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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

My 6-year old is refused playtime if he forgets his book bag

30 replies

calmbutfuriousbutcalm · 09/01/2011 19:08

My youngest son has a new teacher who doesn't allow children in year 2 to have afternoon playtime on a Friday if they forget their book bag or don't hand in their homework. I'm sure this contravenes government guidelines on play allocations for key stage 1 but can't find the info on the DfE website. It also seems unnecessarily punitive for 6-year olds, who can't necessarily take responsibility for remembering what to bring in when (and harassed parents do sometimes forget...). Am I the only one who thinks this is unreasonable and a bit Stalinist?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

corns1lky · 09/01/2011 19:08

yes it's totally unreasonable

compo · 09/01/2011 19:10

Seems fair enough to me
most 6 year olds remember their bookbags even if parents don't

BelligerentGhoul · 09/01/2011 19:10

It is rather unreasonable yes - but surely you as his parent can help to make sure that he HAS got his book bag and has done his homework, then it's a non-issue, non?

corns1lky · 09/01/2011 19:12

so the child misses play because the parent forgets then?

compo · 09/01/2011 19:14

Well what else can they do? Call in parents over missing bookbags?

corns1lky · 09/01/2011 19:16

so what difference does it make if the child misses play then in that case?

compo · 09/01/2011 19:16

He remembers his book bag next time?

Meow75 · 09/01/2011 19:17

So just HOW old will he be before you start expecting to take responsibility for simple stuff?!

A bookbag is a fairly easy thing to remember, once a week if I understand you correctly.

JoanofArgos · 09/01/2011 19:17

Goodness, I expect he will soon learn to remember his bookbag, won't he - that'll be good!

BelligerentGhoul · 09/01/2011 19:20

How about putting a piece of paper on the door with pictures of the things he needs each day? Then he can check just before he leaves the house that he has got what he needs.

corns1lky · 09/01/2011 19:20

the same children will be missing play each time. The ones that are able to remember or who have parents who remember will be fine. I've taught 14 year olds with dyslexia who couldn't remember their homework. Thankfully that school helped them rather than penalised them.

JoBettany · 09/01/2011 19:20

It seems fair enough - it's one afternoon playtime on a Friday afternoon, hardly the salt mines!!

If it is such a dreadful prospect it might motivate you both to remember the book bag.

compo · 09/01/2011 19:22

Well how can the school help them remember? Ring them up the night before ?

DullWomenHaveImmaculateHomes · 09/01/2011 19:23

I think it's slightly excessive. I make children miss playtimes for bad behaviour in school, not for forgetting things. If I were his teacher I'd be talking to you and asking you to make sure he remembered it.

compo · 09/01/2011 19:23

Christ on a bike when I was 7 I had to remember my door keys and bus money

corns1lky · 09/01/2011 19:26

reward the child for always remembering? My ds gets house points which seems to be as valued as gold dust

Original poster

calmbutfuriousbutcalm · 09/01/2011 19:27

It's not once a week - it's every day. And my 9 year old was never punished for forgetting his bag or not doing homework, as it was considered optional until he was in year 5. I don't expect the school to help me remember (compo) but I do expect them not to initiate a practice which causes my 6-year old to have panic attacks on the way to school if he suddenly realises that we've forgotten something. And that something is often entirely unnecessary - he often doesn't get his homework marked, and he regularly comes home with the same empty bookbag as he took to school that morning.

OP posts:

mrz · 09/01/2011 19:34

I wouldn't punish a child for forgetting their book bag but there is no requirement for schools to have a break and many don't.

Elibean · 09/01/2011 21:11

I agree with DullWomen.

dd's Y2 teacher would talk to a parent if it was a regular problem with any particular child. Missing playtime is reserved for bad behaviour.

daylightdreaming · 09/01/2011 21:25

If it helps, we had a big sign on the door for about a year with Book bag written on it and that seemed to work for us as it's now gone but we don't forget anymore - most of the time

mrz · 09/01/2011 21:31

calmbutfuriousbutcalm could he be forgetting to put his work in his bag to bring home?

lilolilmanchester · 09/01/2011 21:38

as a Mum who did too much to remind her DS of stuff like this and is now paying the price.......... 6 is plenty old enough to take responsibility for remembering his book bag. If he forgets, and misses school play time, than you can give him 10 mins in the garden/park after school to run around. (unless there are reasons why your DS really can't be expected to remember, in which case, you should have a word with the school)

kid · 11/01/2011 00:03

calmbutfuriousbutcalm how often does your DS have to take his reading book in? Could he just get in to the habit of taking it everyday?

I don't think its a big deal for him to miss playtime on Friday afternoon, providing the teacher has the same rule for the whole class. I would play it down to him and just remind him that he still gets lots of other playtimes (Mon-Thurs plus lunchtimes and morning plays) I really do think that the teacher is helping him learn a lesson. Even though it seems really mean to him now, you do often have to be cruel to be kind.

I actually have to rely on my DC to remind me what they are meant to be taking to school, I much prefer it that way rather than me nagging them to remember this or that

magicmummy1 · 11/01/2011 00:14

I don't really agree with making children miss their playtime as a sanction, but I understand that teachers probably have to use whatever works, and may not have that many options open to them. And we're only talking about one afternoon a week, after all.

Unless there are learning difficulties etc I do think that a child of six is plenty old enough to take responsibility for taking his bag to school each day - my dd is five, and in year 1, and I have never once had to remind her about her bag or her water bottle. And by year 2, he has already had a couple of years in school, so he should be used to the routine by now.

sleepwouldbenice · 11/01/2011 00:33

Seems bit excessive to me - maybe lose 5 mins of play instead or smaller privilege. and for persistent offenders not one offs

My problem is that we send our book bag in every day but the books rarely get changed - can I ask that the teachers lose their break?

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