[northernfive]

Hi
Wondering if anyone with young children at primary school can let me know if it's normal for there to be no adult supervision during break-time ??

I just assumed there would be. So I was surprised when I took my eldest for her 1st school visit on Friday to find that at morning break all the teachers disappeared to the staff room leaving the children to do as they pleased.....maybe I am just used to the sheltered environment of kindergarten, but it just seemed as though all the Year 0's were just hanging around the classroom door looking a bit lost. I really don't like the idea of that being my daughter in a few weeks time!

Am I just being fussy ? From what I can remember of my own experience of school (oh so long ago!:laugh) there was always a teacher on duty at breaktime.

[dharder]

Hi
Wondering if anyone with young children at primary school can let me know if it's normal for there to be no adult supervision during break-time ??


I'm sure they must be somewhere, my son is forever trying to hide from them...

Do they have separate playgrounds? At my kids' school, they have a junior and a senior playground, and big kids are not allowed to play in the little kids' part.

I would assume there are teachers around, but maybe just a few that you can't spot them immediately? Maybe just ask something like 'how many are out supervising the kids'?

Our little ones are starting in October, and I can't see it at all, I mean, they are still so young!

Good luck,
Daniela

[northernfive]

I'm sure they must be somewhere, my son is forever trying to hide from them...

Do they have separate playgrounds? At my kids' school, they have a junior and a senior playground, and big kids are not allowed to play in the little kids' part.

I would assume there are teachers around, but maybe just a few that you can't spot them immediately? Maybe just ask something like 'how many are out supervising the kids'?

Our little ones are starting in October, and I can't see it at all, I mean, they are still so young!

Good luck,
Daniela


Cheers for the reply, it seemed as though there is a tarmac area then a field area with a park - there was no adults in the tarmac area so I assumed they must have been in the park bit - which was where the older kids seemed to have gone....but the Year 0's didn't seem to have the confidence to leave the tarmac area so hence were all alone (with nothing to do :()
Will speak to the school about it on the next visit but it does make me think twice

[peebles16]

At our wee man's school the staff are rostered on for playground supervision and school has 3 separate play areas for junior, middle and upper. Not sure how many staff cover each area though but they seem to pick up any shenanigans pretty quickly :yes

karenx

[Tia Maria]

There is teacher supervision, usually in a yellow jacket. But they don't play with the children, they are just there to sort out any cuts & bruises etc.

The kids at our school our encouraged to make full use of the play equipment and PE shed (balls etc). There is also a 'friendship bus area' where kids can sit when they want to find someone else to play with. They are left to their own devices but it doesn't seem to be a problem, even without balls and stuff they run around playing tag or make up imaginary games etc.

My son had his school visit the other day, the teachers deliberately took us parents into the staff room, so that the children could go off and explore and play by themselves. My son joined in a game of soccer, played tag and came back to the classroom and read a book till bell. He had been 'buddied up' with another boy in his class, whose job it was to show him around, so I'm sure that helped!

So its not unusual for the teachers to go into the staffroom but it is very odd the kids don't just start chatting and playing together, maybe the new entrants don't feel comfortable in the school for some reason.... :confused:

Cheers

Tia

[mgbridges]

My son's school has a similar set up to Tia's childrens. There is at least one member of staff on duty who wears a high-vis strip of fabric but they tend to be there to deal with 'serious' fracas or injuries.

There is a PE shed with loads of balls, hula hoops, skipping ropes etc which the kids have access to and they are all very good at making sure anything they take out goes back in. They all take great pride it looking after it all.

There are also 'Peer Mediators' who are children from the senior years who wear special jackets (they 'work' in pairs). It really encourages the children to sort out their differences themselves and the young ones can go to them to sort out any disagreements. It also gives the older children a sense of responsibility and they all take it very seriously.

Each child has a 'buddy' - one young child to one senior child. I've noticed that the younger kids will often go to their buddy if they have a problem. Our son was also 'buddied' up with someone in his class when he joined the school to help show him around and generally let him know how things worked.

All in all it works really well and the children seem to thrive on having some 'freedom' from the teachers during the school day. I really like the set up but its very much a personal opinion and each school is different.

Anneliese

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Definitely teacher supervision at my kids school. In fact most of the teachers seem to sit outside on the benches by the classrooms to eat their lunch anyway and some join in with the football games.

It is a Steiner school though where there is more of a sense of kids and adults going on the learning journey together. In the mornings the youngests teacher (he's 10) makes a pot of tea and puts it in the classroom for the kids to drink prior to school starting.

[shakyle2906]

Definetly supervision at our sons' school too. They wear a bright yellow tunic.

Juniors and Seniors have turns on the playareas too.

HTH

Sharon
x

[nippa&pippa]

Debbie, I mean to ask you how your daughter's visit went on friday.
To be honest I haven't notice it because the teacher took us to staffroom for cup of tea with biscuits during break-time!! Will have look on this friday for his 2nd visit, He love it there and already made "friend"/"buddy" but he can't remember his name :laugh

[northernfive]

Oh dear - that all sounds so good that it makes me even more concerned !
It seemed to me that the Year 0's just didn't have anything at all to do and no-one around at all until the end of break. I noticed one little boy was just sat at his coat peg the whole time eating his lunch (at 10:30!),
Am going to look into it tomorrow.

I do know there is meant to be a buddy system in place but it didn't seem to be happening from what I could see.

[Tia Maria]

Are you happy with other aspects of the school?

Cheers

Tia

[nippa&pippa]

For me, I am happy with school so far even it was our very first visit to school last friday (apart from few trip to reception to register my son in). My next goal to have look further around the school including pool on friday, if they can show me afterward.

[northernfive]

Are you happy with other aspects of the school?

Cheers

Tia

I thought I was happy with the school....but like everything, once you start to think.....
Have heard a few things which weren't great, but I figured there will always be some negativity from someone whose child hasn't done so well, been overlooked etc etc.....
They have this open classroom idea which means three classes in one room, which lots of parents seem to either love or hate.....my first impression was that it was very busy (almost hectic). My daughters first impression was that it was "massive" and think overwhelmed her.