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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to object to infant school putting tv on every lunchtime for Y1 and Y2

79 replies

girasol · 20/05/2021 20:06

Genuinely interested to know the extent to which schools let KS1kids watch TV. Am not talking about educational programmes, this is watching “fun” stuff during the lunch hour (eg the Pink Panther) while the kids are meant to be eating lunch.
This seems to have started last September when kids came back and were in class bubbles. To start with I had a bit of sympathy for the school as the bubbles meant the class had to be supervised at lunch by their TA, and the TAs and teachers got less of a break than in normal times, but here we are 8 months later and it now seems to be embedded in the school day.

It’s causing a problem for my Y1 daughter as on a few occasions she’s hardly eaten any of her packed lunch apparently because she’s watching TV. It seems whoever is supervising lunchtime makes no effort to check whether kids are eating which appalled a TA friend of mine who says she always checks). Most days my kids have school lunch so we have no idea whether they eat it or not.

A number of parents have raised this, in particular to check what the official TV policy is but as usual with the SLT we get vague answers/ generally fobbed off (“TV isn’t shown every day”- not true - “when it is shown it’s only our on after the kids have finished eating” - again, not true). Am wondering how much of a fuss to try to kick up about it, apart from anything it’s very poor to get kids into the habit of watching TV while eating and there are loads of studies on the negative affects this has.

But maybe I’m out of touch and this is just what infant schools do these days 🤷‍♀️. I do hope not…

(As a PS one of my friends had a child in the school nursery and she says she had to sign something as a condition of him attending to say that she consented to him watching PG rated films!)

OP posts:
DeathMetalMum · 20/05/2021 21:31

It's a covid thing. They have started doing this at dc's school. I'm quite happy for my children to watch TV at lunchtime so that the teacher can eat their lunch in reasonable peace. Ours also go outside however still in their bubble so accompanied by either the teacher or TA again.

LST · 20/05/2021 21:34

Our school do it. On rainy days normally. Literally don't see the issue. At all.

HMBB · 20/05/2021 21:34

This is happening a lot at the moment due to classes having lunch in their classrooms/bubbles rather than the hall.

It won't be forever - can't get too bothered about the tv as it is short term but they should try to get the kids to eat their lunch I think - although that's not easy with 30 kids.

Awalkintime · 20/05/2021 21:55

Teachers and TAs are giving up their lunches to make the bubble situations work. It is often that they do not get a break themselves at all during the day or are not paid for this cover time, wanting 30 minutes quiet time is a small price to pay and allows them a bit of a break.

They are giving up their breaks to help your child and you are not happy.
Maybe saying thank you to them for going above and beyond would work better than criticising them.

Bumblebee1980a · 20/05/2021 21:58

@Stitched77

You can sedate your kids with TV and ipads while you watch Holly/The Kardashians, but others can't? Ok
Oh for goodness sake they're at school they should be learning (and socialising during lunch, not watching TV) 🙄.
DaydreamsAndWishes · 20/05/2021 21:59

I think some people underestimate how hard it can be to get 30 6yr olds to sit quietly in class for 30mins during what is unstructured time. Some may be happy to sit, chat, colour etc, but some will not. With one adult in the room they will be doing their best to keep all the kids in the room, seated and reasonably quiet, whilst also helping kids opening packets, straws in cartons, that they've washed their hands, that child A has returned from the loo whilst child B is throwing crisps at his/her friend and child C is complaining that their tummy/finger/ear hurts, child D has fallen out with a friend and crying, child E is sneezing and having to be reminded to wash their hands again.

Also don't forget there will be kids with SEN in class too - some will have sensory issues with noise, others will find it hard to sit for 30mins and do it quietly. The adult in the room will be trying to support all children as much as they can and sticking on a TV programme for 30mins will be the best way they can manage at that time.

marmitegirl01 · 20/05/2021 22:02

@DaydreamsAndWishes

I think some people underestimate how hard it can be to get 30 6yr olds to sit quietly in class for 30mins during what is unstructured time. Some may be happy to sit, chat, colour etc, but some will not. With one adult in the room they will be doing their best to keep all the kids in the room, seated and reasonably quiet, whilst also helping kids opening packets, straws in cartons, that they've washed their hands, that child A has returned from the loo whilst child B is throwing crisps at his/her friend and child C is complaining that their tummy/finger/ear hurts, child D has fallen out with a friend and crying, child E is sneezing and having to be reminded to wash their hands again.

Also don't forget there will be kids with SEN in class too - some will have sensory issues with noise, others will find it hard to sit for 30mins and do it quietly. The adult in the room will be trying to support all children as much as they can and sticking on a TV programme for 30mins will be the best way they can manage at that time.

Yes it’s like this. Most on here have no idea 🤷‍♀️
Stellaroses · 20/05/2021 22:09

My class (yr 4)do the same. Watch tv while they eat. It's a Covid thing, because of bubbles and staggering lunchtimes, eating in the classroom rather than all together in the hall. I simply can't trust that the won't do something dangerous/fight/start playing football in the class with a random object, and there isn't adequate supervision - one dinner lady watching 3 classes. With tv they've at least got something to distract them. Stops them getting too noisy too.

