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Original poster

To think that the ‘no bag’ school rule is ridiculous

146 replies

Mumtobe193 · 17/08/2020 20:45

So my DD is due to start primary school in September & I’m just really baffled by a school rule banning a school bag? I don’t know whether it’s something that’s come about in light of covid or if it’s just a school policy? But I just find it quite ridiculous. I’ve had to purchase a book bag with the school logo on which is solely for her reading books, class work and letters etc. Then I’ve to purchase a clear plastic folder which is to contain her pencil case with all her stationary, a packet of tissues, hand gel, a water bottle (disposable can’t be a reusable one for some reason) and her snack. I’ve heard nothing from the school about their policy on lunchboxes? But I have heard from other mums who already have kids at the school that they will be expected to bring their lunch in in a plastic carrier bag, and this is a rule that is apparently coming into play as of September. Also unsure whether she will need a bag for PE?

So when she starts school, she will be carrying a plastic folder with all her daily essentials in, her lunch in a carrier bag, plus a book bag. Would it surely not make a lot more sense for the children to just have a big school bag that they can throw everything into? Rather than carrying 3 separate items in and things getting lost/mixed up etc. I just don’t get it? Anyone else’s DC school have a similar policy? Why??

OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 17/08/2020 20:48

Ask the school in sept

spanieleyes · 17/08/2020 20:48

Because there isn't room fo a large bag. The book bag goes in the tray, the lunchbox on the trolley and the PE kit on the peg with a coat.

heathcliffthe2nd · 17/08/2020 20:49

Primary teacher here. The idea is that as little as possible is brought to and from school to reduce transmission of virus. Hence only lunchbox (and possibly reading book) would go to and from school. Everything else stays at school.

OoohTheStatsDontLie · 17/08/2020 20:50

I agree OP. Our school has a separate section for school bag, it's a new build so the bag area is large. Instead of taking it all in a bag, they have to take a snack, ware bottle etc and they don't have a hat or suncream with them if its sunny

RIPworkingmums · 17/08/2020 20:52

We have never been allowed bags at primary school. They are provided with pencils etc that stay at school. Book bag for reading books and letters home etc. With the current Covid situation I guess they want to reduce items going between settings even further than normal.

FiveMoreMinutesPlease · 17/08/2020 20:53

There is just no room for 30 backpacks in the classroom. I was in a class of 15 in the summer term and was tripping over the few that was brought in then.

FiveMoreMinutesPlease · 17/08/2020 20:54

... that were brought in...
Excuse the bad grammar 😂

Snorlax86 · 17/08/2020 20:55

It doesn’t sound very environmentally friendly if they expect children to bring (I presume) a different plastic carrier bag and disposable water bottle daily.

CoffeeRunner · 17/08/2020 20:55

These will be Covid measures surely? Especially the disposable water bottle & disposable lunch bag.

In truth Reception children don’t need much in school. When DD was Reception her PE kit only came home at half term & only her water bottle & reading book came home daily.

She had no lunchbox back then as used to have the free school dinners.

StrawberrySquash · 17/08/2020 20:55

I have an irrational hatred of book bags. The way the handle is attached only to the top so that the top gets all pulled away from the bottom by the weight of the book. They are the shittest piece of design!

OliviaPopeRules · 17/08/2020 20:56

Totally normal for KS1 kids to only have book bags I have never known any school where they have back packs. Will the school not be providing lunch? I guess that stationery will be left at school so you only bring that in once. At our school the water bottles just go in on Monday and home on Friday and they refill at school.

delilahbucket · 17/08/2020 20:57

In ds's primary they weren't allowed bags because there wasn't any room for them. Lunch boxes went in a box for collection at lunch time, same with water bottles. Book bag for books and letters sent home, which also all went in a box. Stationery wasn't required. Pe drawstring bag remained on pegs and they only brought it home at half term as they never got dirty or sweaty.

PinkiOcelot · 17/08/2020 20:57

It’s a long time since my dds were at primary but they had satchel type bags with the school logo on.
I should imagine this rule is so the carrier bag can be thrown away so a bag isn’t going between home and school and back again.

M0mmyneedswine · 17/08/2020 21:00

Mine never have a backpack until junior school age, book bag lunch box (or school dinner) and pe bag/water bottle that stayed at school

Bloomburger · 17/08/2020 21:02

It's completely normal. A KS1 pupil doesn't need many daily essentials especially in this current climate.

At our school they're allowed lunch bags. PE kit is worn on days they do PE instead of school uniform to save kids having to get changed and PE kit being at school for a prolonged period of time.

BluePaintSample · 17/08/2020 21:06

Book bags fit into their trays in the classroom. There is usually a trolley of some kind for their lunch bags also in the classroom. then the cloakroom has a double peg that holds their PE kit bag and a coat.

Trust me, children do not hang up their coats using the loop inside at the neck, they usually try to throw it on from a distance as other children are trying to get to their pegs too. So lots of coats are just thrown on by their hoods which inevitably end up on the floor. Please label your child's coat, it makes it easy to get it back on a peg.

The single use bottle with be covid related. The same with the lunch being in a carrier bag.

Book bags do come with a shoulder strap, makes it easier to put it across a child's body to carry it, hands free.

