Eating standing up at school???

[JCWildWest]

Just wondering if this was the case for anyone else’s kids since returning school.

Secondary school, medium sized. Phased lunchtimes as expected, eating in the school hall but no seating of tables provided, so they stand and eat their lunch.

This just seems bizarre to me. I get that it’s because they don’t want to have to disinfect the tables and chairs but these are kids not cattle. And it’s their break, I think it’s mean not to allow them to sit and eat their dinner? I just can’t get my head round it.

Anyone else experiencing this?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4014078-Stand-and-eat

Same in our local college.
The students can get sandwiches and baguettes only, They have nowhere to sit though.
Ridiculous!

What? How truly bizarre! Are these packed lunches they are eating?
Our school is offering cooked meals and have set up a marquee adjoining the dining hall, doubling the space, to accommodate social distancing along with staggered meal times. I think your school is being ridiculous.

Ah thank you. Not just our lot then. I do get why but it does just seem a bit mean I suppose. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to be in charge of a school right now and trying to work out what to do to make things work. One of my friends said to complain but I said no, as much as I’m not happy about it, they’ve got enough to deal with. Just wanted to see if this was the ‘new normal’. Just seems unfair on the kids, it’s their break, they work hard. It’s very strange times.

*wouldn’t want to be in charge. Sorry.

The canteen is open but only serving sandwiches. My DD takes lunch anyway and always has. Although she’s complaining she doesn’t want to eat anything with her hands because everything tastes like hand sanitizer. But I’ve told her she’s not supposed to be eating her fingers anyway

We've got a higher bar style tables that students stand at, but they're not being used because students can't avoid being face to face, and then we also have sit down tables with chairs but they can't sit opposite others. At my friend's school they've not got many dining tables in the canteen because it's small so students eating a cold lunch or a packed lunch have to eat in a classroom or outside on the benches.

I would imagine how each school does their lunch at the moment will depend on numbers, lunch times and staffing.

It would seem unusual to me to have no options to sit down. You could contact the school to ask for clarification.

(Was this normal when anyone else was at school? I'm sure I had my lunch standing up everyday for 5 years. It was common to see boys playing football with a sandwich in their hand)

Mine returned to school today. The canteen is now “grab and go”, and he had to eat is fish and chips out of a box standing up outside, not even in the canteen. He isn’t sure what they will do if it rains. Also, they have to wear masks all the time indoors, even in lessons. It all seems very harsh.

His fish not is, sorry

This is mad.

Some schools do not have any other option as there is no extra funding for cleaning available during the day. In my school, I have to clean during instead of having a lunch break as there is no other alternative.

NoT sure as mine not gone back yet but then he always eats his lunch standing up , outside in normal times infact he normally takes very little in as finishes 2,30 and prefers to come home and eat half my fridge contents then

My kids are eating their packed lunches standing up and outside!!

I guess I just feel sad for them. It’s not what school is about. My DD is just starting GCSE year they are in a bubble in an area of the school. Which is the English department. She is taking GCSE art, I asked her what are they doing about lessons in the art department where all the equipment is, she’s been told they don’t know. They are doing prep work in the English classrooms for now but they just don’t know what they are going to do about practical subjects where they need to be in certain classrooms and move out of their bubble. I asked about Science, they are categorically not doing practicals which to me is part of the exciting bit about science that gets kids into science and interested and want to pursue careers.

I understand why with the circumstances, and it’s not a criticism on the school because they are doing their best under trying circumstances. But I feel for the kids I really do.

Plenty of staff have to eat whilst standing up on duty.

We gave free choice on mask-wearing. In June we had a sizeable number of Year 10 and 12 wearing them by (parental) choice. For the past three days there have been a lot of year 7 wearing them. We have had a lot of complaints about the lack of mask wearing, and so in spite of all the harnd gel, cleaning, washing stations etc etc the result is that masks are compulsory for all on Monday.

In normal times, lots of kids choose to stand and eat outside on the courtyards or field. Not having any tables at all though does seem a bit mean as I wouldn’t like to stand and eat personally. The only reason can be lack of staff to clean them. I don’t think the teachers are intentionally trying to make life unpleasant for the kids.

What is so awful about standing up to eat lunch?

It’s not the end of the world no but I wouldn’t choose to eat my lunch standing up. My child never used to eat standing up and thinks it’s weird. I just wanted to to find out if this was what other schools were doing too.

Wonder what the private schools are doing

I think it's barbaric personally that you can't even sit to eat now. Surely someone can wipe a table with a cloth, bloody hell.

Wonder what the private schools are doing
That's one of those Mumsnet lines that warrants an eye roll because it's fairly obvious that with smaller schools, smaller class sizes, not the same cuts to funding, your average private school isn't the same as an overcrowded, underfunded state secondary of 1500-2000.

This should be filed under 'but the private school did live lessons on Google classroom during lockdown, why didn't my state comprehensive'.

@mum2jakie

My kids are eating their packed lunches standing up and outside!!

Same here.

Standing up outside?! WTH!

There's a difference between choosing to eat standing up and having no other option. There's also a difference between having to stand up and juggle food vs standing at a table to eat but not having to hold food container/lunchbox whilst eating. Holding packaging which could be infected whilst eating with hands is also a risk. If stood or preferably sat at a table you can sanitise hands before eating and then only touch food. If you are holding a container while eating sanitising hands will do nothing as you are repeatedly touching a possibly infected item. I wouldn't be happy if this were happening at DC's school.

Schools can't win at the moment. My own school's canteen is too small at the best of times. Staggered times in the way of some schools wouldn't work for us due to large catchment although we have a rota in place for times to go to the food areas. There is a wet day plan. None of it is perfect. But it's the best we can do. Everyone is trying their best (staff and students) and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. Not what I'd choose if it was a normal year but it isn't normal and it's so much better than teaching over Teams!

Just because some people like to eat standing up it doesn’t mean you should.

Honestly, what a race to the bottom. Next people will be suggesting it’s ok if they skip lunch altogether because xyz don’t each lunch.

OP, you could write a sympathetic complaint to the school. It doesn’t have to be aggressive but it makes the point.

I’d also write to your MP about it. I’ve done similar on, making it clear I don’t blame the school for the covid related issues, I very much blame this government for not funding education enough.