School to be built with no playground or breaktimes because if children are enjoying lessons they don't need breaks - Has the world gone mad??

[coppertop]

The link is here but it takes a while to load.

A new secondary school is being built without a playground and the plan is to have no breaks either. I found the following quote quite disturbing:

"Project manager for the academy Miles Delap also defended the decision and said: ?This will not be like a traditional school, and we are setting it up like a business. You would not expect office workers to be allowed outside to run around."

My children aren't yet at secondary school age but this seems like complete madness to me. This is a state school btw.

Does this happen in other schools?

But studies show that children cannot continue to effectivly pocess new information without a break (or adults for that matter).

yes but break dos not have to mean outside
ion fact most scondary kids HATE going outside

brain breaks in class.

But I do think a break that involves being able to move freely and talk freely is var important too.

We didn't really have break time in Italy. school was from 8.15 to 13.15 with a 15 mins break at 11.10.

But I doubt that they will have places to congregate inside either.

They will just be going from A to B.

I suppose that this could be got around with creative architecture, but I doubt that will happen, because that will cost big bucks. And will not have an obvious 'payoff' to the people planning the school

Pointydog, the trouble with 'brain breaks' in class is that curriculum time is so short, you don't have the time to plan them in.

Not with the three part lesson and the rest.

admittedly, easier in primary mb

I actually think a much shorter academic day with a ten minute snack and drink break can work - it does in Europe. Then have clubs for sport and homework etc until 4pm or whatever. The only prob is that if the clubs were voluntary working parents would have even bigger problems supervising children.

Hallgerda -

Miles Delap

Idle sample
Pedal slime
A mild sleep
Simple lead
Seem pallid
Sad limp eel
I'd smell ape

Let him pedal his slime elsewhwere...

I'd got sad limp eel and pedal slime!

Also damp sillee and mad eel lips

Lots of part anagrams like simple, I'm asleep, lies, mislead, smell, small pie.... what a brilliant name.

It might not have a playground but it will have -
"The landscape will incorporate a wetland eco pool for rainwater retention and be planted with wild grasses and flowers. At the main entrance to the building, an amphitheatre will be formed.

The Academy will have a new all weather pitch for hockey and football and the existing tennis and netball courts will be resurfaced. There will also be 4 grass rugby and 4 grass cricket pitches. "
Link to the acadamy website.
Not too sure how the break times work though.

fruitful and wheresthehamster, those are great anagrams. I think "I'd smell ape" is particularly apposite in the light of "pupils may hydrate during the learning experience" (thank you, SueW, for that chilling quote).

It doesn't say in that article and I haven't read all the posts but the fact the school is going to have over 2000 pupils (sorry, employees) would be enough to have me heading for the hills. Talk about a factory production line.