at -15 considering her nursery let the children play outside in colder weather. Though maybe they're not so strict as the rule says, I have yet to see it in action as it's DD's first year.

MidniteScribbler · 16/12/2017 21:18

There is no teacher on the planet who would rather keep children inside rather than send them out.

As for why teachers put a film on, instead of running games, for one thing, it's actually the teacher's lunch break as well, and a film means some relative peace and quiet whilst I try and prep for the afternoon, respond to emails, and try and shove a soggy sandwich down my throat. It also means that there is generally less difficult behaviour from frustrated students cooped up which can lead to a large amount of noise, and in some cases, arguments. Sitting watching a movie means general peace for much of the time.

Whizziwig · 16/12/2017 21:28

At my school and my DC's school this week the ice was a sheet across the playground. As PP have said, the lack of grit is completely down to money. I don't think a lot of people realise how tight education budgets are these days. Most teachers hate indoor play - the children are much more fidgety and hard to control if they haven't been out - and we absolutely would not keep children in if going outside was a safe option.

Whizziwig · 16/12/2017 21:29

Also, how on Earth do people expect children to do running games in the hall at lunchtimes? This is where the children eat!

MiaowTheCat · 16/12/2017 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Thehogfather · 16/12/2017 22:20

Yanbu. Schools absolutely love the logistics of supervising dc in classrooms, and much prefer to teach in the afternoons when dc haven't had chance to let off steam. It makes life so much easier for them. Do mention in the email that it is their responsibility to ensure that your child has an opportunity to play outside at some point every day, and that as the parent you shouldn't be left with the hardship of providing that yourself before or after school.

They will also appreciate handy hints on how to exercise dc indoors, I'm sure if you remind them they have a hall it will magically expand and be empty at lunch.

OlennasWimple · 16/12/2017 22:29

Midge - when we lived somewhere that never went above freezing from November to March, we all had proper snow clothes, including decent boots and multiple pairs of gloves, scarves etc (so that when one inevitably got lost we had loads more on hand). Anyone who forgot any item of outdoor kit wasn't allowed to play outside at school

We never had these in England - maybe a hat and gloves each, but wellies were perfectly sufficient for the weather 99% of the time. When we come back, we won't bother replacing what has been grown out of, because - barred a sudden second ice age - they aren't necessary

stoplickingthetelly · 16/12/2017 22:33

Teachers hate wet play as much as the kids! I'm sure if there was any possible way to get them out, they would.

Chipshopninja · 16/12/2017 23:07

My problem is ds is a child that need to be run

....is your child a Border Collie? Hmm

MissClareRemembers · 16/12/2017 23:39

I’m a lunchtime supervisor in an infant school and I dread telling my class teacher that we’re having wet play. It’s the teacher’s lunch break too and a right pain to have the classroom full whilst they are trying to prep for the afternoon session.

The class I currently look after are delightful and i adore them. They will usually sit and watch a nature programme or CBeebies quite happily or we will get out jigsaws, marble run etc. But they are all happier after a run around outside. The class I had last year were an entirely different kettle of fish and I HATED wet play as they just ran riot.

Incidentally, during the recent cold spell I have seen children with no coat, girls wearing skirts with bare legs, boys in shorts and many of them have been miserable with cold. So unfair on them.

sailorcherries · 17/12/2017 00:48

Agreed, no teacher wants a wet play.

My DS was kept in all week and I am perfectly happy with this. Our council only grits primary footpaths which are few and far between: playgrounds; residential pathways; most pathways, are secondary routes and not gritted. Our grit bins have long been emptied and/or broken. Schools have no grit.

A boy in my street haa multiple stitches in his head after slipping; my father's friend broke her leg; and a local complained (rightly so) that their mother had slipped on a footpath between a sheltered housing and local shop, which is the only pathway and isn't considered a primary route. The woman had been stranded for so long she eventually took her shoes and sockd off to attempt a better grip when standing. She ended up alone, on a frozen path, with no footwear on, due to the lack of preparation and resources.

ilovechocolate07 · 17/12/2017 17:30

Believe me, they wouldn't keep children in all day let alone all week if they could help it.

AlexanderHamilton · 17/12/2017 17:37

I do sympathise OP. My autistic son has far better behaviour & concentrationif he's had fresh air & excercise. I've been known to send him to run up & down the street & back when I sense the start of something. I believe children with ADHD have similar needs.