Consent form for school playground equipment

[lizhmj]

Evening

we have been asked to sign a consent form for children, primary, to play at break and lunch on the usual school play equipment under supervision.

i have no issue with them playing on it, but is this usual?

like accidents happen, so either they deem it safe and within school grounds, or it’s dangerous and they don’t.

I actually do not like the climbing frame, open ended, but it is what it is.

do we consent to running sports on tarmac?

is this standard?

google SGov guidance talks about activities and trips etc. consent for that is sent via app.

this is a letter from the school which again is unusual.

Yes, it's for insurance purposes. Why don't you like the climbing frame?

Because it has no anything at one end so it’s just a drop.

is this new then? Because I have four children, this has come about now, and the frame has been there for maybe 30 years. It also says consent for swings.

I suppose it’s just I am being asked to consent to something they have suddenly deemed dangerous, yet I have no idea how that can be policed, large school, lots of out of sight areas, one supervisor.

surely if it is so dangerous it needs consent then it should be a class or gym activity.

They've probably got a new governor who has raised concerns about the possibility of being sued and decided to be on the safe side. I don't really see your worry, it's a climbing frame, of course there's a drop. The purpose of play is to explore limits and learn risk management.

I'd worry that if you do not sign the form your child will be unable to play on the equipment and will feel left out while the other children are playing.

They absolutely won't have a new "governor" seeing as this is Scotsnet and no schools in Scotland have government.

They may however have a pain in the arse parent who sees risk and danger in everything and was in the school office all morning because wee Tabitha had fallen and skinned her knee, demanding to see risk assessments and liability forms and so on.