To think Dd's primary school should...

[MNingatmidnight]

Clear the bloody ice from the playground so they can use it again?!?

Dd's school is small and only has 1 playground, all concrete no grass. We haven't had any snow since Saturday morning and now the playground is just bits of ice and sludgey old snow. The kids haven't been allowed out at playtime or lunchtime all last week or all this week. "health and safety" reasons of course.

Surely they could just get the caretaker to clear the playground of ice so they can go out? It's getting dark by 4pm, so by the time we got home from school it's too late to go out anywhere really as it's already dark. It's not nice for the kids being cooped up all day everyday, especially when it could easily be solved.

Well, the caretaker (aka site manager ) does have a full "to-do" list as well. Clearing a playground, sufficient to satisfy the health and safety bods, would take a very long time. How about you organising a group of parents to go in with shovels and help? Plenty of schools roundd here have been doing that, in order to get schools open and running.

I was thinking the same thing this morning, 1 playground, 1 caretaker, clear snow = kids can go out!

I even suggested getting a snow clearing party together and would be happy to help. But was told no!

Sorry, should have said as it's a small school the play ground is tiny! Really tiny! Half is cleared anyway as a path for people to walk into the building, so the rest wouldn't take that long. I'd offer to help, but bet it would be against some rule or another.

Perhaps I'm just grumpy because I have a restless 5 yr old who just wants to run and be freeeeeee at playtimes! This is the 7th day now. We are in SE England so only had a couple of inches on Friday last week anyway.

Apparently they are not allowed to clear, only grit and they dont have any.

Ah, well that could explain it then, thanks Claw3. Do you know why?

YANBU, but as others have pointed out, one caretaker has plenty to keep him occupied. I do feel really sorry for the children that are cooped up all day long. They do need to run around and lets some steam off. My dd took a bag to school today to collect the stray bits of ice that were blocking their walkways. I did try to explain it was a losing battle due to the constant snow fall.

Probably for the same reason as the Council not having enough to grit the roads. National shortage and, because all regions have snow and ice, they can't shift it round the place to whowever's got it. We all have.

Health and safety, they are not allowed to clear paths unless they can then grit it.

If they clear it, it wouldnt be deemed safe unless grit is used to stop it icing over.

Actually, also, even if the playground is cleared, it's still very very wet out there, and many children, unbelievably, come to school inadequately dressed. They come in sopping wet (and cold) and have no change of clothes/shoes.