I would have expected a bit more common sense from school.

[IslaValargeone]

DD had first Year 7 Science lesson this week at new school (all girls) where they had to weigh each other ffs? Naturally it has prompted various 'OMG' reactions amongst the girls as they compare themselves. I'm really quite pissed off.

[MisguidedAngel]

When I was 11 back in the bad old days, we had to measure each other for a blouse in sewing class. However much I stuck my chest out I couldn't make it more than 29". We then had to go up to the teacher with our sizes, whereupon she said very loudly "Oh, 29 inches Angel - not started developing yet then?" You cannot overestimate the self-consciousness of this age group. You should definitely have a word with the school.

[Turniphead1]

I am not a complaining parent - but I would definitely contact the school about this. Mind-boggling that someone in this day and age would think that was OK

[bumpybecky]

they did this to my dd1 in year 10 PSR last year when they were studying eating disorders! I'm still at the wisdom of weighing anyone when looking at eating disorders. dd1 is 5'6" and about 6.5 stone - she's very skinny but eats tonnes and definitely no eating disorder!

[minidipper]

Any child who is fat at that age is so because he family have not introduced her to sensible eating habits. She is still too young to have the power to refuse to, say, empty her plate or have seconds of granny's cake. But not too young to feel hugely demoralised and exposed in front of new peers.

I was at school with a large girl who was told she could have a lead role in the school play but she needed to lose weight. She lost weight, played the lead, was brilliant, continued to lose weight, ended up failing all her A levels because she was too weak to write properly and last time I saw her, her hair was falling out. On balance I'd have preferred her to stay overweight. At that age a single remark from an influential teacher or more popular girl can trigger an eating disorder.

It's a gross lesson. Complain.

[OnlyOwl]

Thanks, Takvar and AChickenCalledKorma - message received and understood, I shall put my thinking cap on for a replacement practical :)

We don't do variation until after Christmas, so perhaps I could get them to plant some sort of fast growing plant now and then in four months time get all the plants back in to be lined up in height order instead. Could add in some measurements of leaf size, and graphing practice, maybe. Or maybe we could set up an experiment to investigate effect of fertiliser or something and then use the plants as a quick demo - that would tie in nicely to environmental variation too. Hmmmmm...

[OnlyOwl]

Oh, didn't see the second page of messages - thanks alpinemeadow as well, even if you have just confirmed for me that one of the (well, I thought so anyway!) best lessons is going to have to be scrapped!

[Holliewantstobehot]

I went to boarding school and we were weighed annually - by the senior boys. I was really tall and maybe half a stone overweight but felt horrifically fat. Started dieting at twelve and have been yo yoing ever since. I would go mental if my child was weighed in front of her class.