Secondary school planning for dc to eat outside

[SistemaAddict]

We have received the plans for September at dcs' school. There is no staggering of arrival times due to school buses and the impact on the ability to deliver all the lessons. One way system, year groups kept separate as much h as possible. So far sounds ok but then they say that the children will have to get their lunch from the canteen and then go straight outside to eat it. They can of course bring their own lunch but they are still required to go outside. There is nothing under cover, no seating. Dd1s year group has 300+ pupils. Wtf?
Has anyone else had similar plans? Dc are not happy at all and I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to sit outside to eat every day unless it was nice weather and there were no insects.

DS1 is in Year 10 and they have always eaten outside every single day since they stated. The canteen is not big enough for all the children and tbh they wouldn’t go in there anyway. They get their food and go outside to eat it, if it rains they get wet. Doesn’t seem to have done them any harm. Can’t see any solution really until they stagger lunch breaks over the entire day to make sure they all get a chance to sit in the canteen.

Maybe some sort of canopy thing could be erected over some seating.

They won’t melt. It’ll do them good.

It's one thing eating outside for the summer term but all autumn/winter? And with no covered area or seating. Doesn't sound well thought through.

This is pretty normal at my DC's secondary school. The cafe can only accommodate a small proportion of the school.

Our school is planning on having up to 180 in the hall for 30 mins - it looks as if we have to hold onto them even if they've finished eating until we can swap over with the next team coming in. Personally, I'd rather my child was outside most of the time than being in cramped condition with 185 people in a tight space!

The school has two or maybe three canteens. I'm all the character building and being out in all weathers (we walk everywhere whatever the weather) but I don't agree with there being no choice on where to eat lunch. I would hope they at least put up some kind of canopy/shelter over the holidays although funding here is not good (below average I think ) so chances are slim.

Dds are asthmatic and cold air brings on symptoms. Between the eczema that will flare up with the mandatory alcohol gel before and after every lesson and the eating out in the cold and wet setting off their asthma it's not looking good for them at all.

I'm off to look at big coats. We are in the north west. Big coats only come out in minus temperatures but this might change

Not heard anything from new secondary school, but if this us the case I'll send in a flask of soup, not ideal but hopefully it will only last one winter season.

Dd1 has a thermos and I've just ordered dd2 one. Dd1 thinks she will be having pot noodles every day Luckily they love homemade soup and bread rolls and they can have that or pasta. More work for me and expense as they both get FSM but at least they will have a nutritious and hot meal.

Dd2 is quite anxious now about starting secondary now with all the added rules. Hopefully she will soon settle in and love it as much as her sister.

How will the soup and pasta stay warm, does it go in a flask, will that not be awkward to eat outside?

I teach in a college with a big canteen and plenty of students choose to eat outside.

A food flask keeps hot food warm until lunch and is simple to eat from (I use one) - doesn’t take up much space in a bag, no mess and even has a little folding spoon that goes in the lid so you don’t have to carry dirty cutlery. Whether a secondary school child wants to eat from one is another matter! But they might be persuaded when they realise they’re getting a nice warm lunch.

We had to eat outside when I was at secondary school. There was only enough space in the canteen for those who bought food from there. I never did because it wasn't very good and neither did my friends.

I don't remember it bothering us.

At the school I work in, kids often choose to go outside whether it's raining or not.

It's a thermos food flask with a wide neck, cup and spoon. Food will stay hot just fine.

I’m a secondary teacher. Pupils almost always take food outside to eat unless it’s chucking it down. They never seem to mind and getting fresh air and time to walk around is very important.

Lots of them play football or basket ball with a sandwich in one hand as they run around!!

There are 2 year olds who attend full time outdoor nursery all year round in Scotland. The high school kids round here seem happy to stand outside in any weather without a coat and queue to get into the local supermarket to buy lunch. They'll survive but might have to sacrifice fashion in order to be warm.

If you don't already have one consider getting a slow cooker to make soups and stews for the thermos flasks. And the kids are old enough to make them so no need for all the additional work to fall on you!

We used to go to school without any heating in the winter for days on end when it broke. We survived.

I'm struggling to follow this and I'm hoping someone may enlighten me. I can only assume school lunch as I know it has changed. No longer two courses eaten from plates using cutlery whilst sitting at the table with plastic
Beakers and a jig of water in the centre.

This is what I had and my own children too.

I’m intrigued the school I worked at never allowed eating outside because the shite that would be left would attract rats and seagulls, most of the kids comply and eat inside but there’s still rubbish everywhere, who is left clearing it all?

@Bercows

It's a thermos food flask with a wide neck, cup and spoon. Food will stay hot just fine.

Thanks

This happens at our secondary, my dd hates it as nowhere to sit and also juggling bags etc if floor wet. Makes me laugh as on the open evening they made a big show of the canteen, which they’ve never actually been in! I do think it’ll probably work better to reduce transmission in winter, however it’s not ideal. Possibly an earlier start and finish before lunch might be better, mine only have one lesson after an hours lunch anyway.

Posters on here were ASKING for that in order to get schools back. Suggesting that we teach in marquees. Which don't have heating.

Apparently all will be fine.

Students eat outside almost all of the time anyway.

In our school if it rains they will remain in their classroom for break / lunch. No hot food is available, school lunchbags will be ordered for FSM. We use biometric fingerprints to pay for food so that can't happen.

All covid plans will be reviewed at the end of September so just because they are suggesting it now doesn't mean it'll still be happening in November.

@user1497787065 those types of lunches are available but most students either choose quick snack options or will take their meal in a takeaway container (our school uses fully compost able cutlery and pots) like street food, chicken, veg and noodles are always a big hit at my school as they can be eaten outside.

Well I’m going to go against the grain and the “it will toughen them up, we never had a roof when aahh was a kid” brigade. Sure a lot of teens choose to take their noodles outside but that’s different to being shoved out no protection day after day. If it’s pissing down would I like to stand outside for 30 mins with a flask of stew? NO and it doesn’t make me a snowflake either nor the children that don’t want to stand up gulping down their food.
I think it’s crap OP but there you are the schools are trying their best our secondary is doing 2 sittings they only get 15 mins but can eat in their zone.