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Education

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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:

mistlethrush · 11/12/2008 13:52

I've got a 'safe' knife that my 3.5 yo has been using on and off for a year now - he cuts apple up with it - we recently cooked pizza and he cut up all the veg to go on the top. I think by 7 / 8 you should be encouraging your dd to use a normal veg knife safely in the kitchen.

And, no, unless it was a bump to the head of she needed more than a plaster, I do not think that the teacher should have told you in particular - otherwise there are some days when it might take her 40mins to let out the children if quite a few of them have had accidents - easily done at this age.

mistlethrush · 11/12/2008 13:52

PS, hope her finger feels better soon

MmeHereWeGoAWassailLindt · 11/12/2008 13:57

I was quite taken aback when I went into the dcs kindergarten to see two of the children cutting up peppers and cucumbers. Given that the children are 3-6 yo and that my DC did not use knives at home at that age.

I watched for a while and they really did well. That is when I started to allow them to use knives at home.

It is a shame that the UK has become so safety obsessed that letting 7-8yo use knives is now considered too risky.

I would not speak to the school about it. It was a simple xccident that could he e happened at home

frogs · 11/12/2008 14:01

Just be grateful she was allowed to make her own sarnie -- when dd1's class did this unit, the teacher made the sandwich and the dc were only allowed to watch.

Honestly, the more independence you give them in this area, the better they'll learn to handle it. It's well within the competence of a sensible 8yo to do simple food preparation (salad, fruit salad, toast, making cups of tea or hot chocolate, making their own packed lunches), basic cooking (scrambled egg, cheese on toast, bolognese sauce) and simple household tasks (hoovering, sorting, washing and hanging up a laundry load, changing a wet nappy).

They don't magically wake up one morning knowing how to do all of this, you have to teach them. And 7 is on the late side to be starting, tbh. You are doing her no favours by thinking the school should be taking action to prevent your dd incurring a minor injury in the course of a normal activity.

Blandmum · 11/12/2008 14:03

This is, after all, making a sandwitch, not juggling with chainsaws.

and we wonder why people don;t know how to cook....

And why teachers stop doing interesting stuff with kids

Blandmum · 11/12/2008 14:04

wich

not witch

making sand witches is probably banned for H and S reasons

CountessDracula · 11/12/2008 14:05

Blimey
What moondog said basically

I think that shit happens. If they had been given a massive cutlass to cut up a vegetable then maybe you should say something. But a knife?

I have a nasty cut under my chin atm sustained while trying to throw a wayward scarf over my shoulder while holding a paper tube map. Maybe I should complain to London Underground? Surely they should ensure that their tube maps are fit for purpose.

OrmIrian · 11/12/2008 14:08

When is she going to learn to use a sharp knife? There is no need to do anything else IMO. Why did you need any explanation from the teacher - I'd think it was fairly self-explanatory really. And she was given first-aid.

frogs · 11/12/2008 14:08

But did you do a risk assessment before throwing the scarf over your shoulder, CD?

Tut tut.

cmotdibbler · 11/12/2008 14:08

I can't believe you don't let your 8 year old use a sharp knife. My 2.6 year old uses one under my (hand on hand) close supervision, and is sensible about it.

doggiesayswoof · 11/12/2008 14:09

OP was asking the question because she wasn't sure what to do or even whether to do anything at all.

Go easy people.

I agree with everyone else OP, but I get where you are coming from re lack of communication. I would have wanted the teacher to mention it to me, however briefly.

It's harder to deal with too because your dd was so upset about it - makes it all a bit more stressful.

frogs · 11/12/2008 14:10

If you don't teach your 7/8yo do this you miss out on the opportunity to get them to make their own packed lunches while you skulk on MN get on with some work.

Delegate. It's all about learning to delegate.

ScummyMummy · 11/12/2008 14:21

I would buy some cool plasters. I like them and so do my kids. Other than that I would do nothing.

cazzybabs · 11/12/2008 14:22

IF THE SCHOOL I WORK AT ISANMYTHING TO GO BY...THERE WAS no doubt a risk assessment filled out and then a follow up with your dds injury recoreded on it.

if it worried you go and ask the teacher....she probably forgot to mention it whilst trying to remember everything else. She might have you down as neurotic parent for the rest of the year but at lesast you will know what happened.

lilolilbethlehem · 11/12/2008 14:29

We usually get some sort of communication when any kind of accident happens at school . Coincidentally, DD cut herself cutting wood last Friday. The teacher came out to explain and to say it had been washed - but our school can't give out plasters. I can see you'd be happier with better communication. However, I wouldn't be concerned about them using knives at that age - it's part of growing up. I'm sorry she got hurt tho.

morningpaper · 11/12/2008 14:33

I really think that by the age of 8 she should be able to use a knife without lopping off a finger

Lucky they didn't give her a pencil sharpener or she might have ended up in a terrible mess

Buy her a pen-knife for christmas and let her learn to handle a blade... my children lop their fingers off occasionally with knives in the kitchen but how else will they learn that THE DAMN THING IS SHARP, YOU DONKEY

morningpaper · 11/12/2008 14:35

The worst thing about this thread is that 8 year olds need to be taught to make a sandwich

That makes me want to CRY

frogs · 11/12/2008 14:38

that is pitiful really mp, isn't it? My 4yo can make a sandwich. Not a very elegant one, but still. It ain't brain surgery.

Blu · 11/12/2008 14:40

donnie · 11/12/2008 14:42

I so love this thread. I read it yesterday before any one else had posted and wanted to post exactly what moondog said but was too scared.

pmsl @ 'juggling with chainsaws'!!

deckthegirlandboywithholly · 11/12/2008 14:43

Wouldn't have thought it was worth mentioning really.

Bumps on heads are a different matter, because of the possibility of delayed concussion, but a cut finger isn't worth mentioning.

Dd came back from a school trip with a huge cut on her finger where a boy had dropped a big rock on her hand. The cut went from her nail to her hand, but the school never mentioned it.

I on the other hand should not be let near a sharp knife! I knew I shouldn't have been trying to prise two frozen porkchops apart with one........and yes, I cut myself down to the bone. Hey-ho.

ScummyMummy · 11/12/2008 14:44

my boys make a mean nutella sandwich.

morningpaper · 11/12/2008 15:40

Blu, it goes like this:

CHILD: Mummy I'm hungry
MUMMY: Why don't you go and make yourself a sandwich?

cory · 11/12/2008 15:56

What morning-paper said .

The whole point about mentioning head injuries is that the child may forget all about mentioning it because they do not realise that they've been badly hurt and nasty effects can develop suddenly much later. This really can't happen with a cut finger.

I get why you would be worried about the lack of communication with a much younger child. But my ds is 8: he takes himself home from school and if there is anything I need to know about his school day it is his job to tell me, because I only meet his teacher twice a year on Parent's Evening, so the chances of face-to-face communication are few. I always thought my ds was unusually babyish for his age, but even he is fully capable of this. An 8yo is not a baby.

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