View Full Version : Keeping Kids In School
Kevin Milkins
28-Mar-08, 08:23
All the news this morning is about a school down south that is not allowing children out of school at all durering the day.
It sort of follows on the litter thread were some thought that the rubbish on the streets at lunch time was unaceptable.I like the idea as the only food available to them is what is provided by the school.
when i was at school i very rarely went down town( i certainly didnt litter)
but i preffered to stay at school, thurso high has such a good range of snacks for lunch
We were never allowed out of school at lunch and break when i went.I dont think they should be allowed out,at least we would all know where they were at lunch times and it would save me playing dodge the child when driving!Some of them have no road sence!
kids are never allowed out of schools back home. its a bit odd for me to think of kids being loose on thier own at such young ages anyway, we had to be in high school in 11th grade with a licence and car to be able to leave at lunch time!
All the news this morning is about a school down south that is not allowing children out of school at all durering the day.
It sort of follows on the litter thread were some thought that the rubbish on the streets at lunch time was unaceptable.I like the idea as the only food available to them is what is provided by the school.
The idea and the reasons behind it sound good but it would be very hard to carry out. It may well work in smaller primary schools but would be a nightmare in High Schools with the amount of pupils involved. Take Wick High for example. How do you feed 870 children in the space of an hour? The idea has been tried before in other schools by staggering the lunch breaks but this caused huge problems to the school timetable.
I have been pushing for this for years...love the idea. I believe they do this in Dornoch. Hurray for commone sense.
I know there will be those that reckon kids should have choices but if they choose to litter then keeping them in school is the best solution. Feeding X amount of kids is the schools problem. Possibly staggering the lunches would be possible.
Schools managed in the past to feed all their children and we were certainly never allowed out, in fact I can't think how this practice ever started. Apart from unhealthy food and litter, what about safety? Your child is in the care of the school during the day - how can they be if they are wandering the streets?
I am convinced if children were not allowed any junk food during the day and only given a healthy diet, it would improve discipline no end. It has been proved over and over that diet affects behaviour - why can't they make the connection?
Schools managed in the past to feed all their children and we were certainly never allowed out, in fact I can't think how this practice ever started. Apart from unhealthy food and litter, what about safety? Your child is in the care of the school during the day - how can they be if they are wandering the streets?
I am convinced if children were not allowed any junk food during the day and only given a healthy diet, it would improve discipline no end. It has been proved over and over that diet affects behaviour - why can't they make the connection?
In a word "MONEY", they would have to provide a more organised service and fast food outlets would probably be up in arms from losing trade. I still think that all schools should provide food for all the kids in them. If they have no choice but to eat healthy food (and it should be healthy) then they will get used to it.
Valerie Campbell
28-Mar-08, 12:25
All the news this morning is about a school down south that is not allowing children out of school at all durering the day.
It sort of follows on the litter thread were some thought that the rubbish on the streets at lunch time was unaceptable.I like the idea as the only food available to them is what is provided by the school.
School food isn't that healthy so don't be fooled. I also heard that the children in some schools are not allowed a packed lunch. It's compulsory to eat the school's food. Methinks I would need to inspect the cupboards...
In a word "MONEY", they would have to provide a more organised service and fast food outlets would probably be up in arms from losing trade. I still think that all schools should provide food for all the kids in them. If they have no choice but to eat healthy food (and it should be healthy) then they will get used to it.
I fear you're right, at least partly. If the Govt. had the will they would do it but doubt if they could organise it - not very good at organising.
School food isn't that healthy so don't be fooled. I also heard that the children in some schools are not allowed a packed lunch. It's compulsory to eat the school's food. Methinks I would need to inspect the cupboards...
Valerie - It couldn't be worse than they junk they buy outside - mainly chips and crisps from what I've seen - and on the whole would probably be much better. No doubt it could be improved but you didn't see so many fat, ill-disciplined children in schools 50 years ago. We were not allowed packed lunches - you ate what was there and just got on with it.
There has always been violence on the streets - I remember the Mods and Rockers - but shouldn't we be progressing? The evils of the past are no excuse for the present.
northener
28-Mar-08, 14:17
The idea and the reasons behind it sound good but it would be very hard to carry out. It may well work in smaller primary schools but would be a nightmare in High Schools with the amount of pupils involved. Take Wick High for example. How do you feed 870 children in the space of an hour? The idea has been tried before in other schools by staggering the lunch breaks but this caused huge problems to the school timetable.
The school I went to had 1100 pupils. We weren't allowed out at lunchtime unless you had a pass (virtually unobtainable) and everyone got fed during a 1-hour break.
The whole operation was run with military precision by teachers who took turns to supervise the sittings and collection of dinner tickets. Worked a treat.
northener
28-Mar-08, 14:19
School food isn't that healthy so don't be fooled. I also heard that the children in some schools are not allowed a packed lunch. It's compulsory to eat the school's food. Methinks I would need to inspect the cupboards...
You'd be better employed by checking the cupboards of the fast food outlets, methinks.....
The school I went to had 1100 pupils. We weren't allowed out at lunchtime unless you had a pass (virtually unobtainable) and everyone got fed during a 1-hour break.
The whole operation was run with military precision by teachers who took turns to supervise the sittings and collection of dinner tickets. Worked a treat.
Was the school in Caithness Northerner?
