Reception class unsupervised in the big playground

[sunshineunderhill]

DD1 has just started reception class, and seems to be enjoying it all, EXCEPT playing in the playground after lunch. She has been telling me she didn't like going outside for 3 weeks (since she started) but only last night did I get it all out of her; the reception class play out in the big playground with the rest of the school after lunch, not in their dedicated reception outdoor area. DD1 is terrified! She says she feels scared and lost. There is no dedicated member of the reception staff supervising them, and no 'home' area of the playground where they can gather and find each other. And no older child buddy schemes. She says her friend (that she eats her packed lunch with) runs off and then she can't find anyone she knows, or anyone to play with. She is a confident, outgoing child, no wallflower, and it's breaking my heart to have her sobbing at bedtime, her worries about this small part of the day totally overshadowing the rest of her - mostly very positive - day. We've spoken to her teacher about it, who says it's a very common issue, but didn't suggest any structured support. This really doesn't sound like Early Years best practice to me. Today her dad and I have arranged for an older child we know to look out for her, so fingers crossed it will be a better day. I don't want to wade in negatively with the school in my daughter's first month at school and be labelled the nightmare mum. So what should we do? Has anyone else had this problem? What SHOULD the school be doing for 4 and 5 year olds in a massive playground?

I know that a lot of schools do have buddy systems in the playground. Is it a primary school with children from Reception to Year 6 in it as I can see that could be a bit overwhelming at playtime.

DS and DD's school has separate infant and junior playgrounds which does help. DS's old school only went up to Year 4 but they were all in the playground together.

It isn't usual to have a dedicated member of reception staff there at lunchtimes (they do need their lunch as well) but I'm not sure what other schools do in this situation.

Hopefully someone else can give better advice.

DD is in Reception. For the first term they had a system whereby Reception children could play in the big playground, but only Reception children were allowed in the Reception playground. They also have a scheme whereby Y2 children "befriend" children who don't have anyone to play with. As of January - everyone is allowed everywhere. But this is a single intake school. I wonder if the children starting in January have been "forgotten" in whatever playground scheme is used?

As PP said it would be unusual to have dedicated Reception staff supervising at lunchtime.

I would mention to the teacher that DD is a bit lost at playground and see what s/he says. It is possible that there is something in place that your DD doesn't know about. If there isn't it is a reasonable thing (or letting the younger children have their own space at least temporarily) to ask the school to consider.

That's what they do in our school too, but the kids can play in the small reception area if they want to. There are dinner ladies, but no 'teacher' supervising the reception children, and at our school they do all tend to mingle in with the big ones (isn't split infants and juniors, so YR-Y6 all play together.

Best practice does seem to be separate areas. DS is currently in year 2 and the two areas (infants & juniors yr3 up) are only delineated by a painted line. It works though. Same age split but with railings at his previous school. Both have buddy benches though not sure they do work so well?

Start issuing those invitations to come for play & tea?

Ask at pick up time TODAY! She might have got it wrong - if she hasn't then this is very bad practice and I would go straight to the Head about it.

Usually there is either a separate playground or different play and lunch times. And there is usually a dinner lady/lunchtime supervisor/play leader allocated to each class.

(experienced parent and school governor speaking)

Our school has a separate playground for reception children. Afaik they spend all playtimes in there until late in the summer term when all children are allowed to play on the sports field if the weather is good. (Normally Infants & Juniors play on their separate playgrounds.) They have a buddy system too with the Y6 children.

It does sound very overwhelming at your child's school, esp as she has just started, and not really in line with best practice. How many forms of entry does it have?

It is a 2 intake school, so my daughter only started in January (along with 7 others in her class). The school has about 300 pupils. DD1 came from a very small pre-school (16 children, 4 very experienced staff), and I wonder if she would be having this problem if she'd been at the school's own nursery, which is much bigger and who's play area looks out onto the main playground so at least it would be a familiar-looking environment. As most children come to reception from the nursery perhaps this doesn't come up much? I wouldn't swap her pre-school experience for anything mind you - it was amazing..

Remember, ask her teacher about it today! Then come back and tell us what she says.

Your daughter isn't unsupervised she is in the playground with lunchtime supervisors so that the reception class staff can have their lunch and prepare the classroom for the afternoon. She is new so is probably alarmed not to have familiar faces and perhaps it would be a good idea for the staff to introduce her to the lunchtime supervisors so she knows who is who. She is bound to feel overwhelmed coming from such a small pre school and it is still very early in her school career.
Our reception children share a playground with Y1 & 2 at lunchtime and have their own designated supervisor so it always the same person (unless ill).

What did the teacher say, sunshine?

