Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Re: Washing up

26 replies

poppy1973 · 27/03/2019 20:51

Is this normal ? My child has informed me that they have to wash the dishes for a regular basis at a primary school. Is this common in primary schools ? I believe the school doesn't have a lot of money for lunch time staff but I think this is a bit too much, especially as they take in their own pack lunch everyday.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Russell19 · 27/03/2019 20:58

The children in my class love washing up the cups in class, we have to put it on a duty rota. Not dinner time plates etc though but I can't really see any harm in it xx

PhysaliaPhysalis · 27/03/2019 21:26

Why shouldn't children wash dishes? It's a life skill, surely?

Myusernameismud · 27/03/2019 21:30

Our 2,3 and 4 year olds take turns to wash the plates and cups after snack. If the weather is nice, they do it outside. Admittedly we take them into the kitchen and re-wash them after because pre-schoolers aren't known for being thorough, but it's a life skill and I can't see why anyone would have a problem with it. It's not as if they're missing lessons and replacing actual paid staff. If you said they have to unblock the toilets I would have said there was an issue, but washing up? Nah.

Myusernameismud · 27/03/2019 21:31

We wash the plates and cups that is, not the children Grin

BrokenWing · 27/03/2019 21:37

Ds's primary rotated chores from washing up to litter picking, in primary 2-4. It is good for them to be given some responsibility and something constructive to do.

Norestformrz · 28/03/2019 05:30

I very much doubt they are washing up after lunch. It's not uncommon to wash cups and plates in the snack area.

icklekid · 28/03/2019 05:34

At our school when the dishwasher broke we had to use paper plates because we had no way to sterilise them after washing up so I doubt they are doing all plates etc...

Original poster
poppy1973 · 28/03/2019 06:34

It is all the lunch plates at lunchtime. Children being left in the kitchen area to wash as there is not enough staff at lunchtime to do this. Wouldn't mind if it is occasionally, but the children are ask to do this every day and have been told that they have to take it in turns and somebody (i.e the children have to do it). The school are cutting back as they used to employ extra staff in the kitchen to do this.

OP posts:
Saucery · 28/03/2019 06:37

They don’t have a catering washer? How would children even be insured to be in the kitchen area for any reason whatsoever?

Original poster
poppy1973 · 28/03/2019 06:40

I know that is what I was concerned about. Not wearing gloves, being in a kitchen, not supervised properly because of not enough staff, slipping on the floor etc.

OP posts:
Saucery · 28/03/2019 06:42

If this is happening then it’s a serious health and safety breach, so contact the Head and ask them to verify the circumstances. You can also insist your child does not take part, as can any other parents at the school.

Norestformrz · 28/03/2019 06:46

If they're washing the lunchtime plates the school would be in serious trouble with hygiene requirements.

NoSquirrels · 28/03/2019 06:51

Are you sure you’ve got your facts straight on this one, OP?

Pinkprincess1978 · 28/03/2019 06:57

Ok the face of it that is weird - I work in a MAT and I've never heard of this going on in any of our schools.

That said, at primary school everyday I used to be one of a small group who stacked the chairs and tables away after lunch (I also used to check the other students had washed their hands before lunch) so I guess this isn't a new thing.

ooooohbetty · 28/03/2019 07:19

OP this is what your child has said. Please check with the school for the facts.

woolduvet · 28/03/2019 07:20

Extremely odd, I'd also be upset that they are presumably missing out of playing outside rather than missing lessons after lunch.
I'd go in and ask what's happening and what kind of rota there is and what risk assessment has been put in place.

Whynotnowbaby · 28/03/2019 07:22

I am very surprised the school doesn’t have a dishwasher (machine) as pps have said, plates need to be sterilised.

HexagonalBattenburg · 28/03/2019 07:27

DD1's class volunteer to be mini-midday helpers (they get their own child sized tabard and everything) who help set cutlery and water cups out... but voluntarily (and a coveted role) and nothing more than that.

00100001 · 28/03/2019 07:35

I'd find out what is actually happening tbh

If they're washing up "all" if the lunch plates.

Or are they helping with (for example) stacking the plates as part of the washing up process?

Saucery · 28/03/2019 07:45

Or perhaps scraping the plates into the waste bucket?

ApolloandDaphne · 28/03/2019 07:53

Are we talking a huge school with 400 pupils or a tiny school with 14?

Bigearringsbigsmile · 28/03/2019 07:54

yeah-not happening

AnemoneAnenome · 28/03/2019 10:21

Hang on, they take packed lunches in and then they wash up all the plates? Wouldn't they just eat out of their lunch boxes?

Is this a tiny school of 12 pupils?

I think you need to talk to some adults to get the facts.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 28/03/2019 14:43

I will be shocked if this is true. There is no way a child can use water hot enough for plates to be properly clean.

I know not all schools have a dishwasher - our kitchen only got one in the last couple of years but children only scraped and stacked the plates, the cooks did the actual washing up.

Children are not usually allowed in kitchen area for health and safety reasons.

BottleOfJameson · 28/03/2019 15:50

They're clearly not being used as cheap dish washers. They probably just wash up their snack plates or water cups which is a great idea. There's huge benefit to children to take some responsibility for themselves and they're hardly involved in child labour by washing up the odd plate!