Boys, trapped inside because of snow, let rip in unsupervised classroom. DD is very upset : (

[Spidermama]

The kids finally went back to school today. They weren't allowed out to play because of snow which I think is very sad. I was brought up in Aberdeen and playtimes in the snow are some of my happiest memories of school.

Anyway, instead they (year 6s) were left unsupervised for the whole of lunch time. DD says some of the boys went ballistic, running around, shouting and throwing things which hit her and others. She kept moving around to different places trying to keep out of their way. She said she felt trapped and thought she'd be in too much trouble if she dared to leave the class.

They pulled a story she had written out of her tray and read it out loud scorning it.

She came home and spent the rest of her day hiding in a den she made in her room. She has three brothers and I think she really needed some quiet time.

She's already plotting how she might be able to stay off school tomorrow to avoid a similar situation. If they hadn't missed so much time already because of snow, I would let her. Actually I may let her anyway. She shouldn't have to go through this surely?

What would you do?

I would go into school in the morning and speak to the teacher.

I would be knocking on the Heads door fisrt thing in the morning demanding an explanation, and insiting my child and the rest of the class never be left unsupervised agian.

I would check whether the classroom was really left entirely unsupervised or whether the supervisors were just not doing a very good job.

It's completely unacceptable for kids to be allowed to run riot like this when stuck in - all our classes were supervised, and the teachers normally helped cos it's obviously much more difficult to supervise kids inside than out.

If this was the case then the head needs to sort it out.

Your poor DD .

How old are the kids in Year 6?

My children are bouncing off the wall when they come home from school as they are not aloud to go outside. Its not dangerous to walk on snow. Let them out.

(sorry - in Ireland, so have no idea)

Y6 are 10 and 11 year olds.

10 and 11 year olds

Fairymum, I'm afraid alot of schools take this stance now - tis crap, but then parents do sue schools when their children trip over their own feet and break their wrist so I can kind of see where they're coming from .

I think you're right that I need to go in and talk to the school. It's unacceptable isn't it?

There's a problem though. DD says she'd rather not be identified. If I ignore those wishes she may not want to tell me stuff in the future.

Thanks.

Sounds like overall bad supervision and behaviour. They should be able to be left alone for awhile, but need to be "spot checked" at that age.

I am v at them mocking your DDs story. Little brats.

Round here, it's not nice soft snow which is fun to play in unfortunnately. The playgrounds are more or less ice rinks - rock hard, the compacted snow is, so the children have been kept in. I would be horrified if it really is the case that they were left unsupervised in a classroom for any length of time.

When DS1 heard us talking about it he explained to us that they have a build up of energy which should be and is normally expended in the playground after lunch. They all basically ate their lunch and went bananas. It was Lord of the Flies in there.

Can you put in a discreet phone call instead? I know kids worry so much about being seen to tell on their classmates, but if you phoned then no one would know?

I agree. A phone call saying more supervision is needed and a stern warning not to identify your DD.

She need never know.

Would definitely let the school know. I also think it's awful they were not allowed out. I'm just grateful that at ds's school (primary) the headteacher is all in favour of them going out and playing in the snow. When I picked up ds today, the school field was covered in snowmen! And they were allowed to throw snowballs.

Maybe sponge. DD hasn't told me names of the perpetrators and I haven't asked because I know she doesn't want to tell.

Maybe she wouldn't mind if had a discreet word with the teacher or the head pointing out that I don't want the misbehavers to be punished but I want assurances the classroom will be supervised so my dd isn't subjected to this again.

She says she felt trapped. Horrible.

Glad to hear about your school snowmuch. I feel really sorry for the kids around here barred from the wonder of ice and snow they may never see the like of again.

Education? Huh!

Suggest they stagger break times so the kids can charge round the gym/hall/reception/corridors for 10 minutes supervised perhaps?

We have a truly lovely headteacher Spidermama - who believes that children should have fun as well as learning stuff and behaving themselves. He won't put up with bad behaviour, but he really thinks the children should be able to play as well as work. For this reason he has a "no homework" policy - apart from reading he doesn't expect the children to do any formal homework, although he encourages them to talk about anything they are learning about at home. He believes they should spend their time out of school doing other things, e.g. sport, music, art, cubs, brownies or just good old-fashioned playing! He was seen in the playground last week one day looking at the snow and rubbing his hands, saying "Isn't this lovely!" And no, we haven't had any snow-related injuries at our school....

SnowMuchToBits - where are you, it's just that I need to KIDNAP your headteacher!

In the dses primary school in Essex, the Year 6s were used to supervise younger junior school pupils having packed lunches, because they ate them in the classrooms, not the dining hall (insufficient space). Year 6s who were packed lunches weren't supervised - they were supposed to be old enough to be sensible.

But even though this worked reasonably well, it's very different to supervise a small number of children eating their lunches or to eat your own lunch and then go out to play than it is for the whole class to be cooped up inside all dinner time. Leaving them unsupervised was just asking for trouble, and the school owes your dd an apology, OP.

We are just outside Ipswich in Suffolk! But you can't have him, because we want to keep him!

I've called the school this morning and reported it to the recpetionist. She's fab. Anyway she is going to get the head to phone me.