To think the school hasn't thought through how unfair this is?

[CreakyBlinder]

DD is 7, and was voted to be the Class Rep on the Pupil Council this year. They've had one meeting because the teacher running it never has the time.

However - now they've decided to have 'Activities Time' each Friday afternoon for an hour. The children can pick from sports, chess club, library visit, etc. Maybe half a dozen different activities to choose from. DD got a chess set for Christmas and is actually really good at it; she'd heard there was a chess club starting and was keen to go.

BUT - the school has decided that the Pupil Council will run at Activities Time. So she'll never get to do any of the other activities, just go to a meeting each Friday while her friends do loads of other fun things of their choosing.

AIBU to think they really haven't thought this through? And would you contact the school to point out that they might want to have a rethink?

Is the school council going to be meeting every week? If so then I’d point it out as I k ow what I’d prefer both now and when I was at school

Yes, each week during Activities Time! It's not a great plan is it? I see how it works for the staff, but it's really unfair on the class reps. Even the tiny reception kids won't get the choice to do the fun things!

Yeah ... what is the alternative though?

I'd absolutely drop them a line about this. I'd let it go if they net, say, once or so a term but every week whilst the other kids get to play is unfair and no, they've probably not actually thought it through

If the teacher never has time to run it then how are they going to have time now? Maybe run it once a month and that means the pupils involved won't lose out on fun activities time ALL the time and it won't feel so onerous. It's probably better than doing it at lunchtime so they all miss a break.

Artfullydead that's their problem really! I don't think it's deliberate, but they haven't recognised that some kids will miss out on Lego club, chess club, sports and playground games etc, that they would love to do.

DD came home crying because she's so disappointed.

Pupil Council is their chosen activity. If they don't want to do it then they don't be a class rep.

I don’t think it’s unfair. Sometimes we have to miss the fun because of commitments but there should be opportunity for her to choose and stand down, if she prefers to join chess.

Surely pupil council should be once per half term, not every week?

YANBU it seems a bit OTT to have a meeting lasting that long every week. Could they not meet occasionally or during assembly/lunch?

I'm sure the school HAS thought about it, and decided that it is better for the class reps to miss activity time than teaching time (and the techers involved too). School Council is a valuable enrichment activity, like chess club and library visits. If you/your child don't see the value in it, then your dd should give up her place and another child can be class rep.

Also, she won't be class rep for ever, surely?

Yes, quite Bombardier

It is one of those things. She can hardly miss lessons every week!

Tell her to quit and encourage all the others to quit too like the government

I wouldn't complain about it, presumably she chose to be a class rep because it was something she wanted to do.
When were the meetings orginally? In most schools class reps are expected to give up their freetime for meetings so either lunch, activity time or after school rather than missing lessons.

*teachers! Sticky keyboard

Agree with other posters that it’s not far.
I bet someone else in the class would love the opportunity to be a class rep and happily miss out activities.

but they haven't recognised that some kids will miss out on Lego club, chess club, sports and playground games etc, that they would love to do.

In the same way other kids will miss out on being on the school council which would love to do.

These activities are done when teachers aren't teaching, usually. The teacher could be signed up to other activities. All fitted around the huge demands of the job.

If it is extra curricular you need a teacher free and willing and most teachers are up to their eyeballs in work. It's a lesson in a way, sometimes things clash and your child has to choose. usually a prefect has responsibilities so meting are just a formality, so she could both?

No it isn't fair and she needs to have the same fun time as everyone else.

She was voted by her class at the beginning of Term One, it's only now they seem to actually want to begin running the meetings, alongside other (clearly much more fun!) things.

I think she was on some other committee in P2 and they ran it at lunchtimes, which was fine.

Blimey... my DD’s secondary school council only meets once a month at most!

Ha, like your username Cheeky

I've just fished the letter out of DD's bag and it turns out it IS only monthly. Sorry!

I'm still not thrilled about it though. Putting kids onto a committee then putting that up against other, more fun things is pretty unfair I think.

Bombardier
Pupil Council is their chosen activity. If they don't want to do it then they don't be a class rep

You can hardly call it their "chosen activity" if they were unaware there were alternative choices

They're 7 FFS.

Lunchtime would be better.

What would you prefer the kids to do?

If it was an hour of academic work that would benefit them some parents would complain that wasn’t fair unfortunately.