Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if this happens at your DC's school?

35 replies

OhFFSnevermind · 08/09/2021 19:10

DS1 started secondary school last week. He had school dinner throughout primary school and likes it so we continued with it into secondary. The problem is that the queue is so long at lunch time and despite the bell going for back to class he is still in the queue waiting. Yesterday and today he abandoned the queue as it was making him anxious and he didn't want to be late for his lesson. I'm presuming the children still waiting eat their dinner and get to class late? I don't really understand the timings. I know this is a genuine problem though, because I recall a friend with a child in an older year switching to packed lunch for this very reason.

I can't really get him to stay all day without food and sending him with a packed lunch tomorrow. I should add he is currently being assessed for ASD and we should have the findings any day. His diagnostic meeting was cancelled due to illness but more than likely he has autism. He is a slow eater, he nibbles away at home so needs plenty of time to eat at school too. Is this long queue issue a problem at your DC's school? It seems so disorganised and chaotic.

OP posts:
coldseacoldears · 08/09/2021 19:12

this happens at my child's school too. She takes packed lunch every day. The only time she managed school dinners was when lunch was staggered when she first started and the year 7s had an extra half hour before anyone else came out of lessons

SavoyCabbage · 08/09/2021 19:20

At my dad's secondary there are different queues for different things. There is a main meal one, a pasta one, a baked potato one and a panini/sandwich queue. She often decides what to have based on the length of the line.

SavoyCabbage · 08/09/2021 19:22

I would email and ask for the timings if he doesn't know them so that he knows them. I wonder if the process takes longer in the first few weeks as the new year sevens won't be used to the choices and decisions.

TheSmallAssassin · 08/09/2021 19:25

We went to packed lunches pretty quickly because of the queues. Sounds like it's a problem in a lot of schools!

Overthecamelhump · 08/09/2021 19:26

I hate this. It does happen, and then you get all this moaning about how kids don’t have table manners these days. Give them time to eat lunch then!

OrangeTortoise · 08/09/2021 19:27

According to my DC, this only happens in the first week or two of the autumn term because the new Y7s are slow while they get used to the system. After that it's fine.

TSSDNCOP · 08/09/2021 19:28

E mail his form tutor, they will give him guidance.

modgepodge · 08/09/2021 19:28

This is dreadful!! They need to stagger timings or something. Hopefully as PP says it’s just a case of y7 being a bit slow at the moment and will sort itself out in the next week or so.

If he has an SEN, it might be worth speaking to the SENCO. I work in a primary, and in a previous school a couple of boys with ASD who couldn’t cope with lunch hall noise or took ages to eat or whatever (not sure of exact details) used to be allowed to have their lunch in a quiet classroom with a friend instead. If your son needs a long time to eat, it might be they can arrange for him to skip the queue or similar (my secondary school allowed pupils who were in orchestra and things to do this too).

Phineyj · 08/09/2021 19:30

A lot of schools will be struggling with the end of bubbles. Bubbles were rubbish, but my god they revolutionised the canteen queues! Given his possible SEN, could you request an early dinner pass?

UserNameNameNameUser · 08/09/2021 19:32

Yeah this is why mine are always on packed lunches.

Seasidemumma77 · 08/09/2021 19:32

Ds frequently spends entire 30min lunch break queuing for his fsm and ending up returning to lessons having not eaten. I have complained to school, and to county council who administer the fsm provision, but nothing has changed

Wtf1980 · 08/09/2021 19:35

The only covid restrictions my children's secondary school is keeping is the staggering of lunch.
Nothing to do with covid but because of the queues and they found pupils behaviour were better, also not so intimidating for the younger years.

Original poster
OhFFSnevermind · 08/09/2021 19:36

I did think of emailing the school but was hoping his diagnosis come through first and then I can sort of use that as evidence for his needs and they know what they're dealing with. (I spoke to the HOY about his anxiety in July and she told me ALL kids have anxiety at the start and was quite dismissive).

OP posts:
Original poster
OhFFSnevermind · 08/09/2021 19:44

Seems like a problem in lots of schools with kids staying hungry. They make such a fuss if a child skips breakfast but what about providing lunch adequately, which they are responsible for.

OP posts:
LeavesOffTheCactus · 08/09/2021 19:51

I’m a teacher… this happens to me all the time. Ate half my lunch today. It’s not long enough… 25 mins in my school

minionsrule · 08/09/2021 20:02

Yeah I think this happens if they don't have split lunch times packed lunch defo the way to go.
My ds just started college and they don't have a lunch break as such, they eat during free periods.... ds's lesson plan means he actually doesn't have a lunch break ever!
10 mins between classes to wolf down a cereal bar Shock

HipTightOnions · 08/09/2021 20:07

It happens at my school. The school roll has grown massively in recent years and there isn’t time for them all to get lunch.

Shapesorted · 08/09/2021 20:10

The gobby ones queue jump so it's always the same quiet ones who don't get to eat. Awful.

patchoulicloud · 08/09/2021 20:26

This used to happen when I was at school 20 years ago. 45 minute lunch and I was often in the queue after 40.

The louder/more popular kids used to jump the queue. Teachers would regularly make us stay back knowing it would mean that we wouldn't be able to eat at all. It's shit that it's still like this.

dreamingbohemian · 08/09/2021 20:26

Yes DS is finding this as well, I think it's appalling

We'll manage but what about all the kids on FSM? What's the point of offering FSM if the kids can't get any food

I don't think schools should be allowed to do this

Cheeseplantboots · 08/09/2021 20:28

It’s the same at my kids school. They get two 1/2 hour breaks a day. My son has started getting a slice of pizza in the first break as the queue is so long for the second break. He’s the fussiest eater and packed lunches are a nightmare so he has a big breakfast !

UserAtLargeAgain · 08/09/2021 20:32

As others have said it's worse in the first weeks of term, partly caused by Y7s dithering. DC's school let's the Y7s go to lunch 15 minutes early for the first month to avoid ridiculous queues.

dreamingbohemian · 08/09/2021 20:40

In our case I don't think it's the Y7s causing the problem, most of them aren't getting a chance to eat.

Sirzy · 08/09/2021 20:44

Ds is in year 7 he doesn’t eat with the others anyway but apparently this week they have a longer dinner hour for year 7 to let them all get used to things

Mermaidpool · 08/09/2021 20:45

Mine refuse to have school dinners for this reason