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Primary education

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

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Original poster

Running banned in playground

28 replies

GothDetective · 10/02/2010 12:33

DD's primary school have banned running in the playground after a girl was knocked over. All the children are now only allowed to walk. I'm a bit annoyed as I always thought that playtime was a good time to burn up some energy and calories.

Lunch time play has also been shortened to 10 mins before lunch and 10 minutes after lunch. DD says its because some of the boys were been naughty in the playground.

I feel like saying something to the school about it but am aware that it probably wouldn't make any difference.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

JiminyCricket · 10/02/2010 12:39

A carefully worded polite letter to the head suggesting that this might not really be in line with encouraging healthy lifestyles or letting children play as they see fit in their breaks, and asking for assurances that this is a short term response to an issue and not an on-going policy, with a date that normal play will resume. Alternatively, if you find it difficult to write, I would take it to one of the parent govenors, or other govenors. I would be fuming...my school has a tendency to keep kids in onrainy playtimes quite often and they put a film on in the hall but make them sit still on a cold hard floor, I think its rubbish.

Cadelaide · 10/02/2010 12:42

Oh it's sad, it really is.

How can you ask children not to run at playtime?

yes, bring it up with the school, I think it's very important. Jiminy's approach is good, I think.

spongebrainbigpants · 10/02/2010 12:43

That is insane!

Running around at playtime is essential for some of them to burn of that excess energy - if I was a teacher there I would resign!!

Find out what the other parents think.

World has gone mad .

smee · 10/02/2010 12:48

That is the most bonkers thing I've heard in a very long time.

hocuspontas · 10/02/2010 16:19

Suggest cordoning off a section of the playground for 'quiet play', where there are benches to sit on and no one is allowed to run and shriek.

The teachers will not like having children in lessons that haven't had a run around. I'm sure the current arrangements are short-term.

abride · 10/02/2010 16:21

Nutcases.

activate · 10/02/2010 16:21

I'd complain a lot if this happened

I'd be straight in to talk to them

if it didn't change put it in writing

if it didn't change inform the governors and LA

this is unacceptable, young children need to be allowed to run off excess energy they are obviously simply not monitoring or directing play adequately

tell them to consider zoning the playground and getting more lunchtime staff

I think this isn't even open to discussion it's awful

abride · 10/02/2010 16:21

That would be the school, not you, btw!

cornsilk · 10/02/2010 16:22

that's ridiculous

playftseforme · 10/02/2010 16:22

I think this is ridiculous. My dd falls over her own feet on a regular basis at pre-school (not quite the same thing I know but..) and the last time she saved herself with her face - cue trip to minor injuries unit and steri-strips ago-go. BUT I would never ask for her or others to not be allowed to run around outside, for the reasons that everyone else has mentioned.

MissWooWoo · 10/02/2010 16:31

wrong on so many levels

Flightattendant · 10/02/2010 16:41

Surely this is temporary?

freakish thing to do otherwise.

Oh dear oh dear.

GrimmaTheNome · 10/02/2010 16:43

Ridiculous. AFAIK the only thing banned in DDs playground is full-size hard footballs (they are only allowed on the field). They even allow bulldog (well, we all survived it didnt we?)

Children have to be able to play tig.

DD has come home with scrapes more than once as the result of collisions, its part of life.

probono · 10/02/2010 16:45

Don't believe it. No head is that stupid.

Original poster

GothDetective · 10/02/2010 16:50

I'm not making it up!

I haven't spoken to a teacher yet as DD hasa friend over for tea and didn't want to go in and have a conversation. I know that other parents aren't happy but I will find out whats going on tomorrow. Its definetly true as other parents have heard the same from their kids.

OP posts:

hatwoman · 10/02/2010 16:52

omg I would struggle not to go ballistic. there is zero sense of proportionality. what next? ban pencils because they might poke their eyes out? ban books because they might strain their eyes? ban pe? ban making friends because they might fall out? ban eating because they might choke? school's a dangerous place. I think it should be banned.

running, free play and - even - falling over is part of their education and a school that fails to provide is failing.

hatwoman · 10/02/2010 16:53

that last bit didn;t really make sense. was cross!

BornToFolk · 10/02/2010 16:54

I thought this would be a joke thread!

I can't quite believe it. I'm sure you're not making it up but is it possible that your DD has got the wrong end of the stick and they're just asking the kids to play a bit more carefully?

Original poster

GothDetective · 10/02/2010 16:57

Well one of the other mums said that her DD (who is Yr 5) has said that they are only allowed to go . Any faster and you're shouted at.

OP posts:

Original poster

GothDetective · 10/02/2010 16:57

Maybe I should sprint across the playground tomorrow morning and see if I get the whistle blown at me.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 10/02/2010 17:00

Definitely ask first what has actually happened?

Is it temporary due to the poor behaviour you mention in the OP? Say to the end of this half term?

If it is a new rule and hear to stay then you need to complain. I work in a primary school and yes, children bang into one another and have accidents, but children re children, they need to run about and let off steam.

TBH the schoola re being very silly anyway - imagine how wound up the children will be with limited play and no running about to let off steam. By afternoon classes they will be up the wall in the classrooms.

I also can't imagine the teachers are too happy if their own lunch break has been shortened - which it must have been I guess if the children's playtime has - either.

The school needs to havea designated quiet area in the playground for those who don't want to run about can be. They do not want to be stopping children running about ltogether though.

YoMoJo · 10/02/2010 17:01

sounds like a story for "The Daily Mail"

They obviously dont have Healthy Schools Status

And reducing the amount of time children have for unstructured play & physical exercise would seriously effect their behaviour in the classroom!

Flightattendant · 10/02/2010 17:14

I wonder if some of the kids have been being too rough and this is an attempt at whole-school punishment etc...maybe they are just making a point for one or two days, understandable if so but any longer and it's counterproductive, and grossly unfair on the others...they need to deal with the kids creating the problem, not penalise everyone else

Bonkers.

Original poster

GothDetective · 10/02/2010 17:30

Have just spoken to DD and her friend about it at tea and seems it was only temporary. Full running allowance has been restored today. Think it must have been a whole school punishment.

Glad I didn't go into school about it this afternoon. At least I don't have to ring the Daily Mail.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 10/02/2010 17:32

Phew GothDetective.

Glad it is all sorted out and definitely only a temporary disciplinary thing.

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