I'm angry. School has banned children from brining back packs.

[spidermama]

Oh dear. The first week back at school and already I'm going to have to start a campaign. Do you think I have a case?

We've had a note home from dd and ds's primary saying children can only bring book bags to school. Back packs and other bags are banned. These standard issue book bags, which fasten with velcro, are only designed to carry one or two small books.
My children walk to school every day with drinks bottles, books and lunchboxes. Most days there's something extra (PE kit, letters, money). I also encourage them to put things in their back packs (cardigans, hats) so they wonn't lose them.

Without a proper bag to put all their stuff in, the school run is very hard for them to manage and I find we're stopping to pick up stuff we've dropped every couple of steps. I can't be of much help with the carrying as I'm pushing a pushchair and holding hands.

Since I bought the backpacks last term my kids have been far more independent and lost far fewer of their possessions at school.

I also think it's good practice because it's healthier and better for posture to carry things in this way. Does anyone know of research which would back this up?

The school argues there's not enough room on the pegs for backpacks. I think this isn't good enough.

What do you think?

Hi, Kama, was just thinking the same thing (only went to school in Norway for a couple of month year 1)but my mum was from Oslo...

Agree that this is completely stupid.

And nice of them to bring in this new policy after everyone has just gone out and bought new bags for the new term.

what could they actually do to you if you ignored their latest dictate and took a bag in anyway?

You could be talking about my DS school

We had a letter this week saying he is not allowed to take a backpack into school.

That he should use a bookbag.

He is in year 6 and gets homework every night.

SO his bookbag is not big enough, he also has a waterbottle {which they encourage}

So I sent him in with a document bag that has a strap that goes over his head and shoulder

Because on wednesday and fridays he has his trumpet and music bag as well as his school bag

They say it is the space between the pegs is not big enough for backpacks

But DS one is not huge so IMHO it is a stupid rule.

IMHO the school ought to sell backpacks for the juniors in the same way they sell bookbags for the children

DS will not go against what the school have said

Ds' school actually supplies back packs: really nice ones with the school crest and a sepcial pocket that is just the right size for their homework envelope. There are also plent big enough for a lunch box, extra books, gym kit etc. The quality is great - and the only cost £7.50.

They are nearly as big as ds though - I hope he grows a bit, before they start loading him with books!

Kama, my mum was Norwegian, from Baerum. But married a "foreigner". When my granddad died she stayed with my grandmother for a bit to look after her. I was consideren to be too young to be looked after by my dad, unlike my 3 older siblings...

obviously a bit of a theme going on in schools - unless we all live a lot closer than we think
Our school is the same - PE kit stays there all term, PE daily...hmmm (understand that they might forget to bring it etc but would be happier if they brought it home on Firdays and back on Monday morning after a wash)
Only book bag, given to them by the local playgroup as a leaving present, allowed. Nice wide webbed straps. Doesn?t look that big, but fits her reading book, journal, large work book and jumper if needed. She carries it over her shoulder and her lunch bag in her hand - one of those that has a separate bit at the bottom for a drink beaker (water only provided, no bottles prefilled drinks allowed).

Got to say that at first I was irritated by the rule, esp as she will soon have to take a swim bag once a week as well. However, they all seem to manage it and doesn?t seem to be as big a problem as I thought. They only carry it to and from school - I pop it on the pushchair when she is tired.
My campaign is going to be the proposed uniform change - to a logo only one to enforce us all to buy direct from school only GRRRR polo shirts are nearly a tenner a go, and it is a state school...

The school my dd will be going to has a school rucksack with the crest on, and discourages the use of other types of bags (for the same reasons as uniforms are used, I think). they hang the backpacks over the backs of their chairs!

When I went to the induction at DS's school before summer his class teacher suggested leaving PE kits there until half term. She claims that at that age they do not sweat much and half the PE lesson is spent in changing into/out of it anyway.

so some schools do not have backpacks...and they cope! So maybe it does not matter so much...

I'm still trying to write a letter to the head but every draft has been crap so far.

Hanging backpacks over chairs sounds like a reasonable solution tissy.

Our school made an exception for the children who brought 'packed-lunches'. You might want to present that option. I agree with you about how challenging it is to juggle everything to school when you have more than one child attending and a push-chair as well. (My DS1 and DD also had violins 2 days a week so they would have looked like pack horses without their back-packs!)

PLease excuse me if I laugh, but are you saying the back pack were banned becasue they don't fit in the pegs? Couldn't pegs be re installed or maybe an alternative system of storage provided. IT seems a bit ridiculous to me that children have to be uncomfortable and mothers being given extra stresses to respect the health of those good old pegs

BTW re hanging the pegs should be far cheaper than getting all the school to buy new bags....

Have to say I get really p-ed off when DS1s peg is crowded out by ridiculous back packs on either side. There's no room for his coat in winter. There is no room to add more space round the pegs unless they build extra walls. It's not like posture is a problem given that he only has one book plus a spelling book in his bag.

I didn't see what age yours are but we have the standard issue book bag for infants (up to end of yr 2) and then when they go to yr 3- yr 6 they have much bigger bags (I think called junior book bags) which they put over their shoulder. I'm sure the school could supply those.

Other than that, could you just chuck some of their stuff on the handles of the pushchair?

ds' school list the School emblemed backpack among the uniform requirements but they were told today (first day) not to use them as there is nowhere to hang them and will be given a folder tomorrow instead. These classrooms were only fitted out last summer too.

Anything to make teaching staff's jobs easier is the excuse do not want to change the situation to accomodate the children

I could not manage with out my 2 carring back packs as I have a bad back which means I have problems carring things over long distance. Dh has told Dd 6 and Ds 4.5 to carry them as he does not want my back being made any worse. Also theylike carring their things makes them feel grown up and important!

The chair lark wouldn't work at DSs school seeing as they don't have set desks and chairs but move from challenge to challenge. ALso, it would make the room too crowded IMHO.