Can school force my child to stay in during lunchtime

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Hows about telling them you simply cannot afford to pay what they are asking for for their on premesis lunches therefore if you son does not take in a packed lunch they (the school) are effectively asking that he doesn't eat at all? Put the moral owness on them and see what they have to say.

I don't know really what else to add but i would be very angry! For the ensuring kids are kept on premesis, it is a bit harsh but the amount of forged permission letters they'd get from the kids when i was at school was clearly a nightmare so i can see why they would impliment that one.

ETA: Cross posted with Wicked-witch but i think we are speaking along the same lines

ben500

minxtress wrote: »

The letter was very short and to the point stating that all children are now required to use the new school catering facilities on a lunchtime and that they have all been finger printed for the new cashless system they have implemented.
It doesnt mention governors which I will look into. I am trying to get as much information as possible in my defence for when I do get an audience with the Head.
This is the same head who since september when she started has decided to mix year groups up for registration. So now in every class there is a mix of all year groups.
She seems to have a lot of ideas !

I'm assuming that you had no prior knowledge of this then as surely you would have objected to your child being fingerprinted for a system he wouldn't be using wouldn't you? You are concerned about him being able to leave school during lunchtimes, I'd be more concerned with the infringement of his human rights myself.

2cats1kid

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

Hi 2cats1kid - do the school demand that you pay for lunches on site? I would be furious as it is far cheaper to prepare a healthy packed lunch than pay for what i most likely would not agree with going onto my childs plate.

Can you not say he has a special diet? I think the banning of packed lunch is ridiculous. Can you not say that you are monitoring what he eats as if given the choice he may chose burgers and chips. Our 'fancy complex' was made up of three different restaurant style options. 1 being different burgers and chips/wedges set out like a macdonalds, 2 being a selection of pizza slices dished out like pizza hut, and 3 being sandwiches and fruit (no salad or anything else healthy). And i bet you can guess where all the kids chose given the choice....Exactly! This new system seemed flawed.

More importantly prices were too high, most of us jumped the gates and bought chicken and chips for a £1 which was cheaper than buying in school. Naughty but we were being :money: if you like

Yes, they do have to eat on site.

Actually I'd say the meals are pretty good. They have a hot main, which is normally pretty good, but occasionally will be pizza or something (they are kids and they are allowed a treat occasionally!). They have lasagne, curry, sweet and sour chicken/pork, "creole" type chicken, spag bol, etc. and a veggie option which is normally a veggie version of the main. They also have a "lighter option" - something like baked potatoes and filling. And there is also a salad bar. They can (and do) add bits from the salad bar to the hot main or the lighter option.

There is a "school dinners" type dessert, also yogurt and fruit. Mine tends to have a yogurt or fruit as she's not a big fan of puds.

Couldn't tell you how much each meal works out, as we pay it off in one lump at the end of term, but I know that when I have to do a packed lunch for her for an out of school activity it costs me a fair bit as she eats lots of bits rather than one main meal iykwim. I like that she gets a substantial hot meal, especially in the winter.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

iamana1ias wrote: »

Except that you don't because you seem to think it doesn't apply to your brats. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry personal insults aren't welcome here :rolleyes:

While you may have a point in the rest of your post (not saying i entirely agree at all but you have a fair point) the part insinuation that the posters children are ''brats'' is a little out of order. Please refrain from insults! Thank you!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

2cats1kid wrote: »

Yes, they do have to eat on site.

Actually I'd say the meals are pretty good. They have a hot main, which is normally pretty good, but occasionally will be pizza or something (they are kids and they are allowed a treat occasionally!). They have lasagne, curry, sweet and sour chicken/pork, "creole" type chicken, spag bol, etc. and a veggie option which is normally a veggie version of the main. They also have a "lighter option" - something like baked potatoes and filling. And there is also a salad bar. They can (and do) add bits from the salad bar to the hot main or the lighter option.

There is a "school dinners" type dessert, also yogurt and fruit. Mine tends to have a yogurt or fruit as she's not a big fan of puds.

Couldn't tell you how much each meal works out, as we pay it off in one lump at the end of term, but I know that when I have to do a packed lunch for her for an out of school activity it costs me a fair bit as she eats lots of bits rather than one main meal iykwim. I like that she gets a substantial hot meal, especially in the winter.

Ok - sounds like your DD's school are complying with healthy eating standards (although pizzas are hardly healthy and i'd be concerned if they were readily available daily).

I was speaking from experience - i didn't leave school that long ago at all and i know this fancy complex system that they brought in while we were in year 10 is still the same as we have neices and nephews at the same school.

It was litterally 3 caffeteria style shops. 1 identical to a maccyd's (with no healthy option), 1 identical to a pizza hut take away pizza booth (again no healthy option) and then a sandwhich bar with only fruit if you wanted something healthy.

There was no implementing any form of healthy eating. In fact the old school style dinners where it's all slopped on your plate by a dinner lady was much much healthier.

At the time as kids we loved it though - burgers and chips, and if you brought enough money you could have as many as you liked.

Now i am wiser about food and the way i eat i would really hate for any such rules be implemented with a cafeteria like ours was.

iamana1ias

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

I'm sorry

no need to apologise

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

personal insults aren't welcome here :rolleyes:

While you may have a point in the rest of your post (not saying i entirely agree at all but you have a fair point) the part insinuation that the posters children are ''brats'' is a little out of order. Please refrain from insults! Thank you!

I work with difficult kids. The majority of them are difficult because their parents can't be bothered to rear them to respect school authority. I find it extremely unlikely that that posters kids are clean-faced, shining lights of loveliness given the lessons they're getting from mum. Odds are that my description is pretty accurate

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

BTW my DD has to take packed lunch into nursery with her. When it gets colder she'll have her fave soup in a flask as well as the other bits. It can be done without resorting to just school dinners. I know i couldn't afford to pay for lunches all in one go - i think it is a bit much to ask of parents on a fairly low income.

iamana1ias

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

BTW my DD has to take packed lunch into nursery with her. When it gets colder she'll have her fave soup in a flask as well as the other bits.

Ummmm, forgive me for asking, but small child, in a room with lots of other small children, with hot liquid in flask? Is that a good idea?

kindofagilr

2cats1kid wrote: »

As an aside, DD has never been allowed to take packed lunches - either at primary or senior school. So a packed lunch ban is certainly not unusual (at least at our schools).

I find that absurd!

What about parents who cant afford school meals for one?

ben500

Something doesn't sit right here, a child cannot legally give consent to having their fingerprints taken, the school would need to seek this from the parent beforehand, surely the question of his needing his fingerprints recorded would have resulted in the obvious, "my child will not be using the facility therefore no need for his prints to be taken response"? I can't see any school just marching all the children off and printing them without some kind of consultation.