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Original poster

Injury at school as a direct result of a "curriculum" activity...not sure what (if anything) I want to do about it)

64 replies

DoNotsAntlers · 10/12/2008 21:59

As part of my DTD1s (Yr3) design technology (or whatever it is called) activities todays activity was to make a sandwich.

She came out of school with quite a nasty cut to her thumb and finger - to the extent that she appears to have actually cut through her nail on her finger and into the skin below the nail. The cut on her thumb is quite jagged. She was cutting apple with a vegetable knife. Looking at the state of her tumb it appears that it was a fairly blunt vegetable knife - but IME that makes it worse in some ways as a blunt knife is typically more destructive.

The teacher is aware that she has done this as she has recieved first aid - and has a plaster. BUT I have no incident report (and no explaination from teh teacher) - which is more my concern than the actual injury. If I did this in work I would have to report it as an accident - and it would be followed up with an investigation and actions to prevent it in the future.

On the one hand I don't want to check up as I don't know that it hasn't been appropriately recorded....but I do feel that I should get a "bump note" the same way as I do for playground bumps to explain what has happened.

I am upset that they were using vegetable knives to cut apples...banana's, mushrooms etc. which are softer and easier to handleI can understand but a sharp knife with apple - I wouldn't let her do that at home. And I am upset at the lack of explaination. I am concerned that it hasn't been appropriately logged....

OP posts:
Original poster
DoNotsAntlers · 10/12/2008 22:24

Any opinions before tomorrow?

OP posts:
thornrose · 10/12/2008 22:28

My school logs all accidents in a log book but only gives letters to parents for head bumps!
I think the teacher should've looked out for you at home time and had a chat about it though!

MrsWeasleyStrokesSantasSack · 10/12/2008 22:31

My schools logs any injuries but only gives out letters for head injuries. If we sent a letter home for every bumb we would be filling in forms all day.

Original poster
DoNotsAntlers · 10/12/2008 22:35

But this was an injury which was in essence caused by the activities which had been planned. It was not a playground accident. I occured as she was given a knife by the teacher...and that knife caused the injury.

She was pretty upset that she couldn't sucker her thumb and spent 30 sobbing minutes trying to jsutify why it wasn't her fault

OP posts:
moondog · 10/12/2008 22:36

God, shit happens.
Get over yerself.

roisin · 10/12/2008 22:39

Our school logs all accidents in accident book, (and the paperwork is quite extensive), but only contacts parents for 'serious injuries'.

This is clearly an unpleasant cut, which isn't nice for your dd, but it's not 'serious' IMO.

I'm sure the staff running the activity will think again about the instructions they give to children when using knives.

My children use sharp knives to help in the kitchen, and have done since they were quite young, and - like me - they occasionally cut themselves. This is despite having been taught how to use knives safely, and so on. It's an acceptable risk.

Would you rather children didn't do these activities at all in school?

Personally I wouldn't even raise it, but if you are very concerned have a quiet word with the teacher tomorrow.

cory · 10/12/2008 22:42

Tbh I wouldn't regard a small (=not requiring stitches) cut to a finger as an accident worth recording. Yes, it might have been caused by a teacher-led activity, but it was still a very minor accident.

Ds often hurts himself in similar small ways when doing things I have okayed, so I wouldn't think it was any worse if it's with the teacher. They were hardly putting her life at risk were they? I'm forever sustaining small cuts and burns in the kitchen at this time of year (being very keen on homebaking); doesn't mean I don't want dcs to learn to cook.

louii · 10/12/2008 22:42

Goodness, she will have to learn to use a knife at some point, maybe she wasn't listening to teachers instructions.

So if they have a planned activity like hockey and she gets hit with a hockey stick then what??

Hulababy · 10/12/2008 22:43

Same as everyone here. DD's school has accident log book for all accidents, but only contacts parents for serious injuries or sends not/letter home after head injuries/bumbs.

Ideally teacher could have sought you ut at hometime just to explain, but reality is this isn;t a serious injury, despite being very unpleasant for your DD.

