Should we be allowed on the school playground at lunch and break?

Question

We have had a new headteacher this year and the things that she thinks of is ridiculous. Last half term somebody slipped over on some rubbish while playing netball on the playground and NEARLY hurt herself.
Our headteacher has now said that if your not taking part in any sport activity at lunch or break on the playground then you are not allowed to go on there. She even comes and moves us off. There is like 800 pupils in my school and we all cant go along the side of the paths or in the blocks. We just get moaned at if we are in the blocks as well. The playground is a place for us to go.
What do you think about it?

Answer 1

i think she sounds silly

Answer 2

The head teacher is really out of order here. It is her responsibility to ensure that there is no rubbish in the playground for someone to slip on rather than bar everyone from the area.

You need the fresh air - even at this time of year. When I went to school we used to complain about having to go out! Only prefects were allowed to stay in the building and that was just to ensure that everyone else was out.

I would ask yourselves and then your headteacher what she considers to be a sporting activity. Draw yourselves a 'hopscotch' - it may be old fashioned but can she deny that it is a 'sport?' At least it is exercise! Skipping with a rope may also be a good idea.

Does you school have a PTA? Or even a School Council? If so, ask them to put something on the agenda.

I think that it is really wrong for a headteacher to stop you from using the playground. Everyone, despite Health and Safety observations, will unfortunately fall foul occasionally to accidents. I think that your headteacher is worrying a bit too much about how she may be prosecuted and not considering her job as a teacher who will allow the best for her pupils.

Answer 3

You are just as likely to have an accident in any other part of the school, not just the playground. This is just a bit OTT. Its not right, you have every right to be on the playground, even though its usually taken over by the boys playing football, its still nice to sit on the sidelines and watch.
They should allow you all on the playground & introduce cleaning monitors to clear rubbish off the playground after each break time. This would make much more sense!!!!!

Answer 4

The problem with this situation is not your Headteacher trying to be a jerk; the problem is with liability and the law. I'm not sure where you are located, but most schools are considered by law to be responsible for their students from the time they arrive in the morning until they get home in the evening (this includes break times and the walk/bus ride home). Your Headteacher is probably concerned that if a student hurts themself while on school property, the school could be held legally responsible (this wouldn't apply to all situations, but you can never be too careful). While banning all students who are not participating in activities from being on the playground seems harsh, I understand why she did so. A better alternative would be to increase supervision on the playground during break times, and to create logical consequences for any student who might throw rubbish on the field. Students need to be allowed to use the playground - believe it or not, it helps them learn during class time by stimulating other areas of their brains - exercise is important, and your Headteacher should allow students on the playground for this reason.

Answer 5

Ricky,

All of you should not miss a single chance to go to the playground during your schooling. Play grounds are meant to relieve the stress of the class rooms and give fresh air, especially in the countries like UK which are cold and most of the time we are to sit in the artificial heat. Play grounds thus provide us much needed fresh air, relief and of course, a psychological upliftment, boost the conscious levels, give the body joints chance to move and, time to relax. As a doctor, I know how important it is to be in the open, especially during those stressful 8 hours. Whether one is in the school, home or office, open space, fresh air, some body movement and a free talk with others is a prerequisite of maintaining a good health and balance of mind. I am sure, your headteacher had some bad experience in the past with some incident or accident and now thinks that it is the only course left to see the safety of the students. No. This is untrue. Mishaps and mishappenings can take place any time, any where even during sleep. So we should not be afraid of accidents (that does not mean also that we should walk in the middle of the road) and carry on the life in most dignified and disciplined way but not compromising with our health. And moving out, that too, in such a secure area like a playground in a school, is very important for our physical and pshycological health. Cheers! and show all our answers to your ma'am. Good Luck.

Answer 6

Dear headteacher this letter is a request from all your pupils concerning playground rules ,

Given that the playground is forbidden to anyone not taking part in sports , and accepting that the school has no other relaxation area or facilities , we would be grateful if you would give all pupils permission to leave school grounds during breaks

Alternatively you could cancel all breaks , as their is little point in a relaxation period if relaxation is forbidden , and change school hours so that pupils may arrive at school at 9am and leave at 12 noon , so they can relax at home .

Of course if you can think of a better solution we would be glad to hear your suggestions .

Signed All 800 pupils .

Answer 7

That is completely insane... so someone slipped over when playing netball. Isn't that a sporting activity? Did I miss something? I would say stage a protest. Maybe a sit in on the playground... not wanting to promote anarchy or anything, but a nice peaceful group of 800 pupils all sitting on a playground is pretty hard to dislodge or ignore.

Answer 8

The playground is there FOR breaks and lunchtime activity, not for organised sports. Perhaps this head teachers decision is not even popular with other staff. I think you should get together with other pupils and parents and have the decision reversed. The head is not all powerful. If you have a student council take your complaint to them too.

This really seems like a ridculous rule - after all aren't adults always complaining that teenagers now are unfit.

Don't give up on this, it seems ludicrously unfair. Best of luck!!

Answer 9

She is going right over the top - people nowadays in authority are so afraid of being sued they will not allow anyone to do anything. She should send out permission slips to the parents advising that they allow their children to play in the playground. If anything happens after that she cannot be held responsible.

Answer 10

If her decision is based solely on the near accident. then she seems to be over reacting. Since she is responsable, she is probably scared of something serious happening. Not an easy job I imagine. The only reason I can think of why ye should be banned from the playground, is that if ye were bullying others. Don't ever do that.

Answer 11

I think she needs to think about her pupils and not her fear of having to fill in aaccident report forms.
Of course you should be allowed to play in the playground. Write to Ofsted. You have rights to proper exercise after sitting at desks all day and it's up to you if you woud prefer to take part in spontaneous activity, rather than the organised sport variety.

Save the link for this page and email the responses to your headmistress. Then she can see how ridiculous everybody thinks her idea is.