Pupils serving lunch every day...

[AllthingsSummer]

Does this sound right to you?

My child’s school does not employ kitchen staff (apart from the cook). Pupils are on a rota to take a week serving lunches.

Punishments in the school also take the form of cleaning out bins, including the kitchen bins.

I do not know of hairnets/gloves being worn, and am wondering if this is actually breaching Health and Safety guidelines for schools?

Thanks.

That does sound dodgy to me. I've worked in several schools and never known anything like that.

Thanks for your reply and glad it’s not just me. Wonder if it is breaching the law, couldn’t find anything when I searched.

Depends how it'sorganised.
When I was in secondary school (11 to 18) we ate school lunches at square tables that sat 8; and you ate at the same table with the same 7 all term.

Each table was responsible for collecting its own cutlery, cups, water, setting the table; collecting the warm plates and food (provided in serving dishes for 8, at a servery ). Each girl served herself from the communal dishes on the table, after eating we cleared our empties back to the servery and wiped down the table. Each table organised its own rota for each job. It was sociable, civilised, responsible.

That sounds really lovely and sociable!
Doesn't sound like that to be honest, though o could be wrong.

Is it private school? How big is it? I'd see that being chaotic in a large state secondary

How old are the kids?

It’s a small independent school and the children in question range from 9 to 12.

I think some Steiner schools do this?

Sounds like they're maybe taking inspiration from Japanese schools, kids often serve the lunch and clean the school. Ask the school about the food safety aspect, it sounds like a good thing for building responsibility but only if done in a organised way, making sure they wash their hands etc.

We used to have to serve food down the tables to each pupil as a position of responsibility and clear the tables after lunch to take to the kitchen, wipe them down and tidy the chairs. A second shift of pupils would do “laying up” for the next meal.

but that was over twenty five years ago. Also an independent school. Didn’t do any harm. I knew how to lay a table correctly at 8!

Very normal in Japan. I would want H&S regulations to be followed but otherwise don’t see an issue with it.

It sounds totally reasonable to me.

I think it doesn't sound like a bad idea, I'd be pleased for my dd to be learning these things at school. We did similar at boarding school but not kitchen bins

Thanks for your comments. I think the social skills/independence side of the approach is a good idea.

For me, the concerns came from the link to punishment and also the hygiene aspects.

Can’t see much harm. Many children don’t learn much in the way of life skills in the home and it has to be learned somewhere. I knew it would be an independent school though, as soon as I read your OP.

My state primary did this in the 70s. Adults aren’t there to wait on children.

We did this at my state primary in the 80s, due to the teachers' industrial action. It made lunchtimes enjoyable, although I think that H&S regulations have moved on since then. Don't know how I would feel about my own (very quiet) DC being served by her peers.

There is no issue with a lack of gloves - it’s far more hygienic to wash hands regularly.

I would never eat anywhere that they used gloves - it’s exceptionally unhygienic.

They should be wearing hairnets though.

I completely agree that adults are not there to serve children! Just wondering if it is being done properly as things as so different now.

I think it's a great idea.

In my primary school in the late 60s/early 70s the children in the top class used to serve and clear away for the younger children.

Thanks for your insights.
Me too! I remember cringing at the bits of food in the cleaning cloth when wiping the table (usually bits of meat-I’m veggie)!

It’s just not something I’ve come across in a very long time; in state or independent and the punishment element doesn’t seem right. Hasn’t happened to DC yet but the fear of the bins is real!

I’d not like bin clearing etc to be a punishment. It makes me think that it encourages an attitude of seeing it as a job ‘bad’ people do outside of the setting. If serving food etc is part of the role then hygiene aspects should also be as its part of the job, but not some punishment.

I think it’s fine.

Do you mean actually serving food as in ladel to plate because that doesn't sound safe for 9-12yr olds.