Paying for school milk in Year 1

[purplepixie47]

I started paying for my son's milk after he turned 5, and have continued to pay for it for this first term in Year 1. The reasons being 1. He liked having it, and 2. He was classed as underweight, and had stopped eating much when they changed the school dinners at school (and is just as bad at remembering to drink his water!), so at least if the school was forced to put it in his hand I would know he was getting something!
We are vegetarian also, and don't have much time to drink milk at home without it getting in the way of meals, and he has a small appetite.
So.... I met his yr 1 teacher today, and she asked me why he was having the milk. She said she'd never known a child in year one to have it, and he was the only one. She then asked if I would consider "knocking it on the head" because it is disruptive to the class (one child gets upset that he can't have milk), so my son has to drink it outside in the corridor!! And that he's missing learning time by having it.
I'm actually gobsmacked and mortified. Any thoughts?

I think very few children did continue after reception so she is probably correct. You have paid for the term though so I would say that you will review it in December with your son. Has she suggested to the parent of the one child who gets upset that they might like it too then they could both have it at snack time.

I wasn't sure how common it was, but I found a number thread from last year "school milk beyond reception", and there was lots of people saying that most of the class had it in year 1, and some people saying that half the class still had it in year 2. I'm most upset about the fact that he has to go and drink it in the corridor! I doubt she would suggest that the other child sign up too, as the whole thing seemed like an inconvenience to her :( surely they should promote the health benefits of milk!

I'd be miffed that they offer it as an option and then have a problem with you take big them up on the offer.

taking not take big

I teach 8 year olds who go mad for school milk - about 10 kids having it each day. I think that's unusual though, ime.

Depending on how upset the other child gets, drinking the milk out of class is probably tactful. Could the teacher not just arrange with another teacher for him to drink it in their room though? It'd cause very little hassle. Quietly prompt him to go have his milk and he can head off.

Dd5 youngest in class In y1 and stopped having milk although I'd be feeling pissed off if a teacher said that to me and if dd was made to drink it in the corridor,

teacher needs to have a word with the kids mum who's kicking off that they can't have any! Not making your son feel ashamed!

How much distribution can one carton of milk and a straw cause

Disruption - bloody phone!!!!

Ridiculous! I work in an infant school and loads of yr 1 and 2s have milk.

I teach Year 4 and one boy in my class still has milk. He just drinks it outside at playtime and although it's unusual in Y4, it's not disruptive in any way!

I teach in Scotland and the kids in p7 (y6) still get milk!

I think most of my sons class have the milk still.

DS only stopped milk at the end of Y3. DD stopped at the same time (her choice), which was the end of Reception for her.

Our Y1s and Y2s still have it. It varies from year to year, but usually 30-40% of the Y1s and 10-20% of the Y2s have milk. They have it at breaktime, so there is no disruption in class. If child A has milk and child B is upset because they want some, too, then surely the little focal thing is to put a milk form in child B's bag?

BTW OP, you don't need to justify why your ds has milk. Its available and you've decided to make use of your je offer. End of.

This is the strange thing as well - the teacher had no idea that they could have milk... the school does not send a letter or have any information about it. I only found out by complaining to the office about him not eating his lunch, and asked if I could pay at least for some milk. She said oh yes, we're part of the www.cool milk scheme.
The teacher did admit that if it were on offer, then perhaps the school should send a letter informing parents!

Rubbish. If he and you want him to have the milk, that's your choice. I teach year 5 and some of them still have milk.

How strange the teacher didn't know about it. We get a leaflet about "cool milk" with the foundation welcome pack at our school.

We have to register so the school gets sent the milk for those children. It is free until they turn 5, and then if we want to continue we have to pay.

I paid until Year 2 because my son said there were not many children having it and he was missing play time and didn't want to have it anymore. So he stopped having milk at school in Year 3.

My ds was having milk until end of yr2, and I think 1/3 of the class was still having them.
They had milk and fruit time right after morning breaks, while teacher or TA read books to them on carpet in KS1.

I think the teacher is being ridiculous to make him drink it in the corridor, but equally why is he having it in the middle of a lesson? Can he not have it at morning break? I doubt that it wouldn't keep until break in a carton?

This is odd to me. In my kid's Scottish primary there is a dedicated line just for milk orders and every class from P1 (4-5yo) to P7 (10-11yo) can order it. It's 20p a day paid on a Monday and there are loads who order it. The lower the year, the higher amount of kids order it. DD2 who's almost 8 still buys it and she's not alone. Milk is great for growing kids and should be encouraged. If the other children in the class are upset seeing your DC getting milk, then why can't their parents buy them it too? Jealousy shouldn't stop your child being able to have something everyone is entitled to.

She just Ali DS a bit lazy.

My DS is in Y1 and still has milk. Just had to start paying this term b it am happy to do so as he likes it and needs the vitamins due to his fussy eating. Lots of his classmates still have it too. DS1 refused it right from reception age as he hates drinking milk.

From Y1 they drink it outside at playtime at DS2's school. I would be very unimpressed if anyone suggested he stopped just because some other child got upset they weren't having any!

DS in Y1 and has milk, I just asked him if everyone does. He said No, because you have to pay for it. Like I don't know?! But most kids have it, it arrives for 1st break and those who don't get to run off and play first.

So most school doesn't have set time for children to drink milk and have fruits like my ds's school in rec/ks1?