So I saw the teacher after pick up time. There is a dedicated reception space (I was shown it proudly on the 3 occasions I visited before she started), but it turns out they can only use it during classroom hours as they don't have a staff member to supervise it at breaktimes. Morning and afternoon breaks are staggered so that there is only key stages 1&2 in the big playground (I think that means infants), but in the break after lunch it really is the whole school up to year six. This morning at drop off the teacher said there wasn't a buddy system, this afternoon she said there was, but it's not formal. I asked if there was a playground helper for each class - the answer was no, there isn't. No-one has come up with any constructive suggestions, just telling me that in their experience they get used to it and settle in. And DD1 said she didn't play with anyone at lunchtime again. Advice please!

OK - I think this is completely unacceptable unless it is a very tiny school indeed. Did the teacher say what your dd should do if she couldn't find anyone in her class? I do suggest you talk to the Head - this really isn't best practice at all.

Agree that they are totally not following best practice. Our school is small (single form entry) and they don't have any problem supervising the reception playground. I suspect that apart from lunchtime it is the reception teacher & TA who take turns to do the supervising though, so perhaps the teaching staff at your dds school are unwilling to do this... but having said that, surely all teaching staff have to take turns at playground supervision? At lunchtime they should have enough mid-day supervisors to cover the reception playground too.

It isn't a small school - just under 2 classes per year, so about 350 children, and it is only the half hour lunchtime break when the whole school is out together in the big playground that freaks DD1. I wonder how much it would cost to have a playground supervisor in the reception playground for half an hour a day? Can parents fundraise for things like that?

Have spoken to husband (who dropped her off this morning) and he's making an appointment for us to see the head - most likely Monday. No-one at the school has suggested or promised anything beyond 'we'll keep en eye out for her', which I just don't think is enough. As she wailed on her way in this morning, I realised we need a structured approach - a buddy for her, a supervisor so that they can play in the reception playground after lunch, or a play leader for the little ones in the big playground. I also spoke to another reception parent whose little boy is also terrified of going outside after lunch. I think a change is needed. Am I being unreasonable? I know they get used to it eventually, but the processes that go in their head, and the relationships that form in the troubled period, are not without lasting consequences sometimes.

Where I teach the whole school plays on the same playground after lunch. Its quite a small school though, only 110 pupils and the older children really look out for the younger ones.

I wouldnt want my Reception class playing in their outside area at lunch as Im setting it up for the afternoon and I would worry that they wouldnt play with the equipment properly.

She will get used to playtime but the school could do more to help-a buddy system or friendship stop where children can go if they need someone to play with for example.

Good luck :)

I wonder how much it would cost to have a playground supervisor in the reception playground for half an hour a day?
A few thousand per year in wages and employers NI contributions
Can parents fundraise for things like that?
do many have the same concerns? If not they are unlikely to be interested.

At ds's school they have a frienship bench which I think is a lovely idea. Basically if anyone is feeling lonely they sit on the bench and the other kids just know that that means they need to go and talk to that kid.

It's not a really small school, 2 classes per year and the children seem so lovely. My ds is in reception and he's talked about some 'big boys' since he started, it seems that the older just know to look after the little ones.

Sorry your little one is having a tough time
x

The school I work in have lunch time supervisors ie. who watch the children at lunch. The teachers and TA's do the break supervision.

It was like this in my DDs school too...so I got together with another mad friendly Mother and one day, with the teachers help we ran a workshop on old fashioned circle games.

None of them played stuff like Farmer in the Dell or Dusty Bluebells and What's the Time Mr Wolf...so we taught them how.

The kids who were a bit older (7 or8) really loved them and the small ones joined in and now they organise their own,

Circle games bring the kids together...if your DDs school is bigger, you could do similar with her class? Even at ae 4 they can play simple group games. Many of hem feel lost and games like this put them on an equal footing.

Or is there anyway that you could ask if parents who are CRB checked might want to help you organise a rota for watching he kids in their own play area?

Speak to your DD's teacher - in a nonconfrontational way - and explain the issue. As far as I'm aware, there should be playground monitors for smaller primary school kids at lunch time. At DS1's school the lunchtime monitors appear to be parents who have been CRB checked to help save on funding.

DS1 started reception in September and had a few instances of being pushed at lunch time by older kids in the playground which made him v sad - I spoke to his teacher about it and she was great. Spoke to DS1, spoke to the playground monitors and we havent had an issue since.

There you go...dinky says her sons school have parent vounteers...maybe you need to be the first to volunteer OP? Speak to the PTA.

The one time I asked about parent helpers (a propos something else) I was told it costs over £60 to CRB check someone, and they wouldn't fund it. I would fund my own if it meant I could help in the playground (what I'll do with DD2 is a separate question), but I couldn't really ask other mothers to fund their own too..

Even if you funded your own CRB the school would need to insure you and as you would not be employed by the school you would not have employee liability cover so could be personally sued if a child were injured actually it is a legal minefield