Valerie Campbell
28-Mar-08, 16:09
Northerner, fair point. Yours too badger. But I know from experience that food in schools may not be getting kept in, lets say, the best of conditions. I would never let my children be a school lunch ever again. Black mould in cupboards don't really do it for me...
northener
28-Mar-08, 16:28
Was the school in Caithness Northerner?
No it wasn't, Venture.
I should have elaborated and stated that this was a purpose-built 1960's school with the space and the facilities to cope. Not something I would expect in, say, Wick High School.
The point I'm making is that it can be done, given the right conditions.
Bearing in mind the current furore about the state of the present High School in Wick, I'd think it would be a good idea to start thinking about the way forward for any new school project that may be coming up. Building in adequate facilities for school meals would be a good addition.
Kevin Milkins
28-Mar-08, 16:58
I remember our school meals with affection. I went to a large school and it was a regimented affair to get everybody fed in a short space of time. the 2 people at the end of the table were meal monitors, a privaliged position if remember right. It all seemed to run very comfortably. I loved the spotted dick it was my favourite pudding.
I think it would be a good idea if the kitchens were clean and hygenic and the meals were healthy and balanced with some choices of what was on offer like in the primary schools you get a choice of what to have it would stop a lot of kids eating junk at lunch times and may improve their attention spans in the afternoon plus the parents would know where their kids are rather than wandering the streets!
No it wasn't, Venture.
I should have elaborated and stated that this was a purpose-built 1960's school with the space and the facilities to cope. Not something I would expect in, say, Wick High School.
The point I'm making is that it can be done, given the right conditions.
Bearing in mind the current furore about the state of the present High School in Wick, I'd think it would be a good idea to start thinking about the way forward for any new school project that may be coming up. Building in adequate facilities for school meals would be a good addition.
Thanks Northerner for explaining. I thought you might have been referring to a bigger school.
I just want to say that I agree 100% with the idea of children remaining within the school but it will never happen in Wick High School in its present state. The school is not big enough to educate 870 pupils never mind feed them as well. A new purpose built school is another story.
cuddlepop
28-Mar-08, 18:09
I think that by making it compulsory to stay in school during lunch breaks you would be creating other problems.
How do you force a teenager to eat school dinners?,do you search the pupils in the morning to make sure they have no unhealthy snacks.
Remember is is the food agency that recommends this not the enviroment lobby.
The kids that hate school and go under sufferance are just living for the out of school break,how to you make them behave?Truancy rates will be higher.:confused
time away from school gives them a chance to let of steam.Who on all honesty didnt live for the bell.?
It is almost impossible to feed 500plus kids during a lunch hour,To do it effectively would mean employing more staff and having greater resources which would require a substational capital outlay upfront.Councils are cutting budgets not increasing.:confused
Sapphire2803
28-Mar-08, 18:24
When I was at secondary school in Ireland there was no such thing as a school dinner. The only kitchen facilities in the school were in the Home economics classroom. It was packed lunch or home for lunch, if you were going home for lunch you had a pass to get out the front door. Not many went home. In fine weather we could sit outside and eat our lunch, the rest of the time it was fold up tables in the school hall. Worked just fine. If you had a lunchtime pass and were then seen mooching around the high street eating chips you were in trouble.
Mister Squiggle
28-Mar-08, 18:54
Exactly Sapphire - at my school we would weren't allowed out past the school gates from the start of the school day until 3.15pm. We had sandwiches from home or ham/chicken salad rolls, hot pies and salads which we had to queue for at the canteen. The canteen was partly staffed by parent volunteers who filled in a roster sheet (I can remember Mum doing this quite a bit, to my horror) and at a school of 1500, we all got fed in 45 minutes. I would say half of us bought food from home in a bag (I can still remember the taste of warmish jam and butter rolls - wonderful!) while the rest ordered their lunch before the bell in the morning and picked it up at lunchtime. We ate on the benches in the corridors and bins were provided at the end of each corridor for litter.
Some kids were allowed home but only on a pre-arranged permission slip signed by their parents. Heading off to the local chippie? No way - my friends and I once got picked up in the Deputy Principal's car when we snuck off down the street at lunchtime to do some shoe shopping. Imagine the shame!:roll:
Poultney lad
30-Mar-08, 00:42
Have you seen the menus that are issued out at the start of each term for the school meals in primary schools about 5 years ago the highland council adopted the healthy eating policy (before the jamie oliver outcry) to primary schools secondary schools were after that all on offer is healthy and fresh fruit and veg no crisps no chocolate So where you get your quote school meals isnt that healthy so dont be fooled i would go back and assess the situation for yourself as i fear you are totally wrong. My wife is a cook in charge at a primary school
School food isn't that healthy so don't be fooled. I also heard that the children in some schools are not allowed a packed lunch. It's compulsory to eat the school's food. Methinks I would need to inspect the cupboards...
cuddlepop
30-Mar-08, 09:38
Have you seen the menus that are issued out at the start of each term for the school meals in primary schools about 5 years ago the highland council adopted the healthy eating policy (before the jamie oliver outcry) to primary schools secondary schools were after that all on offer is healthy and fresh fruit and veg no crisps no chocolate So where you get your quote school meals isnt that healthy so dont be fooled i would go back and assess the situation for yourself as i fear you are totally wrong. My wife is a cook in charge at a primary school
If been a cook in a large primary school too and I agree the menus are excellent.The younger kids are brilliant at trying out "healthy options" but the further up the school you go the more reluctance there is from the kids to eat healthy.High school kids act as if your trying to poison them.In many cases they have voted with their feet.
Just because it looks good on paper doesnt mean it works.:confused
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