Lucindainthesky · 17/08/2020 21:06

Our primary didn't allow bags before covid anyway, they take up too much space.

They don't need their own pencil cases or stationery. I doubt that would be allowed atm anyway.

Everybody takes their fruit, tissues etc in their book bag. If the water bottle is secure that gets chucked in there too.

BogRollBOGOF · 17/08/2020 21:14

Book bags are useless junk. By the time they've been dragged around for a few weeks by the wrong bit of the strap, the corners wear off anyway. Children need a rucksack so they can safely carry what they need without mangling up their backs.

Banning bags or reusable bottles/ lunch boxes due to Covid risk is a load of absolute bunkum. If the item is contaminated, the child who brought it in is breathing it around the room for 5 hours anyway so it's a moot point. Why fuck up the planet anymore than we have to?

DS1 is going to have to use a school bag to bring his laptop to and from school each day (SEN) He can't leave it in school like he normally would if there's a risk of school closing at any given time as he would need it in order to make token attempts at "home learning".

FiveMoreMinutesPlease · 17/08/2020 21:15

@BluePaintSample

Book bags fit into their trays in the classroom. There is usually a trolley of some kind for their lunch bags also in the classroom. then the cloakroom has a double peg that holds their PE kit bag and a coat.

Trust me, children do not hang up their coats using the loop inside at the neck, they usually try to throw it on from a distance as other children are trying to get to their pegs too. So lots of coats are just thrown on by their hoods which inevitably end up on the floor. Please label your child's coat, it makes it easy to get it back on a peg.

The single use bottle with be covid related. The same with the lunch being in a carrier bag.

Book bags do come with a shoulder strap, makes it easier to put it across a child's body to carry it, hands free.

This. Everything ends up in the floor so the less they bring in the better.
user1471530109 · 17/08/2020 21:19

Are you sure she's supposed to take a pencil case in with stationery? That's quite unusual especially given the current situation. Schools normally provide stationary so they can control which pencils/pens to use with KS1 kids. Plus I think it helps stopping the ridiculous Smiggle obsession until later.

Ours are allowed a plastic lunchbox which needs to go through dishwasher (or washed) every night from September. This is due to covid. My dd is beside herself as she can't take her wretched Smiggle school bag (school have provided a second pe type bag this year to stop things coming in from home) and her new Smiggle lunchbox (it was her bday just as we went into lockdown poor kid). I'm delighted at their restrictions to be honest. It was getting ridiculous the amount of peer pressure to have the 'right' bag at the age of 7!

Original poster
Mumtobe193 · 17/08/2020 21:19

@Lucindainthesky we have been specifically told to purchase our DC their own stationary for starting school in September to reduce the chances of spread of covid, they also have said that they will be allowed to have a pencil case. But for some reason we’ve been told not to worry about providing glue sticks or safety scissors as the school will be providing them. I get why they need to have their own stationary so they’re not sharing and touching the same pencils etc, but if they’re sharing glue sticks and scissors doesn’t it just defeat the object? I’m so confused?

OP posts:
GinWithRosie · 17/08/2020 21:19

OP if your school is operating like mine in September (I am a teacher), they won't be using the cloakrooms anymore, as they get too crowded and everything in there touches everything else! They are small, cramped spaces and all the coats, bags equipment touches...things fall on the floor in piles etc!

The children will be keeping all of their belongings in the classroom with them...not ideal but we have very little choice. So...to keep it all to a bare minimum as space is already very crowded, we have asked for these things: no huge backpacks (it was getting ridiculous quite frankly anyway!). Coats will be put on the backs of chairs. Book bags only please, because they will have to be put into children's trays...which are only small...so please do not fill them with lots of unnecessary stuff. No big lunchboxes as we don't have the space, a carrier bag or zip lock bag is ideal. These too need to go in trays...we are eating in the classroom. A carrier bag/zip lock bag means they can lay the food out on the bag like a cloth...it can they be used to bag up the rubbish to throw away. Water bottles will not be stored in classrooms like they used to be..we just can't take that risk...we are now expected to deep clean/disinfect EVERYTHING that the children have touched at the end of every day! This takes a long time...if we have to also clean your water bottles too, this is adding to our already huge extra workload. Bottles left at the end of the day will be thrown out. Sorry...just sent a carton or disposable!!

PE kits...at my school we have taken the decision not to change for PE just yet except for shoes. We simply can't find space in classrooms for 30 kit bags to be stored, and getting changed would be problematic in primary school...clothes get strewn everywhere, especially in EYFS/KS1. No way could we guarantee that this was done safely and at a Covid safe distance 🤷‍♀️ Other schools may have different policies in place though.

peajotter · 17/08/2020 21:21

We have no cloakrooms/pegs in use. Coats on the back of chair, lunch underneath and everything else has to stay at school for now. No reading books home yet. I think they will relax it if cases don’t rise in the next month or two.

Questioningeverything · 17/08/2020 21:22

This is interesting to me. My dc is undergoing testing for something and one of the things I’ve emailed school to say is that dc will be bringing a bag with clothes to change into in sept in case it’s needed- no word back yet but they will respond when they are back. Wonder how they plan to keep lunches etc as ours will be needing to eat in classrooms

peajotter · 17/08/2020 21:23

X-posted with above! We also have p.e. in school clothes for now. Been back a week (Scotland)

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