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

passtherioja with all due respect I almost didn’t bother to read past your misinformed first sentence. What’s the point. 🙄

I have supplied and quoted a survey that contains facts and figures.i did not make them up, they are not misleading.

I have not said EVERY child is schooled in sub par conditions though
I have used my own experience and that of other parents I know to support the petitions finding.

You On the other hand have ignored the survey, dismissed my experiences and that of other parents, made all manner off assumptions after accusing me of making assumptions and entirely missed the point that I am generally very much a supporter of teachers and the work our schools do.

But don’t let the facts get in the way of a goady response🙄

And Yes some kids do have trust issues and it does affect how they respond to teachers etc. But you obviously know ALL the schools, teachers, children etc or you wouldnt comment.. I mean not after you told me I couldn’t have an opinion as I don’t know them all. 🙄

Maybe pass on the Rioja next time 👍🍷

@SugarPlumLairy2 and you have listened to a few kids read and helped out with the PTA and think you can run a school. Maybe next week your area of expertise will be something else...I'd suggest you try politics they'll have a few vacancies soon

@Doogle that is really awful about shaming the kids that way.

And that adults think that’s appropriate?? Look, removing a PRIVILEGE is one thing, you don’t NEED screentime. Sweets, tv etc but a basic right to eat/drink and take a break? And adults whining well I work hard and dont get a break, jeezus they are kids, advocate for them if not yourself🙄

It’s great some kids are getting breaks , it doesn’t detract from them or their great teachers to admit that other kids don’t do so well. I’m not making it up and it’s downright insulting, after parents have said “our schools only get a 20 minute lunch” to be so dismissive of their experience.

This intransigence, the pedantry and anger.. I have stated so many times that this is not EVERY child/EVERY school yet for some it seems that a difference of opinion must be shut down.

I have faith those voices don’t represent the best of our teaching community, it would be awful to think they do,

👏👏👏👏👏

Look, removing a PRIVILEGE is one thing, you don’t NEED screentime. Sweets, tv etc but a basic right to eat/drink and take a break

So firstly, they do get time to eat and drink, they miss part of their lunch break.

Secondly, since when do children have sweets, screen time or TV in school? Teachers can't remove those things so what sanctions are ok with you? I'm not sure what else there is?

Tmartnmum yes in my opinion taking a break is a basic right. Don’t you agree?

Think you’ll find it’s a basic human right🙄
In fact a previous poster upthread provided a link to the rights of kids to play and have a break, but I can’t concentrate on a more detailed reply as I currently have images of Bill Sykes running through my head.😂

I had another look at the report and I think it’s page 85, that says about using missing playtime as punishment and how it’s completely pointless and doesn’t achieve anything but makes things worse. There are also articles I’ve read that say about how more playtime breaks improve pupil behaviour. Where do these kids go that miss break? Is it like a lunchtime detention and kids from all classes that miss break are put together?

These are 2 separate issues though aren't they?

Schools cutting break length for whole school and

Students losing part of break as punishment.

Wrt punishments - what would be an alternative sanction do you suggest? My son's school they don't give after school detention because too many students use school buses so they use lunchtime detention instead.

And as for cutting breaks in general - again where would you prefer to see the cuts made if lunch breaks are re instated? What cuts are acceptable to parents?

www.canr.msu.edu/news/recess_is_a_right_not_a_privilege

www.forbes.com/sites/leeigel/2017/02/16/there-is-no-choice-about-letting-kids-go-to-recess-in-school/#66aa6b737be3

So just to clarify that the UK survey and petition is not a stand alone issue, the matter is being raised in USA and elsewhere, the links are reports saying recess/break shouldn’t be used to punish children.

There are other links, articles, reports, some written by educators who also feel it’s counterproductive measure.

It’s good to see it’s getting discussion, change doesn’t happen overnight buts it’s encouraging to see that the conversation is taking place.

Do you think you could answer a single question OP?

What sanctions would you approve, in place of losing some break time?

Where else could cuts be made in order to re instate lunch hours? What areas would parents accept cuts in?

