To want all kids to have a proper break time in school?

[SugarPlumLairy2]

AIBU to think my dd should have sufficient time during lunch to actually eat her lunch?

My DD has additional needs and goes to a mainstream school. She has an EHCP in which she MUST have movements breaksthroughout the day. Usually the school useplay time/lunch for these breaks.

So I am fed up of her coming out of school, hungry, on verge of meltdown, anxious etc. Because there wasn’t time to have a movement break AND lunch. Other parents (SENS and Mainstream) have complained of the same, kids being held back because someone is messing about so WHOLE class has to wait. They miss break in the morning , Miss part or all of lunch break as punishment/to complete class work /practice lining up neatly etc. No afternoon break routinely scheduled . I’m fed up.
So many parents complaining of same thing too. Those breaks are really important for the kids to let off steam and rest before afternoon classes. And then when they are wired etc in the afternoon the teachers have to deal with the fallout. How is this helping anyone?

So this petition hit my Facebook and I have signed it. AIBU to ask you all to have a look and sign/share too? Please.

Our kids are under so much pressure in school, at least let them have a decent lunch.

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/legislate-for-90-minutes-playtime-in-a-school-day-and-make-removal-of-it-illegal?source=facebook-share-button&time=1558197250

Certainly at secondary, a longer break means more opportunity to misbehave. If you have a longer break you need to structure it with compulsory clubs or sports, but there's no money for that.

kindergartenkop that’s shocking! Does your school use removal of playtime as a punishment given that they have so little time anyway😱

See This is why I signed. There is no national standard. I see how it affects my child, I CAN remind the school to stick to her EHCP. Which puts us n the “i’m Alright, Jack” camp. That’s doesn’t feel good enough. What about those who aren’t alright?

This is about all kids not just mine. Little bit tired of re-iterating that .

Should this subject not be be discussed by those who would be able to review it and decide if change is appropriate? If some schools can manage it why can’t others? Even if the national standard was 70 minutes that’s still an improvement.

But it isn't an issue for all kids? It seems like an issue for the minority.

kindergartenkop that’s shocking! Does your school use removal of playtime as a punishment given that they have so little time anyway😱

...are you seriously saying that you're not aware that schools can remove playtime as a punishment-it's even in the DfE guidance for Behaviour and Discipline-as is missing out on school events like non-uniform day or implanting after school detentions.

Missing breaks for poor behaviour or lack of work is pretty standard stuff in all schools and so it should be

Children are in school typically 9-3:15 - they should have 4 or 5 hours to run round and play after school if you think they don't get enough time in school.

How do you suggest secondary schools punish poor behaviour if withdrawal of leisure time is not allowed? After school detentions are very difficult for some children at secondary due to transport, so removal of break and lunch is all that is left, really.

Secondary students also move regularly between lessons and in KS3 often lessons are at least partly active- they may do practical work in science or DT or art, they will usually do some kind of movement in drama and sometimes in music as well as obviously PE. I think it's quite rare for KS3 children to have a whole day when they are sat at a desk - in some ways they may have it better than KS2!

Schools would also need more money to fund a longer day.

You do realise though that in order to add break times it will simply mean making the school day longer? How will that help anyone?

This is about all kids not just mine. Little bit tired of re-iterating that

I get that you think it's about all kids, and not just your own, but what some of us are saying is that we don't agree. Of course, there will be others like your dc who would benefit from longer breaks but there would be many more for whom the opposite is true.

I actually think that a longer break and therefore a longer school day would be damaging to my dc's mental health. She enjoys school but she really needs downtime at the end of the day to relax, wind down and participate in extra-curricular activities. It would not be helpful to take this time away from her.

The schools where I live both primary and secondary have 15mins for break and 30-35 mins for lunch, it was the same when I went not that long ago and I can never remember not having enough time to eat and always got out to play, mind you we only had crisps, fruit or something we could eat while playing for break.

passtheriojs of course I’m aware that schools use removal of playtime as a punishment that’s the entire point of this thread.

There is information and reports in the petition that explain the need for playtimes. Many children don’t have the safe areas, appropriate supervision, family circumstances to allow for 4-5 hours of play after school.

Some schools are providing upwards of 70 mins break, others less than 45 mins all in. Some have active classes, others struggle to support an active PE lesson!

It’s not about just an individuals personal experience it’s about having the discussion so that ALL children are equally supported to gain the best from their school day. I’m not suggesting any of us supply all the answers, I merely thought it should be presented for discussion to those who can review the matter.

It’s ok to not agree, and it’s lovely to hear that for some it’s working. But I’m not saying we must extend the school day, don’t discipline children, work our poor teachers harder etc. Not at all.

It’s clear that some schools are doing better than other, with longer breaks that aren’t affecting the length of school day. There is room to discuss that and that’s why the petition caught my attention.
I related it to my personal experience to provide example.

It’s not about just an individuals personal experience it’s about having the discussion so that ALL children are equally supported to gain the best from their school day.