Original poster
DoNotsAntlers · 10/12/2008 22:43

Thanks Moondog....this is hte point of the thread...I am being torn as to whether I should/need/want to discuss it with the teacher.

I am asking for other opinions - because I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. I welcome the opinions - all opinions. I welcome your opinion along with all others but there is no need to get at me for asking for opinions.

OP posts:
moondog · 10/12/2008 22:44

I can't be doing with this paranoid 'cover your back' mentality (and working for NHS I have to collude with it to a certain extent.)

I was called at work once to be told dd had been stung by a bee and did i want to take her home.

dearprudence · 10/12/2008 22:44

My DS is 6. He likes cooking. I let him use sharp knives at home under supervision. I know he might cut himself, and I'm OK with that risk.

But if he got a cut at school that went through his nail bed I would expect the teacher to come out at hometime and tell me about it. I believe the risk is acceptable and would not want them to stop this activity, but I would still want to be told.

moondog · 10/12/2008 22:44

That is my opinion.
Get over yerself.

Hulababy · 10/12/2008 22:45

Would you prefer your DD not to take part in such activities?

I alow my 6y DD to use a knife at home when cooking, knowing she may incur an accident although we do talk about safety too. I currently have a number of cooking related injures, one which sounds very similar to your DDs. It hurts and is unpleasant but not serious.

frankbestfriend · 10/12/2008 22:46

Is year 3 is 7/8yo?

If so I would be annoyed about dd using a vegatable knife to cut an apple.
Agree that something softer would have been more suitable.

I would mention this to the teacher if I were you, but then I have been accused of wrapping the dc in cotton wool

Original poster
DoNotsAntlers · 10/12/2008 22:50

Yes Yr3 is 7/8.

And as I have said I am more worried about teh lack of communication (the teacher stands at the door to let them out - 2m from where we stand) than the actual injury

OP posts:
blondehelen · 10/12/2008 22:52

I wouldn't raise it. My ds is in yr 2 and is quite capable of telling me things that happen, which is only what a teacher or note would do.

cory · 10/12/2008 22:56

Agree; a 7yo can speak for themselves unless they have SN. And sports and PE are also teacher led activities; I wouldn't expect a teacher to feel they needed to find me and explain every time my ds cut his knee open at football.

seeker · 11/12/2008 06:37

Not quite sure what you want to have happened? what good would it have done if the teacher had talked to you about it?

amerryscot · 11/12/2008 07:07

If your concern is about the accident being logged, I'm sure you can relax. It will undoubtably be in the Accident Book.

Blandmum · 11/12/2008 13:38

'Knives used in cookery lesson'

Halt the presses and call the cops

tar and feather the teacher.

Really, she had a plaster put on it, what more were you expecting?

soapbox · 11/12/2008 13:42

I think the fact that you do not let her use sharp knives at home is probably at the root of this problem.

Mine were taught to use sharp knives safely from the age of 4 at home, and their knife skills are excellent now.

It is a shame that in being so protective of her, you have actually caused her more harm.

I find it extremely concerning that a 7/8 year old child, cannot use a sharp knife safely to cut an apple!

Blu · 11/12/2008 13:47

I am the parent of a Yr 3 child - I think the activity was perfectly reasonable - they have been using sharp scissors for some time now - and the accident unfortunate, but not serious.

I'm sure it will have been logged, and ideally the teacher would have said 'oh..cut...hurt for a while but she was fine..plaster' but not essential, I think.

Why was your dd worried that it was 'her fault'?

roundcornvirgin · 11/12/2008 13:50

Leave it. What will you gain from raising it except having next year's class trying to make sandwiches with plastic knives.

Blandmum · 11/12/2008 13:50

I've had some nasty paper cuts in the past, what next? A ban on using paper?

'An investigation and actions to prevent it in the future'

Really? what possible actions can forever prevent children cutting themselves on knives other than banning them? at what point do you introduce them 14? 18? with or without safety guards?