**My son's school they don't give after school detention because too many students use school buses so they use lunchtime detention instead.

Decomposing how can they give lunchtime detention when lunch breaks are so short? Is it all kids in one room having detention?

Decomposing I’ve answered many questions, I’ve repeated myself often. Please feel free to re-read anything you may have missed.
Or start a thread of your own if there is a particular subject you wish to discuss.

@Doogle I’m curious too at how something as basic as a meal break becomes a punishment when it’s so short already.
Having had involvement with vulnerable children, the merits of responding to positive behaviour and “carrot rather than stick” responses was heavily emphasised and made good sense as opposed to blaming/shaming response to behaviour we dont like.

Decomposing how can they give lunchtime detention when lunch breaks are so short? Is it all kids in one room having detention?

Lunch break is 45 minutes so a part of that is detention. No, individual teachers do their own detentions.

OP I have read your posts. You've said it's not your responsibility to come up with how to fund this and as regards alternative sanctions you said stop sweets, screen time or TV - none of which apply to school, so I'm not sure what you would like me to re read as you haven't answered these points.

I think the answer is there are no alternatives. So unless you would prefer schools with no sanctions for bad behaviour or schools running up huge debts I am struggling to see a solution here? Other than you just having a moan.

And yes, rewarding good behaviour and ignoring the bad behaviour really works at secondary school. Quite sure if your child came home reporting that someone had hit them at school and that had been ignored but the student concerned had got a merit for not hitting anyone in the lesson after that you would be thrilled?

Schools can't just ignore bad behaviour like truanting, bunking off lessons, swearing at teachers....

Decomposing I personally believe that bad or unwanted behaviour has a cause and it’s a reaction to something that’s not going right for a child. So it could be sensory issues such as lighting or noise, it could be that they don’t understand what’s going on in the lesson and so mess around, it could be that they want attention, Sen, undiagnosed sen, hunger etc. We have supersized schools now which are so big, noisy, and actually not very welcoming that children may not feel like individuals. They may not have ‘invested interest/bought into’ the school. This is what you need to tackle because punishment alienated kids. Having some horrible chart on the walk with traffic lights (seen in many primaries) is humiliating and unnecessary. Why should something like that be on display?

Lots of schools utilise opportunities for positive behaviour like earning school currency towards something they want.

Another crazy idea might be to give children responsibility to set up their own clubs and societies

At (secondary) school a massive proportion of incidents that have to be dealt with in school time, occur at lunchtime - not in lessons. The longer the lunchtime is the greater the number of incidents AND the more serious they become. It is also painful watching those students with social issues of any kind, those whose friendship group is not that friendly today and those who choose to skip round in a circle for the whole lunchtime. Those students find themselves more visible, vulnerable and in some cases just more different the longer the lunchtime is. They dont all want to go to clubs that remove them from the mainstream, some just want to be back in lessons asap.

*wall not walk

Doogleblue123

We don't have supersized schools here. I have lived here all of my life - the schools are smaller than when I was a student at them.

With the exception of SEN students need to learn how to behave. They are 1 of 30, there is just no way that every individual can be accommodated and that is how life works. At work you can act up, threaten a colleague or swear at a customer because you are hot, hungry or don't like the lighting. Students at secondary school are possibly only a couple of years away from being at work. If you spend a lesson disrupting everyone else's learning, swear at the teacher and then walk out sorry, but you deserve some sanction for that behaviour.

If they learn to behave they will get their full break time - if as OP claims, the majority of students want more break then that should be a motivating factor.

Schools have a lot of behaviour policies and expectations of kids that are completely st odds with normal child development. At my younger sons infant school if they fidget on the carpet, are slow to settle they are sent out the room. These kids are 6 years old. I’ve spoken to educational psychologists about this and my conclusion is that schools are setting kids are for failure and punishing them for completely normal behaviour. This is lowering self esteem so like I said before where’s the vested interest, why are so many kids school refusers.

I don't know why so many are school refusers. What I do know is that when I was at school it was much stricter and behaviour was much better. Behaviour in the community was also much better.