But you have decided that your one specific point is the way to achieve this. Other posters are saying, that whilst it is important to you, there are other issues that are more important for other children.

Our school shortened it's school day, and therefore lunch break, in order to save money. How do you propose to fund these longer school days? You can't just insist upon something without knowing how to implement it.

I’m saying discussion is good.

I can vouch that the problem exists, I would like to see it discussed in parliament as it affects others too. Some people are saying “well it doesn’t exist for us, so there is no need to discuss”
I do find that frustrating.

There are so many things that need fixing, in the world, not just our schools. Should we not discuss any because there may be something more pressing?

I’m sure the powers that be are laughing that we are arguing over signing petitions, while we do that they don’t have to give it their attention.

I’m not insisting on anything. It is not my job to provide the solutions, I am merely saying it should have the chance to be discussed.

Lengthening the school day would create massive problems for my son who can only just make it to the end of the day as it is!

Well you are coming across as demanding OP. This is one problem. If it's important to you then that's great. Shall we all post petitions on here that are important to us and then berate anyone who doesn't want to sign?

And it's a bit "stick your head in the sand" to say that you want X done but have no idea as to whether it's feasible or what else will have to be cut back in order to make it happen.

OP, you may be interested in some of the arguments which have been put forward in the US in support of legislation for minimum amounts of playtime: www.edutopia.org/article/time-play-more-state-laws-require-recess?fbclid=IwAR1GngVr-1X6MCqoqT_SaNpp-fyCu7ZFNmDHPXq9K3qTidrTuOqbnUXDIxE

The erosion of playtime is even worse in the US than it is here: "'by 2006, the CDC had concluded that one-third of elementary schools did not offer daily recess for any grades.' So, a third of American elementary schools don't give even their youngest children a daily dose of playtime. This prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to release a policy statement saying that playtime is a “necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development” that should “not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.”

I've read elsewhere that in recent years some American primary schools have been built with no outdoor recreation space whatsoever, the reasoning being that the kids won't be given any time to play anyway, as they must have their noses to the grindstone continuously all day in order to meet government performance targets.

Saracen thank you, I will definitely look into that.

Break time in the UK has been steadily dwindling for quite some time now so this seems the likely progression that we follow Americas path, which can’t be good!

My child’s primary school cut the lunch down to 45 mins and then after pressure from the parents reinstated a 1 hour lunch. There just wasn’t time for the smaller children to sit down to eat AND play.

I didn’t even know they had done it until they had changed it again! All I knew was that my 6 year old was often telling me he’d only just finished lunch and hit the playground for a game when he was back into class again. I just assumed he was making stuff up 😬

The petition wants the removal of any break time up be "illegal"...

Oh Tommy, you've done absolutely no work today, you've called your class mates names, punched the boy next to you and disrupted everybody's learning and now you've told me to "Fuck off"... but now it's 10:30 off you pop for breaktime-see you again for Maths.

I guess your not a teacher, and if you are you're certainly one in a challenging area.

I agree you need to sort out the issue your daughter is having but maybe spend a couple of weeks in a tough school before you want decide you know how they should be run.

My son's school operates more of a continental style day with a short lunch break and it's better in my view - far less chance for bullying to happen in a 20-30 minute break than 1 hour 30. It does mean fitting in lunch can be tricky but I think the benefits outweigh the downsides.

Activities happen after school.

@Missaimep -you bet!! And why we've allowed the child who has tormented theirs in the lesson to go out and have another pop at break time!!

I've often found lost breaks also give that 1:1 time for a chat where you can ask what's going on!

I had a Y4 girl cause chaos one morning, I kept her in at break and asked her what was going on. She'd heard her mum and dad talking about mum going to the doctors, she thought mum's cancer had come back. This child was distraught and didn't know what to do. That lost break gave her support, someone to talk to and I acted as a step between her and parents (I told them what she'd heard) ... it's not always a "punishment"... sometimes a way of building relationships when the rest of the class are out of the way.

When I was at secondary school 1989-1996 we adopted the European style breaks in year 8 which took a bit of getting used to but meant that we finished school earlier and only had snacks available instead of meals. The same system still operates today there.

My dd is in year 3 and her school day is 8.55-3.15 with break at 10.30-10.50 and junior lunch time 12.15-1.30, infants have slightly longer 12-1.30 and this has always been the case there. I was at the same school when I was a child.

There would be uproar if this changed and I think we are very lucky after reading some of the other school lunch times on this thread. Dd's school expects the dc to eat in 15 minutes and be out playing for the hour.
She said it is sometimes a bit rushed eating her lunch.

@Missaimep -There's nothing wrong with what you did, sometimes it's necessary. I really don't agree with a whole class losing break either but there's got to be some sort of deterrent to misbehaving.

Not sure about you but I just love being told how to do my job by someone who has never done it (or if they have then they've come out because it "wasn't for them!!") Everyone knows how to teach because they once attended school and it's such an easy job...I can't imagine why there's a recruitment crisis!!