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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Reception children too hot

126 replies

lockedinandout · 18/07/2022 14:35

Name changed but I'm unsure how I feel about it.

I picked up my daughter from school for an appointment and found out they'd stripped down the kids into just their underwear in the classrooms to keep them cool. On the one hand they are only all 4/5 years old in Reception. On the other, it's inappropriate and I think if that's the extent they have to go to keep kids cool in the classroom, they should close.

AIBU to ask the school what's going on? Happy to be told I'm being fussy, because I can't decide whether I think this is ok or not.

OP posts:
SummerL0ving · 18/07/2022 14:36

I don't like that. That's not acceptable IMO. They should have sent them home, not made them stay almost naked.

JimMorrisonsleathertrousers · 18/07/2022 14:37

I'm sure plenty of people will be along soon to say 'get a grip' etc but I wouldn't be happy with that either.

DuggeeHugPlease · 18/07/2022 14:37

Nope I wouldn't be happy with this. We've had lots of chats about the pants rule and what is private and I wouldn't find this appropriate- even at such a young age. I don't actually even think it would be that effective. Loose cotton clothing would be better than bare skin I think.

ComDummings · 18/07/2022 14:38

Yeah they should have sent them home. I don’t think it’s acceptable to treat a child like that. My own children at that age would not have wanted to be in underwear in public.

Original poster
lockedinandout · 18/07/2022 14:39

Thanks for the replies, I'm pleased I'm not the only one who feels a bit uncomfortable about it.

OP posts:
Rainallnight · 18/07/2022 14:40

I think I’d be ok with it and think it was practical. As long as they were IN their pants.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 18/07/2022 14:40

No, that's inappropriate.

If it's that hot, they shouldn't be in school.

Somethingsnappy · 18/07/2022 14:40

Even disregarding whether it's appropriate for their age group or not, if the classroom has become so hot that they needed to strip off like that, then no, they shouldn't be there.

BurscoughBooths · 18/07/2022 14:41

We did PE in vest and pants at primary school in the 1960s and nobody batted an eye.
I think we were allowed shorts in the equivalent of years 5 & 6

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 18/07/2022 14:41

This is so wrong that I'm struggling to believe it actually happened. What sort of teacher, who would have been trained in safeguarding, would let them sit around in their pants?

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 18/07/2022 14:42

When I was in infants (in a school with a pool) they’d send us to run around the school field in just our towels to set off! Ridiculous to think about it now. Stripping the kids down into just pants is wrong, why not let them get into their shorts or PE skirts with their loose PE tops?!

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 18/07/2022 14:43

*to dry off

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 18/07/2022 14:43

BurscoughBooths · 18/07/2022 14:41

We did PE in vest and pants at primary school in the 1960s and nobody batted an eye.
I think we were allowed shorts in the equivalent of years 5 & 6

Just because it was the norm, that doesn't make it right. And kids don't tend to wear vests these days so the kids would literally just be sat in their pants

ComDummings · 18/07/2022 14:43

BurscoughBooths · 18/07/2022 14:41

We did PE in vest and pants at primary school in the 1960s and nobody batted an eye.
I think we were allowed shorts in the equivalent of years 5 & 6

I remember doing PE in vest and pants at age 5 in the 90s and I hated it then. Even as a 5yo I remember thinking it was weird. Times change though, it’s not acceptable any more.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/07/2022 14:43

I’d complain- send them home! Our school said PE kit and I know they allow them to put their feet in a paddling pool- stripping off is not acceptable!

MassiveSalad22 · 18/07/2022 14:44

Nah I wouldn’t like that as a parent and also as a kid - in reception I already had body issues and having to do PE in vest and pants was mortifying for me. Not on IMO!

ChessieFL · 18/07/2022 14:45

I think I’m a pretty relaxed parent but no, I wouldn’t be happy with this. How are you meant to tell kids that their underwear should be private if the teacher’s telling them it’s ok to sit around in their pants?!

gogohmm · 18/07/2022 14:45

Just remember it's easy to say send them home if you are a sahm or you work from home and have a lovely understanding boss but many parents work in jobs they can't leave at short notice, they might have pay docked too. I didn't work when mine were small and I'm acutely aware how privileged that was

tiredanddangerous · 18/07/2022 14:45

I wouldn't be ok with this and I also used to do pe in my vest and pants at school. I would complain.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 18/07/2022 14:46

BurscoughBooths · 18/07/2022 14:41

We did PE in vest and pants at primary school in the 1960s and nobody batted an eye.
I think we were allowed shorts in the equivalent of years 5 & 6

What an odd comment. Corporal punishment was also the norm in schools in the 1960's.

Just because something was commonplace, doesn't make it acceptable!

Fuckitydoodah · 18/07/2022 14:47

When my DC were 4/5 they would not have been comfortable sat in their classroom in their underwear. I don't think it's appropriate and if those are the measures they're having to go to then the children shouldn't be there. It's the last week of term anyway and I can't imagine there's much learning going on in this heat .

Dillydollydingdong · 18/07/2022 14:47

We did PE in vest and pants when I was a young child. No one thought anything of it. I can't really see a problem.

JaninaDuszejko · 18/07/2022 14:47

I'm mainly amazed anyone is sending their children in in vests in this weather. The girls will be cooler in the summer dresses than any other option I'd have thought. I'd mention that it probably wasn't the vest idea and suggest they relax school uniform rules tomorrow.

My kids school asked them all to wear their PE kit and they're organising a water fight for them this afternoon, the idea is they'll all be walking home in wet clothes which will help cool them. Thought it was a fun idea.

JaninaDuszejko · 18/07/2022 14:48

BEST

R1408 · 18/07/2022 14:48

Teachers are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Of course it's too hot - the temperature outside is 35+ and the temperature in classrooms will be higher.

Young children are susceptible to heat stroke. It's far too hot for them at school.

Government has decided schools should open and parents have been going nuts on mumsnet at the suggestion that teachers are 'bunking off' by shutting schools.

Lots of posters saying "it's just as hot at home as it is at school" - if your child is hot at home you would strip them off, so that's what the teacher has done.

When you sent your small child to school this morning, you knew it was a 'threat to life' heatwave and too hot.

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