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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Secondary school PE lessons

14 replies

Nico78 · 19/03/2015 18:14

Hi everyone, I want to ask for some points of view on a subject that has become a bit of an issue for my eldest son who is in year 8.
In PE at the moment he is supposed to be learning how to play rugby, today the lesson has consisted of being in pairs, wrestling your partner to the floor and dragging them across a set distance to 'win' Now I am the first to admit that I know nothing about rugby and whilst I understand that PE is compulsory (I work in a school) I feel that this was maybe inappropriate for in a school lesson.
What does anyone else think?

I just want to add that my son refused to participate and was sent to his year head, whilst he enjoys non contact sport such as cricket etc he loathes rugby and football.
Thanks x

OP posts:
BackforGood · 19/03/2015 23:31

Well, I'd want to check first how much of this was your ds's 'perception' rather than the content of the whole lesson or even any of the lesson.

Haggisfish · 19/03/2015 23:34

I would check first but it wouldn't surprise me. I wouldn't be chuffed either!

senua · 19/03/2015 23:46

I feel that this was maybe inappropriate for in a school lesson.

Seriously?Hmm
What do you expect them to do in a Rugby lesson - make daisy chains?
It is important to learn how to tackle, and be tackled, properly in order to avoid injuries.

Haggisfish · 20/03/2015 00:06

Thing is, it doesn't stop injuries! I wouldn't want my ds learning contact rugby at school. At ours they do two sorts -contact and non contact.

PastSellByDate · 20/03/2015 05:31

Nico78

Think this is kind of tricky. I get that your DS doesn't like being tackled and this may be too rough for him - but I'm presuming he didn't come home all black and blue.

I kind of think if you let one kid out of rugby 'because they don't like contact sports' - you then have to let another kid out of cricket because they don't like catching games and another out of dance because that's for 'sissies' etc...

sort of a slippery slope.

Just as devil's advocate - but have you considered thinking of it as something he has to get through. We all have points in our jobs where we have to do something we don't relish (we're ordered to sack someone/ we're told to reprimand someone/ we're asked not to move on something (hurting someone's chances at promotion)/ we have to keep our mouth's shut or we'll be next for the chop etc....) - these are difficult, often political, instances, and frequently thoroughly unpleasant - but you just work your way through them.

Trust me - I'm pretty sure they can sometimes feel as bad as a rugby tackle.

-----

I don't think you can be surprised that your school does rugby - most likely it also has a team. It's a very popular sport and many schools are particularly proud of their rugby traditions. He may not like playing it - but learning about it in PE may mean he enjoys watching it in future, appreciates how physical the game is and how strong the players must be to slip through a tackle and understands the rules. (I personally still don't get why they can lift up players on line out - but hey ho!).

Original poster
Nico78 · 20/03/2015 08:09

Thanks everyone for your points of view, I have found them to be helpful in balancing my thinking. And no senua, I don't expect them to make daisy chains, a comment that I don't feel was particularly called for and will probably stop me from using this forum again. I am only trying to help my son to enjoy school and not dread PE every week.

OP posts:
senua · 20/03/2015 08:19

and will probably stop me from using this forum again.

I'm sorry if that's the case but you are being a bit precious about this. As sellby says, they can't have special rules for your son to sit out while everyone else plays.
I used to dread French conversation lessons at school but you have to learn to suck it up.

I'm still laughing at the idea of football being 'non contact'.

AuntieStella · 20/03/2015 08:20

Senua is right.

When teaching contact sports, you have to teach how to do it safely, and there is no way other than by practicing in controlled conditions.

Now, if you did not get the school of your choice in the admissions round, you are probably having to put up with quite a lot of features of the school that you don't like.

And playing rugby in the spring term is very unusual, and I can see why you would not be expecting it. But, there's only a week to go so I think the message to your DS is how well he has done over these two terms and the end is in sight now.

Can he opt for other sports from year 8 onwards?

Stickerrocks · 20/03/2015 08:57

Hmm. This doesn't sound right, as you don't actually drag anyone anywhere in a game of rugby. It's more a case of grabbing hold of people to get them onto the ground to get the ball off them or pushing each other whilst upright to gain ground with the ball between you. Can you find out from the PE staff what the exercise actually involved?

In the meantime, please can my DD swap places with your DS. She would love to play rugby in school, but the girls' rugby club only seems to be held about once a term and she has to do things like dance in autumn/winter lessons.

18yearstooold · 20/03/2015 09:01

It won't be every week though will it?

Most schools teach a sport in a block then move on to another one

HermiaDream · 20/03/2015 11:24

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ragged · 20/03/2015 11:41

I prefer tag rugby for DS2 because he screamed thru Judo matches.I still would like him to at least try proper rugby. Just because it's uncomfortable for DS doesn't mean he shouldn't try.

That's rugby, that's the sport. They knock each other to ground & drag each other around. You can't teach rugby without teaching the techniques of (safely enough) knocking down & dragging another around, and 12yo is not too young. it teachers the lads physical confidence which is utterly fantastic. (If you think that's rough, you ought to see what happens in a Judo match.)

Most boys love it and it will engage some boys like no other sport can.

inthename · 20/03/2015 12:24

Sounds like your ds may have had an unlucky pairing, we had this issue where ds was paired with the class thug who likes to use rugby as an excuse to beat people up. Schools doing rugby generally do so from October half term - Easter hols so not long to go. Its hard if they hate it, I sympathise as my ds does to and I wish they would offer tag rugby as well as there are plenty who would do that instead. Ds has learnt to avoid the worst bits and at least for your ds its only once a week. Might be worth finding out from the PE department what the lessons involve and checking they aren't pairing him with an experienced player.

Kuppenbender · 20/03/2015 13:01

'Hmm. This doesn't sound right, as you don't actually drag anyone anywhere in a game of rugby.'

I can think of one (legal) situation where you would. Dragging a ball-carrying opponent into touch guarantees your team possession in the form of a line out. A tackle would be less likely to get the same outcome.

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