School ban on conkers

ThumbRemote

mgdavid wrote: »

No I wasn't asking what you do, I was asking for some legal references to parents successfully sueing a school when children run into trees. Just you writing it on here IS hearsay.
I'm genuinely interested as although it's a good few years since I was both a primary and secondary school governor I never came across anything remotely like it.

Not the case referenced, but here's some for starters:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-14460487

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-28298084

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-27798943

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23754238

Given this, it's hardly surprising that schools may err on the side of caution.

mgdavid

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Not the case referenced, but here's some for starters:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-14460487
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-28298084
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-27798943
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23754238

Given this, it's hardly surprising that schools may err on the side of caution.

Thanks, that's very useful. I note that nowhere is it stated how many of these cases actually went to court; given that some authorities have cases in double figures and others a big fat zero, one can't help wondering if weak local authorities just pay people off for an easy life whereas the better ones do things differently. I also note that some of these cases refer to staff claims - I doubt they were playing conkers!

georgie262

My son sings Baa ba Blue Sheep at nursery but he also sings baa baa Black sheep - I dont think they are stopped from singing the latter they are also taught a different version too.
Baa Baa Blue Sheep
Made of Glue
I like sticking
things to you[/I]

I think they also have a different version of row row row the boat. Again its just another version not a ban on the original.

For whats its worth I'm 32 and there was a ban on conkers in my primary school and that was the late 80's-early 90's.

Carmina-Piranha_2

Air_Cooled_75 wrote: »

There are black sheep and white sheep but no rainbow sheep, unless they've been hideously dyed for a show

As for conkers, I'm in my 40s and we play them in school. There is a massive tree down the road and the path is littered with them at the moment, I've seen the kids getting them.

Childhood is partly about taking risks. My son has just started FS2 and they have a climbing tree in their playground, it's a real tree, not some fabricated 'safety friendly' thing. He loves it

There are trees in the playground at my youngest's school too

Pyxis

What's the problem with the words of 'Row Row Row'?

sarahkmv

Just to clarify, I don't have an issue with the kids playing conkers, part of growing up (although my dd at 9 has no interest and nor do her friends) . I asked my head if kids could play them. Apparently they used to but within a week there were several minor injuries resulting in parents complaining, as well as parents complaining that little Hugo 's "best" conker got smashed while playing (I know, I know) so the Leadership Team decided to ban them all due to the time wasted by parents.

We now have a ban on outside toys (such as match attack cards ) for a similar reason of parents moaning about kids swopping and losing them Its a shame that a few spoil it for the rest, but hey ho.

burlington6

sarahkmv wrote: »

As a TA (Teaching Assistant) who also does lunchtime duty I can understand why you are frustrated but do agree with the ban. I had many happy years of playing conkers with bruises on my hands to show for it!


Generally schools don't let you bring in toys from home (due to too many parents complaining when they get broken/lost etc) I can see that conkers would fall under this category.


Also I think some (not all) kids would get upset at school if their conker got damaged or broken, and the way that boys in particular egg each other on to be silly there could be risk of injury, which sadly means that many parents would complain their little darling got a bruise. (I've been on the receiving end of these silly complaints).

Yes, it's a shame, but our school provides a load of playground equipment (bats, balls, footballs etc) so the kids don't get bored. I'm sure this can be a fun after school activity instead.

You are part of the problem with how children are turning out.

They are soft, uncompetitive and don't learn how to fail.

The ''everyone is a winner'' mentality taught by you and your kind do not help children grow into successful adults.

martinsurrey

A 16-year-old pupil was also awarded the maximum £25,000 after being struck by a cricket bat during a PE lesson at Wallace High School.

A 13-year-old at St Modans High School won £1,375 after kicking a glass door pane, which shattered and cut his leg.

The claim was originally for £10,000.

Pupils also secured damages after incidents on school trips. Parents of a primary school child who “fell ill” on an excursion were awarded travelling expenses of £255 after they were forced to pick him up.

Parents of another pupil who was too unwell to attend a ski trip to Italy clawed back £670 from Stirling Council for fees paid in advance.

In the classroom, a 13-year-old girl won £15,000 for an eye injury sustained after another Bannockburn High School pupil “threw/kicked” a pen.

The parents of another pupil are waiting for a decision about a £25,000 damages claim submitted after their child tripped over a climbing frame during gym class at Bannockburn Primary.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/thousands-paid-out-to-pupils-who-sue-schools-in-forth-valley-1.109597

and that is in one local rag, is it any wonder they limit what the kids do...

DKLS

martinsurrey wrote: »

A 16-year-old pupil was also awarded the maximum £25,000 after being struck by a cricket bat during a PE lesson at Wallace High School.

A 13-year-old at St Modans High School won £1,375 after kicking a glass door pane, which shattered and cut his leg.

The claim was originally for £10,000.

Pupils also secured damages after incidents on school trips. Parents of a primary school child who “fell ill” on an excursion were awarded travelling expenses of £255 after they were forced to pick him up.

Parents of another pupil who was too unwell to attend a ski trip to Italy clawed back £670 from Stirling Council for fees paid in advance.

In the classroom, a 13-year-old girl won £15,000 for an eye injury sustained after another Bannockburn High School pupil “threw/kicked” a pen.

The parents of another pupil are waiting for a decision about a £25,000 damages claim submitted after their child tripped over a climbing frame during gym class at Bannockburn Primary.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/thousands-paid-out-to-pupils-who-sue-schools-in-forth-valley-1.109597

and that is in one local rag, is it any wonder they limit what the kids do...

What a sad indictment of society.

I have happy memories of the assorted bruises, scabby knees and cuts I amassed as a kid, even at school we used to have teacher vs pupil snowball fights, British Bulldog and the DT teacher encouraged is to make billy karts to race down the big grass hill every year which was total carnage.

It must have been a sight to see for the parents to collect their kids after the billy cart race covered in mud, blood and bruises, with massive smiles on their faces telling anyone who would hear how awesome their wipeout was and showing off the resulting injuries.

I suppose these days it would be straight onto the ambulance chasers to get the compo.

lulu_92

martinsurrey wrote: »

A 16-year-old pupil was also awarded the maximum £25,000 after being struck by a cricket bat during a PE lesson at Wallace High School.

A 13-year-old at St Modans High School won £1,375 after kicking a glass door pane, which shattered and cut his leg.

The claim was originally for £10,000.

Pupils also secured damages after incidents on school trips. Parents of a primary school child who “fell ill” on an excursion were awarded travelling expenses of £255 after they were forced to pick him up.

Parents of another pupil who was too unwell to attend a ski trip to Italy clawed back £670 from Stirling Council for fees paid in advance.

In the classroom, a 13-year-old girl won £15,000 for an eye injury sustained after another Bannockburn High School pupil “threw/kicked” a pen.

The parents of another pupil are waiting for a decision about a £25,000 damages claim submitted after their child tripped over a climbing frame during gym class at Bannockburn Primary.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/thousands-paid-out-to-pupils-who-sue-schools-in-forth-valley-1.109597

and that is in one local rag, is it any wonder they limit what the kids do...

A lad I went to college with sued his primary school and won a few grand, because of something like part of the climbing frame was broken and a sharp bit was sticking out, and he ended up with a pretty nasty scar on his face. In that case I do agree that the school was liable but there's no room for common sense anymore!