Golden Time. Does anyone else feel uneasy about it?

[Roseformeplease]

My daughter's school has recently had a total change of staff including a new, rather domineering, head. The school is a tny, rural one and had an excellent reputation with no behaviour issues at all and an outstanding inspection. There have never been any " behaviour management" systems in place before. The pupils worked really hard, got on well and played together. The new Head has put in place "golden time" which is taken away for bad behaviour. I am very uneasy about this as, up until now, good behaviour has been its own reward. They have not needed an incentive.

Can the Mumsnet jury let me know what the feeling is? I would be interested to know if it actually works or, as I suspect, it just teaches kids to behave for a reward rather than as a habit.

FGS. You are nit picking. In this context, behaviour management strategies means a system. I think of guiding, advising and so on as personal and inter personal skills and of course every school teaches these. If you want to join in the conversation, stick to the matter in hand!

Sorry OP, my comment was meant for rosebud.

Thanks, delphine.

Are there any behaviour problems amongst parents at your school, delphine?

This thread is a joke right?

At dd's school golden time is a given unless you have been naughty. That seems fine to me, assume you will be good so you get a treat, if you are not you lose "free" time. What is wrong with that? Golden time is when you get to do art, play with a toy you have brought in, chat to the teacher... no internet.

You really seem to be over involved to the degree that you seem to want to approve the new heads ideas and decisions. To be thinking of looking up research which supports your own views is bordering on the ridiculous tbh. Give it some time and then if you are truly unhappy with something which is having a negative impact on your child you can complain. Otherwise it appears to be more about trying to manage the school yourself.

Behaviour problems? Not sure what you mean.

And that seems to be the crux of the matter.

No, cansu, research based practice is the accepted way to bring about change in education. You wouldn't want to go to a doctor who changed your medication based on anecdote or hunches. Likewise, when you are in education, you look at the available research and try and see what would be the best way forward for pupils. This research changes and is updated all the time, much like in medicine, and so classroom practice changes to accommodate new research and teachers need to be aware of new research and, thus, choose best practice.

No rubberglove - not a joke. Just not something I have seen before because there has never been a need. I remembered an old thread about golden time and there being strong views either way and wanted to see what people thought. There really are good schools (free) with no problems or concerns in them in the UK. I am just sorry that my daughter is no longer in one of them. Fortunately, she does not have long to go and half an hour a week won't kill her.

Not trying to manage the school myself. Far too busy. Just, you know, posting on an internet forum seeking wisdom. If I were trying to manage the school myself I would be letter writing and shouting, not on here.

Oh just stop it Rosebud and get yourself over to AIBU with your snide comments. I have no idea what you are banging on about. This is a discussion about the merits of golden time and perhaps you would care to keep it that way.

delphine, having worked with troubled children and teenagers in both rural idyls and inner city areas, your assumption that there have never been any problems major or minor at your school really upsets me. There is absolutely no way that there has never been a child through your school who is being sexually or otherwise abused, witnessed domestic violence , is newly bereaved, bullied or who has parents going through a traumatic separation. No way. These things are tragically all too common.

Children will enact their distress is a variety of ways.

What most certainly doesn't help in these situations are adults pretending that everything is wonderful. Really, it doesn't help. Which is why I find your attitudes so distressing.

I'm not a fan of Golden time but neither am I a fan of ignoring the complex realities of the lives of children and young people.

For what it's worth I don't like Golden Time either.

I think you misunderstand me, Rosebud. While I do not have information about the personal life of all the children in the school, there have been numerous looked after children who, no doubt, have had very complex lives, many filled with misery. By problems, I mean discipline problems or things that need to be solved by using Golden Time. Delphine also referred to "behaviour". Of course there are bereaved children and children with a range of issues at home. However, the calm and purposeful atmosphere and the ethos of inclusivity can help children to settle in school.

I am not a fan of Golden time precisely because children who misbehave are "bribed" to do better, rather than being encouraged to do better because that is the right thing to do and they want to do well.

Neither Delphine or I (both, I think experienced in education) would fail to understand how difficult children's lives can be.

i don't like it much, precisely because it seems to me that it's the same kids, mostly boys, who are penalised for it every week. but dd enjoys it loads...

Yes, and if it is the same kids, then it isn't working. And if the good kids always get to do it, then there is no incentive for them to try to be even better, not just in behaviour, but it all areas.

I know where you're coming from, OP. My children also attend a tiny rural school and the "behaviour problems" aren't there. Sure, all kids are mischievous from time to time, but I have experience of other schools and it is a parallel universe.

Rosebud, I am talking about a need for a behaviour management SYSTEM, not responding to the very real needs and concerns of children, nor day to day management, which might include a need to be proximate to a child, the use of circle time or simple 'having a word'. I am distressed by your assumption that I work as if everything was wonderful and am unresponsive to the children I teach. This is very far from the truth, but I am not going to play professional top trumps with you. Please respond to my comments within the context of the discussion, or else don't respond at all.

I think it's great for a lot if kids but makes me sad as my d's had undiagnosed aspergers syndrome and never won golden time and always had it taken off him which made him feel bad every week and now I know he was never ever going to win it .

Golden time is a crock of shite.

The new ht being ex-army is irrelevant.

You need to ask the Head why he or she has brought it in. Whatever others in an internet forum think or the latest research shows, ultimately it's the head who calls the shots.

If there's been a complete change of staff, then the school will change, especially if the new head has definite views about things.

It's hard to believe that a new head would introduce Golden time when there is no need, but entirely possible. Alternatively, there may be issues which parents don't know about.

Does the new head not have any experience of working in a tiny school?

ps if all children are well behaved in the school, then doesn't the introduction of Golden Time just mean that once a week all the children get to do something fun and self-chosen?????? Does allowing a fun, self-guided activity once a week cause previously well behaved children to turn into rioting monsters these days?

I can't see anything wrong with it. It is generally Friday afternoon and a little bit of time to do as you choose, which is lovely because it doesn't often happen these days. Obviously it is up to the child-if they choose not to get on the rest of the time they are choosing not to have free time. It is made clear at the start so it is hardly a surprise! They generally only lose a small proportion of it.
If they are all well behaved then they would all get a full choice-simple.

It's hard to believe that a new head would introduce Golden time when there is no need,
No need for any child to ever get chance to have a free choice of activity? There is no need for children to have visiting theatre groups, chance to do cookery, gardening and 101 other things-it doesn't mean that you should cut them all down because 'there is no need'.