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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Don't want to put this in AIBU - but am I?

50 replies

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:24

Rather annoyed about something that happened at DD's school on Friday. The fire alarm bell went off near the beginning of lunch break and all the pupils were herded out of the building to the designated fire assembly points. Those who were already eating lunch had to leave it. Many children, including DD2, were in the lunch queue and had not yet got any food.
They were kept outside (quite properly, I have no quarrel with the school following the correct fire drill obviously) until the all clear was given, by which time it was the end of lunch break and they had to go straight to their classes. Some children who had packed lunches (DD1 for instance) were allowed time to eat it in class by their teachers. Those like DD2 who had intended to eat a school lunch were given no concession whatsoever. They went hungry.
I think this is completely unacceptable, but am open to being told that I am being unreasonable before I pen a polite missive to the school requesting that they look at their procedures for ensuring that children get fed in the event of the same thing happening again. What would you do?

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 29/01/2012 11:26

Was it a fire drill or was there a possibility there was a fire? I wouldn't be happy and would be contacting the school.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:27

Rumour is it was set off by students as a prank. Something that happens quite frequently.

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 29/01/2012 11:29

Oh ok. I just wondered if it was a drill it was a stupid time to do it. Did your DD say anything to the teachers at the time? Bet the kitchen staff were too.

bibbitybobbityhat · 29/01/2012 11:29

Yanbu. Of course it is not acceptable.

Catsmamma · 29/01/2012 11:30

I think you are being a bit precious...they're hardly going to waste away for the want of a plate of chips and beans school dinner

and the kitchen would have cooked that day's food so starting lunch again is a no go, and none of them are going to go back to their cold congealed lunches.

whostolemyname · 29/01/2012 11:32

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. Its ridiculous.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:33

I love the Catsmamma. Must try that next time I really want to patronise someone on here.

Sparkling - I don't know if DD herself said anything, but she said that some people who complained were told that the teachers hadn't had any lunch either.

Bibbity - thanks.

OP posts:

hocuspontas · 29/01/2012 11:35

First of all it's not a stupid time to do a drill! A drill at lunchtime throws up all sorts of logistics that may need ironing out incase of a real fire at that time. I would imagine that they will now look into what they should do about hungry children if a real fire broke out. Open up the vending machines? Who knows? I wouldn't be angry but just try and suggest something.

Catsmamma · 29/01/2012 11:35

it wasn't meant to be patronising, just not something I consider worth getting vexed about.

and yes, the teachers won't have had lunch either.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:38

Catsmamma - I work in a school myself and often don't have time for lunch - that doesn't mean I would find it acceptable for the children not to have been allowed any. And personally I would not want to teach a class full of hungry children all afternoon.

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 29/01/2012 11:39

That's me told then hocus.

hocuspontas · 29/01/2012 11:40

I meant to put a after that! I've read it back and it sounds like a right slap! Apologies

southeastastra · 29/01/2012 11:44

i agree with catsmamma - it happens! contact the school and get them to write a new policy about it happening again.

really let it go

Original poster

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:44

Hocus - yes. All I want to do really is to point out that they need to have some sort of contingency plan in place for this sort of scenario, especially as according to what the DDs have said it was not a totally unexpected one.

OP posts:

Original poster

Themumsnot · 29/01/2012 11:45

SEA - so which should I do. Point out that they should have a plan or let it go?

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 29/01/2012 11:46

That sounds about right Mums just send an email and flag it up. Plus it was a bit unfair that those with sandwiches were allowed to eat their lunch.

claireinmodena · 29/01/2012 11:49

I wouldnt be happy either, how mych learning are they supposed to do on an empty stomach??

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 29/01/2012 15:31

I think the school behaved very badly actually, and not allowing children to eat is a serious thing. No, most of them won't waste away, but what about a diabetic child who needs to eat? It would not be acceptable to only allow that child to eat because it goes against everything that inclusion is meant to be about.

And other children would be hungry and need to eat anyway! There needs to be a plan in place to deal with this, and hopefully there will be one now. Letting them know your concern will hopefully do nothing but enable them to let you knw that they have already solved the problem.

MrsPresley · 29/01/2012 15:44

Thinking back to when my DS was at secondary school, he would have had breakast at around 6.45/700.

So if he missed lunch he wouldn't have anything till he came home which would be around 4.45/5.00.

I personally think that's far too long to expect a teenager to go without food.

And if it was me, then I've never eaten breakfast (at breakfast time) since I was at primary school, I'm now alomost 50, so if I missed lunch I wouldn't have had anything to east since around 7.00 the previous night!

Almost 24 hours...I think I would be fainting with hunger!

TwoStepsBack · 29/01/2012 15:45

I can understand why you are upset but if the alarm was set off as a prank - the school obviously didn't have a plan in place for an alarm going off around lunchtime. If it had been a real fire, nobody would be worrying about missing lunch.

How long were the children outside for? Would the food still be okay? Would the canteen staff have finished their shift / needed to get home?

I think an email would be sensible. Perhaps the school could reassure you that they would have a plan in place should it happen again.

EmilyStrange · 29/01/2012 15:51

I also think it is far too long for teenagers to go without food. In fact I think it is appalling. I would be complainging. How lovely that some got to go hungry while watching friends eat their packed lunch

noblegiraffe · 29/01/2012 17:18

Sounds like a nightmare for the school. Presumably if they had to evacuate the kitchens they had to turn all the cookers off and the food would be cold and minging if they were outside for the whole of lunchtime?

Not sure what they could have done in those circumstances. I'd have let the packed-lunch kids eat in my lesson too, no sense in everyone going hungry. But I'd have encouraged them to share with the ones who had nothing.

bigTillyMint · 29/01/2012 17:22

YANBU. But it does sound like a nightmare situation for the school, as noblegiraffe says. I'd send an email to flag it up as an issue.

I think they need a plan for if this ever happens in the future, which is possible as cookers, etc = fire hazard. I wonder what would happen at DD's school.......

VivaLeBeaver · 29/01/2012 17:30

Its not acceptable but I suppose the problem is that the canteen staff are only employed on a per hour basis. Either the school may not be able/prepared to pay them overtime or the staff may have said that they finish at X time and have plans and refused to stay.

In which case it would be hard to cook/serve dinners with no catering staff.

But its too long for the kids to go without food, I'd have been gnawing my arm off.

toutlemonde · 29/01/2012 17:41

All the kids paid for their lunches too.

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