High School can yours run around at break times?

[purpleme12]

My child started high school in September

They're not allowed to run about even outside at break time or dinner time.

It's not that there is not enough space.

Is this a rule in general at high school? Or just my child's?

My child likes to be up doing stuff so it really helps her to run about so I think she misses that.

I hate that they have this rule

They have a year 7 transition playground at DC's school which includes lots of play equipment. Older years barrell about as well. Teens need to move as well as kids.

My daughter's school does and on nicer days she and her friends will sit and walk outside. There's a designated area for football and basketball ball. I have happy memories of playing rounders with a tennis ball when I was in Years 8 to 10 with a mixed group of girls and boys. Brilliant fun to just be able to mess about on the field

It makes me sad that she doesn't have these experiences on this thread actually

So I did email....

Their response is that (to summarise) there isn't enough room to allow them to run around safely and without risk.

I feel pissed off about this. They're not packed in like sardines in this playground. There is room to run about.

Not only this though but there is a field next to the playground. Which they have never been allowed in either! Their excuse for THIS was that it was too wet and muddy in the winter!
HOWEVER I now find out that they are allowed on this field from this last week but NOT to run about it be active in, no, it is just as a calm place to sit and have dinner in if they want!!

So basically they're making it up about space and they just literally don't want anyone to run about with their friends!

Does this seem wrong to anyone else?

Would you make a complaint about this?

It doesn't seem normal from the responses on here

Ours aren’t allowed outside at all. They only have a 30 minute break. They do laps inside the school. I think it’s a shame tbh, it’s largely a logistics thing because their school restaurant is small so they have to stagger lunch breaks. They also say it helps reduce bullying. It’s a high performing school, but I’d change it if I could! I WFH and get out at lunch time.

They're not allowed outside at all ever in the school day??

Nope. Only for PE.

Erm wow that's even worse

I'd be saying something about that

@purpleme12 like I said it’s down to how the school is laid out physically and the timetable. It’s not my preference but to be fair it’s been this way for over 30 years and it’s a high performing school. Some parents choose not to send their children there for this reason (it’s made very clear at open days), but for the rest of us, the results override lunch time!

I didn't know about this before I sent her there

And to be honest the I don't believe the reason they've given anyway

That’s insane to me. Is this a very urban school with no playing fields or something? I can’t imagine a high school where you can’t go for a walk around the playing fields (ours even has woods). Or sit outside with lunch on a nice day. Ours get an hour at lunchtime which is enough time for lunch and a club (chess club etc meet at lunchtime).

@FernandoSor wow, an hour's a good amount of time

Out of interest, what time does the school start and finish?

I would. And remind them of the importance of exercise. Running around during breaks is definitely encouraged at DD's school, they have one of those little multisport arenas where they can play football or basketball, more basketball hoops on the paved area and they have one of those outside gyms that they can use. The only rule is no going off school grounds without permission (which half of them break anyway, to go to the shop across the road)

So yours don't have gates that are closed? Ours can't go out the school grounds cos there are gates that are closed. I assumed that was the same everywhere nowadays

So far I've emailed expressing dissatisfaction and they've responded. I've not labelled it an actual complaint if you see what I mean. If I make an official complaint it's like another email - what would have more effect, doing that or getting them to speak to me?

I’ve never known a secondary school with a playground. We had outside space where we could chat in the 80s and DD’s school had the same about 12 years ago when she left.

Secondary school lunch breaks are for eating and chilling not running around.

No it’s not urban, has its own surrounding grass but no playground (has sports courts etc, have to cross car park to get to them though). I think the school was specifically built with this ‘ethos’ in mind so its layout is quite different to most schools, it was designed to be like a business.

It was a bit of a social experiment when it was set it up. It’s been very successful, but most locals are aware of it enough to know if it would suit their child. (It is a state school just to be clear).

Absolutely. Though I don’t think the girls did much running around (do you mean secondary when you say high school?) generally going off in groups to chat. But the boys often went off to play football. The junior school had their own play equipment but no access to the fields, but plenty of space to let off steam.

No fences, no gates, schools don't tend to have them where we are and the grounds are a short cut for people living nearby anyway so needs to be open for them.

I would reply to them saying you are not satisfied with this and ask what the process is to complain.

Well i mean an outside area

My secondary school had quite a few playgrounds plus the playing fields. Boys definitely played football and in year 7 a bunch of us would run around playing manhunt.

My secondary school didn’t have a playground. There was a sloping field that you could sit on or walk on if you wanted and that was it. Most people just chilled in their form room at lunch or sat on the grass if it was nice.
We had tennis courts but they were out of bounds except for tennis PE lessons. Other playing fields were a bus ride away.

I remember being surprised to hear DH’s school had a playground, I thought that was just for primary schools.