Film shown in school - Opinions please

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My dd has been quite upset about a film she watched in school yesterday (Nanny McPhee). She is 4. She says Nanny McPhee (the character) scared her. DD says she told a teacher but was told that she would have to watch it because everyone else was.

Now, I've never watched it so I can't easily pass judgement. But I have looked it up and its a PG. The definition of a PG is it shouldn't contain scenes of a disturbing nature for 8+ but for younger and more sensitive viewers parents should decide whether it is suitable. She hates even scarey bits in the disney films! We've not yet introduced her to not animated films for this very reason, she scares very easily and then doesn't sleep and goes on and on about it for days.

What I don't know is whether to let it lie or say something when we go back at the beginning of next term. DH and I both feel that given her reaction and the fact she actually told a teacher that she should have been allowed to do something else in a different classroom (colouring or whatever). She certainly shouldn't have been made to watch it if it was disturbing her because she's well under 8 and it was clearly unsuitable for her.

But am I just being PFB?

When dd was little, we occasionally had to leave U films as she was petrified. At 4, she hated garden centres where the fish sections were dark, hated cinemas where it's dark etc.

All children are different and the fact that your dd told the teacher she was firghtened at age 4, should have meant she could have either gone to another class to sit and colour/read/whatever or sat away from the screen to colour etc.

You know, watching films in school isn't new.
I watched Bambi on an actual film reel in the school hall when I was 7.
And that was a long time ago.
(And I cried)

I don't think the issue is that the pupils watched a film. I think this is fairly normal in most schools these days - I'm sure if dvds were available when I was at school we would have watched them too, occasionally. Its more about the fact that the child told a teacher she was scared and didn't want to watch, but was made to watch it anyway.

If it was non-educational and therefore non-compulsory, she should have been allowed to do something other than watch the film. She is 4 years old, was scared and told an adult, for that adult to then make her watch the film she was scared of was unneccessary.

If I was watching a film with one of my children and they told me they were scared and didn't want to watch it, I wouldn't force them to continue watching it and that's with them sitting with or even on me for moral support. Despite what people have said about whether or not they think the film is scary and whether their own dcs would have been scared, the OP's dd was scared, why should she be forced to sit and watch something she is frightened of? Different children are scared of different things, she is only 4 fgs, she has plenty of time to learn how to deal with her fears, but being forced to watch a film she was scared of isn't teaching her to do so, in fact, if anything its more likely to fuel her fears.

Agree with Posadas, Pixie, Mayday - 4 year olds should not be shown commercial films. It's lazy teaching. They can do puzzles, build towers, draw or play house....whole point about the kids being in school is that they interact with other kids (or at least be given the chance to), not plonked in front of the goggle box. I only ever saw films in my school when we were 14!! I think an educational DVD is ok, though. eg one showing you how to make things, or having interesting songs to sing along, and is short - at least they are learning something.
I don't think a commercial film is a treat for 4 year olds if the kids haven't all decided to choose the same one -some kids like cars, others dinosaurs, others princesses and fairies. Expecting them to all like the same film isn't logical. On the other hand, dress up usually is - and teaches them to use their imagination and form their own ideas, which watching a film quashes completely.
P.S. I didn't like the wicked queen in Snow White film either. And I wouldn't choose Nanny McPhee till the children were over 8, even if it is a U film....some of the themes in it are a bit complicated, some a bit adult and some dubious (the use of trickery?) - unless you are old to understand it is just a comedy.

Sorry, Pixie, it was Zazizoma's post I meant I agreed with. I do think that if they are just going to show a film then parents who are free to look after their child for that day should be entitled to take their child out of school without it being marked as absent. I do use a lot of tv - but educational tv. The kids might see a film as a treat if it's one they like - in the same way that toffee and crisps are treats - but it isn't as educational as most other class activities. Nanny McPhee Returns (the 2010 sequel) is actually PG. But the plotline of the first film is actually more PG than U. And yes, I agree with everyone else - no child should be compelled to continue watching something that they have said makes them scared. I would have had a meeting with the headteacher about that sort of boot camp attitude being shown to a 4 year old. I wouldn't even force that on a 9 year old. It's a school - the teacher could have let her read some books!

Pixie, I do sympathise with the issues around teachers needing a break, and managing large groups of children continuously is a feature of our state schooling system. Whether this is good, bad, desirable or whatever is another discussion.

But putting in a commercial DVD is not the solution. You're saying that there's no harm in it, and I disagree. I'm concerned that as a teacher you seem to be unaware of the raging debate regarding the appropriateness of film and tv for children.

Personally, I don't believe Hollywood has my children's interests in mind, I think they want to make as much money as possible and if they can get a lovely well-respected actress and a charming story line that will appeal to parents, all the better for soothing concerns. Must sell merchandise. This crap does not belong in schools, period.

We've visited two local schools so far, and one of them says yes, they use films, sometimes as 'educational', but that we could talk to the teacher and she'd let us know to come collect dc at those times. The second school was horrified by the idea of showing films to children, and said "we don't do that here." (Guess where we're sending ours!)

Also, the whole idea that the child should be free to remove themselves from the situation if they desire is great in theory, but what child will actually do this in a class situation? How often are they empowered to make these sorts of decisions for themselves in other school situations, and are they even aware enough to be able to do so? Not a four year old, who will instead trust the adult to take care of them.

No issue with occasional films at all.

