AIBU to think that playtime should be for playing?

[blinkingthreetimes]

Our new HT sent a letter home yesterday stating that from now on could children not fetch footballs ,skipping ropes or anything else to school anymore as some of the other children are a bit overwhelmed with noisy games .

We shouldn't worry though as the school have installed a cd player in the yard so children can sit around and listen to that on breaks if they wish !!!! WTF

There is also a readers club starting so if they wish thay can sit indoors and read during break (I do actually think this bit is good and know my dd will enjoy it)

So if we are trying to keep our LO's as active as possible why the hell are games banned are the lo's expected to creep quietly around the yard or all crowd round the bloody cd player ?

Am I overreacting I just think it's a bit sad that even playground games are been taken away now .

I can understand schools not wanting children to bring toys in for fear of arguments and things getting broken. But trying to stop them running around during playtime is madness and sends completely the wrong message.

I can understand that too edam .But she wont even let them use schools footballs or other equipment ?

Worlds gone mad

Good grief if they can buy a CD player they could buy school owned footballs and skipping ropes, and therefore limit and control their use.

Am totally at the CD player, TBH.

I cant imagine why they wouldn't want them to run around, have fun and expend some energy, but bringing toys etc to school only causes problems - with parents coming in and complaining that someone took their child's toy/ it got broken etc.

Are you sure blinking?????
I thought schools had to provide outside equipment for playtime..isn't it an ofsted requirement?
couldn't they divide the playground? We've got a noisy area and a quiet area

can't understand that. it goes against all the new free play ethos.

Have they got a very small playground? Most schools seem to be able to set up a quiet area for those who don't want to play noisy games.

We also have rotas for football, so only one year group plays at a time, which means you don't have four or five games taking over the whole playground.

We don't let children bring in their own footballs etc for the reasons edam gave, but we have plenty of playground game equipment & a group of year 6 children are trained as 'Playground friends' to help the younger ones to use it & try to get lonely ones involved in a game

They have a huge field where they could play .

I have the letter here it says that after speaking to teh children it has been decided that no footballs or other toys can be fetched into school ,but children are quite welcome to listen to the music or join the reading group .

The playground is big too and is separated into infants and juniors .

I will ask her if she is going to provide school equip although it is not mentioned on the letter ,hopefully she is

Have to say I would so much have enjoyed a readers' club at playtime. So would my 6yo dd. She loves Fridays as she gets to have a recorder lesson and miss playtime. Playtime can be a right drag if you aren't quite into it.

I'm not agreeing with the limiting ball games and noisy games for the children who want/need them though.

my dc are not allowed to take footballs into school. it s health and safety gone mad.
we havent had skipping ropes banned yet, but soon no doubt.

My dd is looking forward to it too but my ds is gutted about football

I agree stitch .

It's the cd player that really gets me though .

The cd player is bizarre... What are they going to let them listen to...drum and bass? Techno? or maybe some Mozart

Dickheads.

(The school, not you!)

That's utterly ridiculous. Children, especially boys, need to run around and play at playtimes. I'd be having a word with the head if I were you.

Our playground has a quiet area for those who don't want to run around. having seen playtime though, the vast majority do want to run around.

I keep imagining the school turning into a scene from the demon headmaster lol.

I think because we live in a poor area and before she came the school was struggling she see's herself as some kind of missionary come to show the poor people how to better there dc ,she plays them songs in assembly and once when I sat in on one she started a song up and said "now children you may have not heard of this gentleman but he is wonderful "

It was Bob Marley !!!

She also plays them Beautiful south

Even a couple of teachers sniggered

She is very patronising TBH and it is starting to annoy quite a lot of parents .

My son's school bans footballs, skipping ropes or any other toys. However the school has a wonderful collection of outside toys. The playground is divided into different areas and there is a quiet garden for those who don't feel like running about as well as as space for boys who like running.

What are they supposed to do during they breaks then ?

the world has gone mad.

My god, is it a school or a correctional facility???
Makes me realise how lucky the kids at our school are, we have a football area, basketball hoops, a trim trail with all the equipment, and loads of games that the dinner ladies bring out every day such as giant noughts and crosses, connect 4, chess etc. They all take it for granted, perhaps I ought to show them this thread!!!
And school clubs to cobble dogs with....

It sounds awful. Surely there are better ways that they can make sure that quieter children have the space that they need. DD's school has been adding lots of planting to their field including a mini 'woodland', various living willow structures and a turf 'maze' to introduce something other than just football everywhere, as well as a bit more shade in the summer.
It seems pretty popular, though I have heard the big ones complaining that the little ones make holes in the willow screens 'by playing in them'