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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being made to sit on the floor

277 replies

MandaLo · 27/09/2023 17:10

I'm genuinely interested to hear what others thoughts are on this.

DS10 is in a class with a teacher new to their school. She's very young but seems quite pleasant when I've spoken to her.

He told me last week that as a punishment for talking the teacher is making children sit on the classroom floor for 30 minutes each time. It hadn't happened to him though.

Today he came out of school to say that he'd asked the child next to him what book they'd chosen from the library and was made to sit on the floor for half an hour. He wasn't massively upset, just said that his bum went numb from it.

I've never come across this before. DS said some children are constantly on the floor. Does this sound ok?

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 27/09/2023 17:11

I’d be asking school if they think this is a fitting punishment.

Hummingbird89 · 27/09/2023 17:14

I would be asking for the teachers side of the story.
Also, it doesn’t matter what he was asking the child next to him-he was clearly talking when he wasn’t supposed to be.

Singleandproud · 27/09/2023 17:14

Flag it up the the head ian a X told me Ms Xyz was making students sit on the floor for 30 mins, this doesn't sound like the schools normal sanctions. Is this new or class specific?

This flags it to the head who can then have a chat with the teacher if it is not school wide.

Depending on age many younger teachers look to Teacher tok for classroom management and many of the things suggested are USA specific and wouldn't be used in the UK.

MidnightOnceMore · 27/09/2023 17:14

This sounds like a silly approach - if the kids are always on the floor it isn't working anyway.

I'd ask the school if it is in their behaviour policy.

Homesweethome23 · 27/09/2023 17:14

If some children are constantly on the floor then obviously the punishment is not working.
Missing break time or a fun activity has more affect.

MistressIggi · 27/09/2023 17:16

Why go straight to the head? If the teacher is otherwise nice, and is new, why not just raise your concerns - she will probably stop doing it then. If not, could speak to the head.
I imagine a lot of children quite like sitting on the floor!

Ponoka7 · 27/09/2023 17:20

It needs to go to the head because it isn't an acceptable punishment and shows a training issue, as well as a thought process issue. As for your son if any part of him is ever going numb, tell him that he's allowed to move/stand, regardless of what the teacher says. Otherwise it's a demeaning, unusual, cruel etc punishment.

Gensola · 27/09/2023 17:21

That is illegal as it’s a physical punishment

Ladyj84 · 27/09/2023 17:24

Physical punishment are you joking. My kids sit on the floor voluntarily for longer reading before bed lol.

Singleandproud · 27/09/2023 17:26

@MistressIggi it goes straight to the head as it is a training issue and the teacher needs to know why it's not OK and what they could do differently. It doesn't need to be a formal complaint, just a heads up would suffice. If you go straight to the teacher then it becomes personal as Xs mum complained and the new teacher never learns why they shouldn't, or an appropriate alternative

nutellacrepe · 27/09/2023 17:26

I would be asking to see the school's behaviour policy and checking whether this is in line (I suspect not). It's an unusual punishment.

Original poster
MandaLo · 27/09/2023 17:27

This is my son's third year at the school and it's not happened before. Their behaviour policy is on the website and being made to sit on the floor as a punishment isn't in it.

OP posts:
80skid · 27/09/2023 17:30

Most schools have a behaviour and discipline policy. I'd be pretty sure this doesn't feature on it! Worth an ask or a check on their website anyhow.

UndercoverCop · 27/09/2023 17:31

I would approach the teacher and say Johnny said he'd been told off on Tuesday, but he wasn't very clear, what happened? She says he was talking during a lesson when asked not to, you then ask what was the outcome of that. I really doubt any teacher is making children sit on the floor for thirty minutes you need to hear the other side of this

Meeting · 27/09/2023 17:33

It obviously doesn't follow the behaviour policy and I would be emailing to let them know I didn't think it was appropriate.

Rudolphthefrog · 27/09/2023 17:39

I’d have a word with the headteacher. That’s not an ok punishment, especially as if the children are constantly on the floor it clearly isn’t working.

Sitting on the floor in assembly etc is fairly normal so I wouldn’t call it “physical punishment“ as such, but it’s not in the behaviour policy for good reason. I’d expect staff to stick to the sanctions in the policy - loss of golden time, missing break, filling out a “reflection” sheet or whatever the school specifies.

MistressIggi · 27/09/2023 17:39

I don't agree with you at all @Singleandproud
I do prefer to keep the nuclear option in reserve for when things don't get resolved.

burgundytoday · 27/09/2023 17:40

Nothing wrong with being on the floor but I think physical separation/humilation isn't a great punishment.

I think though that what possibly happened was that the kid was moving around between chairs and the floor (while chattering), and the teacher said as a matter of practicality just stay on the floor if you're going to keep gravitating towards the floor. That's what I used to tell the kids in the classroom, zero disciplinary or negative intention there.

jenpil · 27/09/2023 17:42

Asking a child sitting next to him which book he chose isn't exactly constant chatting and disrupting the class.
It's positive communication and shows an interest in both others and the subject.

The teacher sounds like she's drilling down on every little thing, and with a class of excitable ten year olds, that's going to be a difficult thing to do, and to be honest, not necessary.

I'd sooner have a chattering excited bunch of pupils, than a whole class of miseries being made to sit in silence - or go and sit on the floor!

Sitting on the floor is also a safety hazard...what would she do if someone else tripped over them?

usernother · 27/09/2023 17:43

As others have said, speak to the teacher first. With regards to the actual sitting on the floor it wouldn't bother me at all if this had been used at my children's school.

modgepodge · 27/09/2023 17:45

Children are often asked to sit on the carpet for inputs in primary school so this is not a physical punishment 😂

often by y5/6 children prefer to sit at an desk rather than the carpet. I can imagine saying something like this to the class ‘ok, you’d all rather sit at your table than the carpet while I’m teaching. That’s fine, but if anyone is struggling to concentrate or talking at their desk, they might need to come sit on the carpet to help them focus.’ Then people who are distracted by something can sit by themselves on the carpet. Not sure Id even count it as a ‘punishment’ to be honest.

Pixiedust49 · 27/09/2023 17:49

Primary age children often sit on the floor for teacher input etc? How is that a punishment? Confused 😕

Littlemissalone · 27/09/2023 17:51

Over reaction. I make my young pupils sit on the floor or away from others if they talk or make noises when I am. It's a natural consequence and it works for me. It's not in the behaviour policy but so what? Teachers do their own things to manage minor disruptions.

Stop shitting on teachers. The majority of us try our best and just want children to learn. If your child is talking when they shouldn't be, then they are disrupting other children.

ShutTheDoorBabe · 27/09/2023 17:51

Is there enough space in the classroom? Perhaps they're being moved away from the people they're talking to or being silly with, as per most behaviour policies when a verbal warning has already been given and ignored, and the floor is the only space available?

Tinkerbyebye · 27/09/2023 17:52

No and I would be speaking to the head. It’s not acceptable