AIBU to ask if your primary school have banned water bottles in class

[crikeycrumbsblimey]

Just having a discussion with a friend whose primary age DD has been told they are not allowed their water bottle in class and it needs to stay in the locker. They have said water bottles are distracting. They only allow access at breaks.

Could anyone let me know if their school has adopted the same policy? They have told my friend that "most" primary schools are adopting the same policy but between us we can't find a single other school.

YABU - my school does not allow water bottles in class
YANBU - my school allows water bottles in class

Just wondering how common this is. Thanks

Our school allows water bottles in class, their only stipulations are that they should be clear and should have a sports cap/straw to prevent spills (but even then they're not strict on it).

YANBU but no voting buttons that I can see. I think with covid it’s better to have individual bottles isn’t it? Instead of a water jug or whatever the alternative might be. DS in year 2.

I don't have a child in primary school, but certainly when I was at primary school we had access to drinks at break times and our daily milk. None of us died of dehydration. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

As part of my job I work in lots of primary school classrooms and in almost all of them the water bottles are kept in a box or tray on the side near the sink. The children can usually get a drink during or just after break or lunch or, if they ask, during the lesson after the main teaching input. I have noticed that most children just don't bother apart from a few sips after morning break. Water bottles on the desks are a pain in the arse: they get knocked over, they leak, they take up a lot of space and the children end up sitting there with the bottle in their mouths almost like dummies.

Slightly off topic but in my young day it was unheard of to have drinks in the classroom. You could get a drink of water at break or lunchtime. Why is it children nowadays need to have water bottles in the classroom?

@JurgensCakeBabyJesus

I don't have a child in primary school, but certainly when I was at primary school we had access to drinks at break times and our daily milk. None of us died of dehydration. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

I've not stated whether it is reasonable or not - I just want to understand current policy in other schools.

Thanks for the helpful replies so far.

My dc have their water bottles on their desks all the time.

@GTAlogic

Very helpful thanks. Agree re the desks - every school I know of has them in a specific place in the room so they can't mess with them. The amount of spills in a normal office shows what a disaster that would be.....

I really don't get this constant drinking water thing either.

Thanks @WakeUpLockie @elliejjtiny @Hospedia

Really helpful to hear what other schools do!

Bottles in the classroom. Not allowed near desks. Set times when children have an opportunity to get a quick drink.

We are slightly more flexible in really hot weather.

I'm a teacher and in the morning my class put their bottles in a box by the sink and they can get a drink whenever they want apart from carpet teaching time (in Reception so only probably about 10/15 minutes 3x a day). The box also comes out at break time and snack time.

My son has been to 3 different primary schools and in each the water bottles were kept in an open box in the classroom

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

Slightly off topic but in my young day it was unheard of to have drinks in the classroom. You could get a drink of water at break or lunchtime. Why is it children nowadays need to have water bottles in the classroom?

Me too, why do people need to carry water around with them all the time? As for teachers drinking tea/coffee in the classroom, I was shocked when DD told me they did that at her school. Wait until break everyone!

Nope, they sent a reminder last week to send them.

My school have drink bottles in a tray on the side.

When I was at school there were no drinks except at lunchtime as far as I remember. It was a big deal when a water fountain was installed in the playground for breaktimes. Seems much better now that children are allowed a water bottle I think.

I teach secondary and I have banned them from my classroom. I’m sick of kids crackling them and constantly drinking then being desperate for the toilet.

Mine bring them in and keep them by the sink. They can have a drink whenever, as long as they’re not directly interrupting my teaching. It’s a complete non-event. Seems to me some schools/teachers enjoy creating unnecessary drama.

Our children’s water bottles are in class with them, but not on the tables where they work, that would be a nightmare! They can’t just get up in the middle of a lesson for water whenever they want, but they are encouraged to drink at designated times, more often than just lunch or break time.

YABU

Ours are in the classroom on the side.

I didn't have access to water at school either as a kid and consequently I don't drink very much from habit and, as an adult, frequently feel poorly from it. So, I think it's a good change, tbh.

We provide them with one. They stay in a basket and have their name on. They can drink them whenever they like, apart from the teaching input (unless of course they have specific reason eg sore throat etc) never had an issue with them.

Why do you need a bottle in class?

In my class, we have them in a tray out the way. Otherwise the kids suck on them all day long which is disruptive with the noise and can't be good for their teeth!

I am a teacher and my school has not banned water bottles but I agree they are distracting. Most weeks, a child will spill one and water goes all over their book, the table and floor.