Scaring 4 year olds is not on. Different issue (as per Moosemama)

I had a vague impression that films were sometimes shown (in our school anyway) in the last week of term because the teachers had plaques it that way - ie they had carefully planned what was to be covered over the whole term, then left the last bit spare in case the plan didn't quite run to time (different rate of progress, high sick leave, snow days, whatever). If it wasn't needed for teaching time, then other activities, including films (and discussion of films, painting /modelling based on the film) could be done instead.

For KS1 they have U films only, somewhere in Ks2 they allow PG as well, but vetted by the teacher (eg Star Wars IV was vetoed for Ks1 despite being a U).

It's not lazy teaching for heaven's sake! At the end of term it's a treat!
Having said that, if it is a treat and not part of the lesson (and you will find that watching extracts of films is part of the literacy curriculum in KS2 and a very good learning tool) then the child should be given options to do something else and taken out if distressed.

And most of the alternatives that have been suggested instead of watching the film are part of the normal day-to-day curriculum, so not exactly a treat!

Well I won't be that impressed if, having been refused permission to take ds out of school a day early in order to go on holiday I find that he's spent half the day watching a film! Especially as it's been drummed into us how important it is that the pupils attend every single day...

We had the same problem with DS1 watching toy story at the end of the first term. I hadn't thought to mention that all films terrify him and he ended up in tears! I wouldn't have thought they watched films either.

I just suggested if they watched another film he would be better doing some colouring/sticking instead. They haven't watched any others.

Its strange really as he isn't really scared of anything else.

I don't think they were being unreasonable showing it, but I don't think your daughter's reaction was unreasonable either.

Awful that a 4 yr old told her teacher she was scared and was told she must still watch it. Some 'treat'

Agree with Bella's point too.

I can't believe people are getting worked up about a film being shown in school. It sounds like an end of term treat to me.
It's a shame that a child was scared, but maybe there weren't adequate staff to supervise her in another room, or maybe the teacher was trying to make a point that the children all have to partake.

Maybe you need to speak to the staff about what actually happened, as you are taking the word of a 4 yr old. They could have said they were scared at any point during the day and not even reference the film as the reason to the staff. Just ask the staff if they can reassure her. Being scared is an emotion children need to learn to deal with in my opinion. If she misbehaves in the future and is sent to the HT, will you complain that this shouldn't happen again because she was scared walking to the office?

Zazizome actually I would be very concerned if a school was using a film for educational purposes and then agreed that a child should miss that lesson or series of lessons. The DfE are very keen on visual literacy which includes using images and film and while I would hope schools aren't sitting children down to watch 2 hours of Disney using carefully selected scenes or short films can be a useful tool.

OP I'm sorry your daughter has been upset by this film but you need the full facts from an adult.

My children's class 'earn' golden time during each half term which means they can choose a film to watch in the afternoon of the last day of term.

but a bit at the scared little girl.

I agree its good to talk to adults about it - absolutely, I would talk to some adults about it, find out their point of view, but also let them know dd had been scared.

Children of course have to learn to deal with fear - avoidance is not always the answer - but having to watch a film to make a point about 'taking part', or to learn to deal with fear, doesn't sound like an appropriate way to learn to deal with feelings at all. Children - especially four year old children, who are still very much learning about trust, autonomy, expressing needs/feelings - need to know that telling an adult if they are scared IS a good way to deal with fear, and that the fear will be heard and acknowledged.

Its not remotely comparable with having to go and see the HT and being scared, IMO.

Fair enough if they had no staff to supervise her elsewhere, I suppose, but then I would hope the child was listened to and maybe given some suggestions as to how else to deal with her anxiety (eg cover your face, hold hands with your friend/a bigger child, look at a book while the others are watching the film, keep remembering Nanny McP is just a pretty lady dressed up to look scary, etc etc.).

I still can't imagine a child at dd's school simply being told 'you have to watch it', tbh.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has been shocked by the use of commercial films in school, though I'm disappointed to read so many comments in support of the "treat". While I can understand the use of some films as part of a curriculum (perhaps, with older children, to discuss how stories can be interpreted visually), I think there is no place in schools for commercial full-length films. Children should be encouraged to think of other things as "treats" -- listening to nice music (age-appropriate; NOT adult pop music with adult lyrics, as sometimes happens in my son's school!!!), dancing, painting, playing games, etc. Mindlessly staring at a screen should not be considered a "treat" in school.

my ds couldn't watch PG films til he was in year 2. in reception and year one my sons teachers would send a note home about any films and the activity would be optional. the school realised that films could be scarey for some kids.

I agree with lots of what you're saying elibean and recognise that 4 year olds need to learn this, but the next stage of managing fear is self comfort. I'm sure the teacher would have acknowledged it and more than likely gave the child options. No teacher I know would hear a child state they are scared and reply with 'go and sit down' etc. If they did then they shouldn't be teaching little ones.

As for the heads office, I was using it as an example, as it was all I could think of, at the time of writing.

It was an end of term treat and I don't have a single problem with a film being shown as a one off. They don't watch films every week as far as I'm aware.

What I have a problem with is that my dd was scared and told the teacher but was still made to watch it.

No teacher I know would hear a child state they are scared and reply with 'go and sit down' etc. If they did then they shouldn't be teaching little ones.
Yes, well, what can I say. Sadly this is in character of the teacher in question.

It would be worth checking that it did happen as she said it did. My DDs around age 4 seemed to be able to tell some very convincing stories about things that never happened.

Stealthcat Don't worry I will . I know exactly what you mean about convincing stories!