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Primary education

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Original poster

DVD's at school in Year 1

43 replies

QueenVictoria11 · 18/12/2014 22:29

DS (6) has watched five full length DVD's at school in the past 2 weeks - Finding Nemo and similar. It was the same in reception and I mentioned it to class teacher who said "well it's the week before the end of term" and the Head backed her up by saying it was related to the learning.

I think it's too many, and its not what I think DS should be doing at school.

What does anyone else think? Would you mention it?

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BikeRunSki · 19/12/2014 09:18

DS (6), Class 1 - hasn't seen any films at school! The whole school went to the panto yesterday (paid for by PTA fundraising throughout the year ) and they had a class party one afternoon earlier this week. No dvd (so far) though.

BikeRunSki · 19/12/2014 09:19

Also - this term is soooooo looooong. I'm tired after 4 months too and I work with adults!

Bumpsadaisie · 19/12/2014 11:01

Hmm, I think too many.

In the last week of school my Y1 has rehearsed an Xmas show, done an xmas show, been to a panto, had a Christmas party with craft activities and talent competition, probably watched one DVD (though I am not sure) and finished up with a carol service. They are all shattered and I don't think there is much hope of them learning a huge amount at this time.

so I have no problem with them watching DVDs but 5 sees quite a lot. Mine finds Disney very stimulating and full on and quick moving, as a lot of her friends do. She finds them quite tiring! I think it would be better to mix up the Disney films with things like David Attenborough which are much more slow paced and quieter!

Wantsunshine · 19/12/2014 11:15

5 sounds way too much. They have 3 weeks off to do things like that.

hiccupgirl · 19/12/2014 12:39

5 is too many in 2 weeks but I have no problem with 2 or 3 in the last week of term.

I have a DS in Reception who, like most of his class, is on his knees today. There is no way much more active learning was going to go in his head this week, he's just too tired.

I also used to be a KS1 teacher and yes, sometimes we had a DVD or 2 during the last week of term and sometimes with snacks and drinks. The kids loved watching a film with their friends and it gave the adults chance to sort out and tidy up and also then start on all the planning and preparation for the following term.

Cedar03 · 19/12/2014 13:10

That is a lot of films. My daughter's class watched one film at that age. So far she's seen the Snowman this year Yr 3. They have had a party, rehearsals, singing carols at an old people's home and quite a bit of playing in the last week or so.

They did use Rio as the starting point for learning in yr one - carnival, Brazil, parrots and jungle animals were all taught leading from that.

happybunny2014 · 19/12/2014 13:19

The school I worked at up until I had my DD wouldn't do anything like that until the last half of the last day... Teacher's were under strict instruction to do full and proper lessons with no fun stuff until 12pm on the last day of term. It was crap so teacher's found clever ways round it such as activity books themed on xmas and such or poem/picture contests for prizes. 5 films is a tad much I agree, I'm shocked they got the kids to sit through them to be fair.

Starlightbright1 · 19/12/2014 13:24

Mine is year 3 and has been watching the same DVD since Tuesday...I really hope they get to the end today... I think it is a continuation not back to the begining

SquirrelSwarm · 19/12/2014 13:27

Who gives a toss? It's the end of term. My 8 year old has been too tired to learn for the last two weeks, after a cold.
It's Christmas, folks. Eat, drink, be merry and watch films with great abandon.
OK, so five is quite a few but the Snowman is not very long!

Kaekae · 19/12/2014 20:37

I give a toss. My children watch enough DVDs at home I don't want them doing it excessively at school. One or two at the end of the Christmas term fine but more than that is too much imo.

louisejxxx · 20/12/2014 07:23

I'm pretty sure that amongst the panto trip, Xmas dinner, Xmas party and other things this week my ds has watched a couple of films (he's reception) - I'm grateful to be honest as he was tired enough to break up last week. I don't think there's any point doing much formal learning when all of the above is going on...there's too much excitement in the air.

