Golden Time at Infants

[ShoeJunkie]

In this DS2s infant school newsletter this week the head announced they were doing away with golden time on a Friday for year 1 and year 2 to give more time for the curriculum.

AIBU to think this is a little unfair halfway through the school year given the disruption they have all had throughout the whole time they’ve been at school so far.

Interested to know if other schools have done this too.

@Green7712

This is not a surprise given how much schools are expected to squeeze into the curriculum, even in KS1. Golden time is not high quality play. It is an hour at the end of the week where colouring or Lego etc are pulled out. Teachers don’t tend to interact to steer the play. Children have opportunities for play through their learning and break times. It may feel harsh but it is a reality of offering a broad and high quality curriculum.

Exactly! ⬆️

I'm a Primary School Teaching Partner (although in yr6) & we got rid of 'Golden Time' years ago! There are other equally as effective reward/consequence systems in place, the children get plenty of good quality play opportunities at break, lunch & various other 'ad hoc' treat times and to be quite honest, we need every spare bloody minute right now to try to cover the curriculum AND attempt to reduce the huge learning gap caused by the pandemic disruptions!!

People have no idea of the amount of pressure which has been, & still is being, placed on schools as a result of the Covid situation. Not to mention the fact that we can't do right for doing wrong as far as the parents are concerned! It's frankly bloody overwhelming & exhausting.

Golden time is a pretty flawed concept anyway so I wouldn’t be upset with a school reflecting on their behaviour management policy and finding better ways to support all children. The way they’re communicating it is pretty rubbish though & sounds like it’s just going to make children feel like they are missing out.

Absolutely take on board all that the teachers here are saying about using the time differently. I think @PhileasPhilby is right in saying it’s how it has been communicated to parents as a one liner in the school newsletter made it sound punitive when actually if it it been more ‘here’s how we’re providing additional learning opportunities in place of golden time’ my reaction might have been different.

Our infant school still does golden time so it's not dead yet.

I teach Year 2 and they do 30-40 minutes golden time during my PPA time. My head wanted me to do away with it as she thought it wasn't "the best use of time" and I refused. The kids already don't have an afternoon break because the curriculum is too full. I don't see how letting them play for half an hour once a week when I'm not in class and they are covered by a TA is not a suitable use of time. Play and socialisation is still important for young kids.

I'm a primary supply teacher. 10 years ago, golden time was happening in most schools. Now it's rare to come across it, although I do occasionally. Most schools have got rid of afternoon play in the younger years. There is just too much pressure to fit everything in and Covid has made this worse. Sadly I think the younger ones would benefit more from golden time as a result of covid but Ofsted means that winter happen.