I don't want to have TV in bed but my choices are limited and I'm not giving up my lunch hour (45mins) to supervise them.

Stellaroses · 20/05/2021 22:09

Sorry *in class not in bed!!

Stellaroses · 20/05/2021 22:12

And we don't have TAs - just one LSA for the 3 classes..!

Original poster
girasol · 20/05/2021 22:15

@Stitched77

You can sedate your kids with TV and ipads while you watch Holly/The Kardashians, but others can't? Ok
? My kids have never had meals in front of a screen, they’re not even allowed snacks while they’re watching something. Hmm
OP posts:
Angelica789 · 20/05/2021 22:15

It’s happening because the kids have to eat in the classrooms due to COVID bubbles. That means they’re being supervised by only one member of staff, who isn’t a trained teacher. It’s unfair to expect that person to be able to do crowd control for a whole class.

Once they can eat in the hall or dining room again there will be no more TV.

toomuchfaster · 20/05/2021 22:22

It's nonsense that it's to do with eating in bubbles in classrooms. DD has only ever eaten in her classroom, they don't use the school hall for lunches as it's not big enough. She doesn't watch TV every lunchtime and never has. The playground time is bubbled which is making life trickier but the school have planned it and it's fine.

Spiderysummer · 20/05/2021 22:24

As others have said, this is covid related. My year 3 class don't have a playtime at all at lunch. They literally sit for 40 minutes at their tables before we start afternoon lessons. They seem happiest when they can watch something. It's pretty miserable not being outside but this is due to bubbles not mixing. Life just isn't normal right now and TV at lunch was unheard of before covid except for wet play.

Countrycode · 20/05/2021 22:28

I'm not in the UK so I don't know how "normal" that is but I would be very annoyed at any tv in schools and would without doubt kick up a fuss. Children do not go to school to watch tv, they get enough at home! Why aren't they out playing after they've eaten? I've never heard of regular tv in a school setting ever. Breeding the generation of couch potatos if they keep that up.

switswoo81 · 20/05/2021 22:31

We have our yard divided so bubbles don't mix and lunch breaks are only 30 mins here but I think TV for that length of time is absolutely awful.
On a wet day like today my class will watch something for the ten minute small break ( vooks or storyline online) but be given tabletop fine motor skills folders for twenty mins at big break. They are 5/6 yrs old.
They have no interest in audio book but yanbu not to be impressed.

switswoo81 · 20/05/2021 22:32

Are given ..

Stellaroses · 20/05/2021 22:34

@toomuchfaster

It's nonsense that it's to do with eating in bubbles in classrooms. DD has only ever eaten in her classroom, they don't use the school hall for lunches as it's not big enough. She doesn't watch TV every lunchtime and never has. The playground time is bubbled which is making life trickier but the school have planned it and it's fine.
Oh well if you think it’s nonsense, it must be. 🙄
spaceghetto · 20/05/2021 22:44

I used to see so much of this when I was doing my teacher training a few years ago. When I had my own class, I put together activities the children could do at lunch. Massive eye rolls from the staff but I had had enough (as they had too!) of watching Peppa Pig at lunch!

Mollymalone123 · 20/05/2021 22:45

It's because of covid.kids are already limited on where they can be and sit ,

and are restricted enough as is,children cannot move freely in school.I think by the next school year things will be back to normal, Just let it be,its only a little while longer.

Original poster
girasol · 20/05/2021 22:45

@Awalkintime

Teachers and TAs are giving up their lunches to make the bubble situations work. It is often that they do not get a break themselves at all during the day or are not paid for this cover time, wanting 30 minutes quiet time is a small price to pay and allows them a bit of a break.

They are giving up their breaks to help your child and you are not happy.
Maybe saying thank you to them for going above and beyond would work better than criticising them.

So just to confirm, you think there’s nothing wrong with a 6 year old not eating lunch? Hmm
OP posts:
OkOkWhatsNext · 20/05/2021 22:55

As Pp said, it’s a Covid thing. Our school puts it on while the kids are eating. They go outside for the other half of lunch break. I think it’s fine. The older ones get to vote on a movie that they want to watch - one movie probably let’s all week. It exposes them to other people’s tastes and things they might not watch at home (preferable frankly to the youtubers they gravitate to at home. My middle child comes home enthused by the latest thing they’ve watched - sometimes songs from musicals or sea shanties or folk music - sometimes a nature documentary. Littlest one in yr R gets CBeebies, alphablocks and the like, songs or sometimes just cartoons. They get plenty of outside time, sports and other stimulation during the day. It’s fine. If your kid isn’t eating, just speak to the teacher again about that and they can prompt them .

Sparklybanana · 20/05/2021 22:55

My dd said this happens at her school too. I was a bit shocked to be honest and even more shocked when my elderly and usually very un-pc parents said - " not surprised - kids are a nightmare when it's indoor playtime and it must be awful keeping them in bubbles". Ex teachers. It's weird times.

crayyola · 20/05/2021 22:57

YADNBU.
What a depressing course of action by the school.

crayyola · 20/05/2021 23:00

Especially at a meal time which is supposed to be a social time. I’m genuinely shocked that the school would use this as a “child quieting” method.

To PP who justify this by talking about what happens at home — we never have meals in front of the telly.

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