Secondary school not allowing kids to eat lunch inside in cold weather

[Bananabrain99]

Secondary school not allowing kids to eat their lunch indoors in this cold weather AIBU to feel cross with this as it is detrimental to pupils' health and wellbeing? My child was upset going into school today due to this and less than half the kids are in her class at the moment due to illness. Reasons cited by the school not to open up the hall is building works and needing the hall for flu vaccinations. Obviously I do expect my DC to have fresh air at breaks, but I don't think many adults would like a freezing cold picnic. Don't think there is anything I can do now (and school say will open a hall in January) but just feel upset about it and not sure if AIBU - I had presumed DC had somewhere warm to eat at least (12yrs old)

i wouldn’t be too happy about this especially where we are at the moment it’s snowed and very cold.

Eating outside in this weather is just miserable. I take it the teachers are also eating outside with the kids? 🤔🙄

I actually think it's madness the things schools expect children to do that would never be acceptable in the real world. Eat outside in minus degree weather for example!

Wtf that's totally unacceptable? Do they have an hour for lunch? Even 30 mins would be too long for me.

They should be able to choose to eat at tables with chairs. Y’know, like actual human beings do!

I work in a secondary school. We allow the kids to get lunch in the hall but they only have 15 mins per year group and then they have to go outside.

1200 kids. We can’t keep them all indoors and supervised for the entire lunch period. It’s cold, sure, but the staff on duty in the playground manage! They’ll survive.

YANBU, it is the same at my Dc's secondary school, my DD ate a roast chicken dinner outside last week- she opted no to have the gravy- depressing!

Actually that is unreasonable. They should be able to sit down and eat somewhere warm. If the hall is not available they need to make another arrangement.

My DCs "outstanding" school is the same. They have to walk around outside to eat before being allowed back in a classroom to relax, no matter what the weather is like. So they don't make a mess.

Teachers don't have to be supervised. Pupils do.

Sorry that was to @Prettyinpink22

I have teens at different schools and both insist the children go outside to eat, the canteens at both schools are too small to accommodate the amount of children. It’s ridiculous.

The teachers can’t supervise from inside can they. They should be outside eating with the children.

Not acceptable in my eyes.

Wow, all heart aren’t you. Absolutely ridiculous to make people stay outside in this

My kids eat grab-and-go lunch in the classroom in the winter or outdoors in summer.

In this weather, hot food and a warm place to eat it seem essential.

Can you send child in with a thermos of hot chocolate for lunch time?

Lack of room shouldn't be an issue, when I was in school, each year and form group had a classroom assigned for form specific classes/morning registration so we would be able to sit in there at lunch to eat if we needed to.

They're not required to supervise at all in their designated unpaid lunch breaks. Lunchtime supervisors are employed to do that.

Why can’t they eat in the form rooms? It’s freezing what if it’s torential rain soggy sandwiches anyone?
my DD school staffer lunch so they all can eat in the canteen and stay if they wish it means she doesn’t eat lunch till 1.45 but better than the alternative

During covid my son and his peers had to stay outside when it was icy and no tables or chairs available. He texted me one day to say he couldn't feel his toes or fingers (despite wearing gloves) and had not eaten as there was no surface to lay his packed lunch on.

I'm quite sure prisoners wouldn't be treated like this.

@Prettyinpink22 sure, teachers are only teaching 5-6 lessons a day, working weekends unpaid to make sure their lessons are as good as can be, frantically marking so students receive timely feedback, as well as doing morning/break/after school duties and attending meetings. Let's make them spend their only free time during the day to eat with the students too 🙄🙄🙄

I'm not saying it's right for the kids to be made to eat out in the cold OP. We have a similar system to PP. All the year groups have a set time to eat in the dining room and then have to go outside.

Do they serve hot diners to be eaten outside?

It's quite cruel. I was teen in school in mid 90s and we were allowed to sit at tables inside the canteen, we are going backwards, no seats, no inside,.no decent food, so bad forhe environment as polystyrene containers at my DC's school to chuck away with one use!

Exactly @NoDramaMama12

Quite reasonable for pupils to eat in the dining room, which is supervised then go outside, also under supervision (by lunchtime supervisors). I don't think they should have to eat lunch outside but neither do I think teachers should have to supervise in their unpaid lunch break.

My childs school is the same.

Packed lunches have a tiny hall to eat in, in the winter so no room for everyone.

It was -1 here today!!

No I think that's totally unacceptable.

I'm interested in who is having flu vaccines in the dining hall. Surely the school aren't allowing randoms onto school premises during the school day?