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 20/12/2014 09:54

DS is Year 2 and has only had 1 this term, Mary Poppins yesterday. It was a BIG DEAL that they were allowed to watch a DVD in school time as it was the last day and they'd worked so hard all term. I'm actually not fussed about a few films during the last week, we definitely used to do it when I was at senior school, I remember them wheeling the enormous telly stand out into the room!

Fuzzymum1 · 21/12/2014 10:36

DS in Y3 watched one film this half term - the afternoon of the school CHristmas fair they combined the two KS2 classes into one classroom so the other one could be set up ready for the after school fair. During the last week of term they have done stuff like making christmas cards, creating their own board games, making a calendar etc - far more productive than films but less demanding than proper sit down learning. He and all of his class were exhausted and TBH if they'd tried to make them work on proper learning I think it would have tipped him over the edge.

Crouchendmumoftwo · 29/12/2014 17:08

My children have watched films as well. I didn't ask how many mind. I know they are shattered and so are the teachers. You are looking at 2.5 films per week which I think is fine. They are in primary school so in the grand scale of life it's not going to make a big impact on them!

In our school a mum in another class in the same year as our daughter asked for them not to watch Disney films and she didn't believe they were educational! SO now they can't watch Disney. Some people are very small minded!

TooHasty · 30/12/2014 00:46

My Dc's primary has a no DVD policy because of parental complaints.They have had a few days out- panto, trip to mosque, nativity play at church/carol service etc but otherwise normal work in the mornings right up until the last day and in the afternoon s have been busy making cars/decorations/presents/calendars and all that jazz!

PastSellByDate · 30/12/2014 09:12

Hi QueenVictoria:

Our school did this and also claimed it was 'educational'. Our solution as parents was to write in to the HT together asking her to clarify how the film was related to the curriculum and document for us precisely how it was being used to support learning.

We never received an answer to our question but were told she'd look into the number of films and their quality.

The following year the number of films radically reduced after that and films shown in class often were only extracts to spark discussion or writing tasks.

Given the introduction of fines for parents taking children out of school during term time, this is becoming a more 'heated' issue - because many families would prefer to leave a few days early (especially if visiting family/ friends/ or desiring to travel abroad as this can represent substantial savings on overseas air fares) and resent that the last days before Christmas break/ Easter Break/ Summer Break are spent on 'nice' and 'jolly' activities (Christmas productions/ church services/ sports days/ easter bonnet parades/ parties etc....) which aren't particularly educational although a lot of fun for young children.

If the government feels they have the right to fine parents for taking their children out of school early for a holiday it does rather follow that parents therefore have the right to demand that every day at their child's school has sound educational content.

I don't begrudge Christmas parties/ Christmas productions/ carol concerts/ church services/ etc... - I think as a child I'd have adored them and clearly they're a lot of fun but fining a parent because they're child missed the Christmas party or sports day does seem ludicrous. Especially if they are a good student and aren't absent much.

AsBrightAsAJewel · 30/12/2014 10:07

"sound educational content." - even if the children are too excited or exhausted to get any benefit from it and it will need to be re-taught the following term.

PastSellByDate · 30/12/2014 17:47

Asbright - I'm not insisting on every day having educational content - however, I find the argument that by the end of half-term the children are too tired to learn (which I agree can be the case) is slightly odd - if that's the case and the government feels every day should be about learning (clearly feeling so strongly on this point they're willing to fine parents) - why not reorganise the school year - maybe two shorter breaks per term - rather than one full week half-term & two week holidays at the end of Autumn/ Spring terms.

I'm just pointing out that now the government has introduced fining parents who take children out of school for holidays (for example) on the basis this results in a 'loss of learning' I think schools are no longer so free to have 'wasted days' of parties/ film watching/ bring a toy in/ picnics/ sports days/ talent shows/ carolling/ etc... given that parents are sitting there thinking I'm getting fined £60 if my child misses this?

I'm sure someone will test the validity of loss of education for missing such 'dead loss' day(s) eventually and legally contest the fine....

...in the meantime the Birmingham solution seems to be to just call in your child sick. Lovely lesson to be teaching our future work force don't you think?

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