Is it normal for children to not be allowed in the playground if its even a tiny bit wet?

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DD is 7 and at the local school. She came home today telling me about all the moshi monster pictures and games she'd been looking at at on the internet at school. I asked why she was playing games at school and she said it was wet playtime so they werent allowed out.

Well, we are about 300 yards away from school and there was a light, and I mean LIGHT, shower at about midday. That was it. 10 minutes of drizzle, the sort that is like very fine mist.

So is this normal, for al the children to be kept in if there is even a tiny bit of rain? Their playtime doesn't even start until 12.30

I do think it is sometimes the wussy teachers. I was cross last year when PE was cancelled for any and every reason - I suspect because the teacher didn't like going outside. And then they wonder why the children (and unfortunately it is usually the boys) are fidgeting and distracted during the afternoon.

DS's school they are out in everything but heavy rain - school uniform is a waterproof coat, and they have to have wellies in school. Teachers have school issued waterproof coats too.

I think it's cos they are worried that a child will slip over and bang their head and they will get sued for negligence.

i doubt its to do with the TAs not wanting to go out- TAs supervise outdoors play most of the time- especially during lunch. TAs have enough sense to know to bring coats/ raincoats to work seeing as part of their job involves working outside for an hour a day. Wet play is a bugger to supervise, far worse than being outside in the cold. Also TAs do not have the authority to say its going to be wet play! Teachers hate pupils having wet play as their behaviour later is worse due to not having been able to let off steam by running around/ getting fresh air. My guess is inadequate clothing and/or slippy playground. If a playground is slippy when wet then that needs to be addressed with a new surface- sadly unlikely to happen given current economic climate.
Monitor it though and see how often it happens.

I'm a mid-day supervisor and last year we had a grand total of 3 wet play lunchtimes - it was tipping down....

We get the kids out when at all possible as we can't police the hall and 14 classrooms with 6 of us! (3 in hall, 3 in playground or even better on field... is much easier). If kids don't bring a coat they get the joys of sitting in the sheltered area doing nothing, so we find after one wet play, that they all bring their coats in for a while - just in case.....

i would think the problem is more with risk of slipping when running about on wet tarmac.

Pupils play out in everything except torrential rain at our school.

I am 99% sure that they are so rain-adverse at our school because they don't want mud tracked into the classrooms.

At DD's school they all take in their wellies which they can change into for outdoor activities (it's a forest school) and wet play. Unless it's pouring down they go out in coats and wellies for some fresh air. They also do their forest activities outside pretty much all weathers (unless it's hail or pouring down). I think it's good for their work ethic to be honest - and also we can't say we're not working coz it's raining!

We have them out in all but the heaviest rain!

I agree with bluebird. Trust me, most teachers would prefer to get a bit wet rather than have to supervise wet play followed by having to teach children who have been cooped up far too long. Of course, the first choice would be to not be on playground duty that day.

Agree completely with madaki- teaching after wet play is horrendous- I would always rather get wet. Our school goes out up until heavy rain, or if the puddles are too deep- sadly though, lots of children dont have coats, so have to stay in

In my dds school they aren't allowed out in rain either. We live in West Wales. It rains a lot. Surely that's what coats are for?

DC's school definitely subscribes to the "no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing" philosophy. All the DC have wellies and waterproof trousers, which stay at school year-round, as do sunhats and suncream in summer and wooly hats and gloves in winter. I drove past at lunchtime and DD and her friends were happily rioting in the rain. If it snows, they take sledges to school. I think they do sometimes stay inside at morning break if it is tipping it down, though - probably because by the time you got them all into wet weather gear break would be over.

Our lot are aloud out in anything bar heavy rain.

We have a few spare coats and there are places to shelter.

At our primary school they play out unless it is torrential rain. We do get frequent reminders for them to bring in coats and even wellies for the younger ones.