Child didn’t have lunch at school

[Purpletigers]

Child doesn’t have a lunch with them at school and doesn’t inform the teacher before lunchtime or the supervisor at lunchtime. Parent phones the school after pick up to complain that their child didn’t have anything to eat . The phone call is the first time the class teacher is aware of the situation . Who is at fault ?

And by the way sharing food with other children is strictly forbidden at schools nowadays because of allergies and health issues. All children know this from the start.

Parents should take responsibility for their children. It is not the class teachers job to parent your snowflake PFBs.

has childs mouth fell off

At DC's school someone would have noticed and offered something for the child to eat - I get it some kids would be terrified of speaking up. That said it's clearly cheeky as hell for the parent who made the mistake in the first place to moan about it.

Of an 8 year old the parent is at fault

The parent is the biggest offender if they forgot to give the child their packed lunch. If their parent thought their child was going to have the school dinner today, and that's why they didn't provide a packed lunch, I can see why they were a bit pissed off.

Another classic example of passing the blame. Why are so few people willing to take responsibilities for their actions ? Teachers are responsible to teach, parents are responsible to ensure their child has what they need for the day. When the child is old enough, they become responsible. I have three kids, and yes I've forgotten sometimes to make sure they had their lunch - MY fault, no one else's, and my responsibility to fix it.

2 of mine have gone without eating at lunchtime. Both have SN, both had their packed lunches with them. Both said nothing at the time but told me at pick up. Both times there had been a change to the lunchtime routine. I did raise it with the school but I wasn't looking for a head on a stick.

Potterygirl -how so? Do I need to physically look into each child’s lunchbox to check they have sandwiches every morning ?
The child should have spoken to me , the child has some issues but is not shy . The parent is nice enough and I wouldn’t say she was a “that parent” kind of parent . She didn’t want to accept that either her or her child were at fault .
I don’t feel even slightly guilty but I’m wondering if I’m wrong and should be feeling bad about something I had no control over .

"The child should have spoken to me , the child has some issues but is not shy"

I can see my 2 being described that way. But a change in routine, like the different lunch supervisor, would have thrown them more than you would realise. They would be quite rigid in thinking it wasn't a thing to tell a teacher, as the teacher doesn't supervise lunch. They are also not great at expressing needs, though can do passable conversation o.k.

I imagine you make sure your children have their lunchbox every day then Dobbins .

I have a pair of 9 year olds and a 7 year old. Unless I knew my kid to be painfully shy, I would expect them to speak up if they had no lunch.

I don’t even see how she can say it’s your fault when you weren’t even supervising? They’re 8 not 4.

Is it possible the kid asked the lunch person? The only reason I say this is because when I was about 10 I went on a day trip to a ballet workshop and someone pinched my lunch. When I told the adults in charge they told me it was probably fallen down the back of the bench to look again. It wasn’t, I was quite shy so I just went hungry.

Just a mix up. Parent didn’t check child had lunch box and child didn’t tell anyone they forgot their lunch.

Maybe some. Friends shared their food. Not the schools fault, but you would hope someone supervising might have noticed a child sitting with no food. Most kids will share though in these circumstances, which might explain why supervisor didn’t notice.

Parent shouldn’t have blamed teacher, but focused on it not happening again. Maybe school meals every day is the solution for this family.

not the teacher. it has never been the teachers responsibility

the system. that does not check.

Yes I do, but they've still gone without eating purpletigers.

Actually SirGawain school is in 'loco parentis' during school hours.

Was the issue that the parent had told the child to have a FSM this morning but child forgot and said packed lunch? Are hot dinner DC on a list and sent to have hot dinners from that list so child didn't go?

But what was the child doing when everyone else was eating - how did no-one at school spot that they had no food?
This is what I can't get my head around. I can't understand how an 8 year old wasn't seen with no lunch. Of course the parents should have given him a lunch but maybe he left it in the car or something. Of course the child shoild have said something but maybe he was afraid he would get told off or was embarrassed.

I can't think of how the lunchtime must operate in such a way that a child with no food in front of them wouldn't be noticed.

What do you want the school to do Dobbins? I’m sure they eat after school if they don’t eat at lunchtime . Surely you realise that school is a place to educate your child , it’s your job to feed them .

My other profile,they eat in a classroom . There is one supervisor in the room , some children don’t or won’t eat the lunch provided by their parent. We don’t have the time or the inclination to force them to eat .

I think I've misunderstood/not read it properly/had a senior moment. I was under the impression that this was a parent complaining.

Teacher definitely not at fault. The main responsibility here lies with the child who is ks2 I think he needs to accept some responsibility. However lunchtime supervisor probably ought to have noticed and now you know this boy won't speak up lunchtime supervisor probably needs to be asked to check him.

Don't overthink the phone call OP. sadly parents blame teachers for so many things. Are you quite new to teaching? Hopefully your school is backing you up and you can talk to the boy on Monday about what he should do if it happens again.

Totally the parents fault. No way the school fault. Parent should have sorted it. Dc should have said it. Didnt realise being teacher required mind reading as a skill.

What did I want the school to do? To be aware that changes to lunchtime routine can result in my children with SN not eating. I provide the lunch but I'm not there to supervise the eating. And all I did was politely raise it, I wasn't looking to blame an individual person.

We don’t have the time or the inclination to force them to eat

It is your (as a whole school’s) job to ensure that children are cared for. That’s not an acceptable attitude in my opinion.

Mistakes get made, things get overlooked etc but having the attitude that it’s not the schools job to look after the welfare of their pupils is madness.

Yes it is parents job to feed their children but when they are at school it is the schools job to care for the children not just educate.
This attitude is why so many children who are struggling or suffering get overlooked at school.
Op I'm glad your not my child's teacher with an attitude like that. Awful