Teachers - is this true?

[branflake81]

Someone told me that it is illegal for a teacher to leave the classroom, even to bob out for five minutes. While it makese sense for the little ones, it seems a bit extreme for older children/teenagers - is it really true?

As a prospective student teacher, this is one my main worries (i'm sure there'll be a few more important worries once I start though!) How will my bladder last!!!

I guess if there was an emergency you could ask another child to go to the office and get help, rather than you leave and leave the kids unattended.

Not 'illegal' per se, but inadvisable for some classes. And I think that you would be held responsible if anything hapened while you were away

Our head would freak if we left the kids on their own - insurance issue! If we need the loo we telephone through to the office and someone comes down for a few minutes. Same at wet play.

I do leave my sixth formers from time to time

phew about ringing the office!

Not illegal. Ill advised though in most situations.

If I need to pop out for a couple of minutes, I can do so without any worries.

We have children unsupervised in classrooms during break and lunchtime, and this is a much 'riskier' situation than 2 minutes of a a lesson with work set and a strict instruction about silence etc. The main rule is that they are not allowed to use computers unless a teacher is present, and they respect that. If they abuse the priveledge, they have to go outside.

yes it was when i taught

,creeky chair>

I would never leave a class for which I am responsible. It would be very ill-advised for about 95% of classes in our school. And the teacher does have a statutory responsibility for the Health & Safety of the students, and I don't see how you can fulfil that if you're not in the room, even for just 3 mins.

I have only left a (non A level) class twice - both times to throw up.

In secondary schools lessons are only about an hour long, so bladder control isn't really a problem.

And I don't let children leave my lesson to go to the loo, so it wouldn't really be appropriate for me to do so...

Been known to pop to the scanner and copier for a few minutes - but leave my TA in the room.

I would hate to imagine what would happen if I left my 5 year olds for 2 minutes.

I wouldn't leave mine with no adult in the room. I am responsible for them. They are 5 though. You have to sort yourself out bathroom wise at break times, just like they should!

It's not that anything drastic is likely to happen while you're out of the room for s couple of minutes. I can think of only one class which I really wouldnt be confident to leave. It's simply that as a professional you should take your responsibilities seriously . And I can't think of many situations where you would actually need to leave a class, if you are organised, well prepared and fit and healthy.