Cinnamon Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 No, not the follow up to the new Will Smith movie, but what my daughters school bag weighed this morning The school has a RIDICULOUS rule that every pupil must take in every book every day or they get sent to a detention room until the parent comes in with the remaining books. Devon has just 3 subjects today, but has to take in all her books plus the 3 text books for those subjects. I am phoning the school later to say categorically that she will not be doing this again, especially on PE days & if she is made to take in all her books on PE days I will sign her off PE so that she doesn't have to carry that kit too. Some old timers may remember my gripe about this 3 years ago when this rule was introduced.At the time they said that they would not give pupild text books to keep the weight down, & that has gone by the wayside. Also Devon is in year 11, & I think is plenty responsible enough to organise her own books each mornng.She will have to in college in September anyhow! Wish me luck, as they have been really stubborn about this up until now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 That is such a heavy weight for a child to carry, and so silly to have to take in all their books...........My daughter has just started high school and some days she looks like a pack horse, on Thurday she has cookery, trumpet, swimming and needs books for other lessons I take her in on that day and call at the school at lunch so she can off load some things. I can only do this because we live so close to the school goodness knows how the others cope.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Forgot to add that Devon has an extra large back pack & now it is so full that it won't zip up any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Surely they must be aware that the increase in back problems in younger people is down to this type of school rule. Demanding that parents come in so that their children can be released from detention is heavy handed and may be worth a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) now that is one I would LOVE to challenge! I tore my shoulder muscle through carrying a too heavy bag at college, she can really hurt herself. I will be eagerly awaiting their response. Edited January 20, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thats not right at all Sarah. I would be right behind you complaining. Its too much and has got to be bad for their backs and posture. My son has a plastic crate in his room filled with all his school books and packs his bag with the relevent books the night before. His bag is still stuffed chocka block with what he needs so I can imagine you daughters must be totaly too much to carry. My sons school have lockers so they can leave sports kit in them. However they are too small and they can only get one pair of shoes in them. As they are told they need football boots and trainers he often ends up carrying a pair of these around too. A step in the right direction but not really good enough. If they leave stuff out of the lockers it goes missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Dear god, why can't they have a locker at school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 That's ridiculous and I wouldn't be letting her do it. Mine had to carry everything around with them but only what was needed for that day and that was bad enough. I am sooooooo glad that mine have now left high school and the pettiness. How do school know if they have all of their books with them. Tell me they don't waste time checking every pupils bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Devon did have a locker, for which I paid £5, but when the lockers were re modelled last year it was taken from her & not re allocated. For our sitaution a locker isn't ideal anyhow as at the end of school her bus leaves 5 minutes after the bell which barely gives her time to get to the bus bay, let alone go to a locker first & sort out which books she may need for homework & GCSE revision abwsco, my girl is a conformist who likes to play by the rules. if she is told to take in all her books, as they all were, then thats what she wants to do. they do spot checks in tutor times too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 What an absolutely ridiculous rule. What is their thinking behind this one? Children's spines are still developing at that age and irreparable damage can be done. My osteopath has a go at me for carrying a heavy handbag let alone a rucksack full of books everyday. I would certainly challenge the school on this. Good luck and let us know the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaR Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 That is really bad Luckily, my son's school doesn't have that rule and as another poster rightly said, their bags are bad enough as it is. I've just glanced over at the pile of books ds has left behind today and can't imagine him being able to lug all of them around with him every day. This is definitely a rule that needs challenging. The pressure this must be creating on still developing bones and muscles doesn't bear thinking about. I'm sure that if this was employment related - elf and safety would have something to say about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 These sorts of rules do not encourage young people to take responsibility for themselves. One of the most important lessons that they learn between the ages of 11 and 18 is how to take responsibility for themselves, and they do this gradually by being given more responsibility. My DS requested a smaller bag for school because he was finding that he was keeping all his books and any assorted rubbish and bits of loose paper in the large bag that he was using. He never sorted it out and realised that this was not a good way to deal with his school work. Since he has had the smaller bag he only takes what he needs for that day along with a games kit if needed and he is mouch more organised as a result. If school do not put some trust in young people, they will not get trust and respect in return Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Um they wana be careful that they dont get hit with a lot of compensation for chronic back pain as back pain is one of the easiest things to fake as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 also i cant believe how strict schools are these days! im only 23 and school was so relaxed when i was younger i dont think we even had any text books they just handed them out in class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I can't believe that is still going on Sarah - I remember your original thread about this a few years back. They really ought to provide lockers, not that that would help in her case as you've pointed out. If they do that to Rosie, I will make sure that she has a wheelie case to take them in - it's not worth risking a scoliosis for a bag of school books. My wonderful osteopath has done lots of research on this subject and it's one of his pet subjects, especially as he has 3 teenagers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thanks for your support everyone. I spoke to a very sympathetic secretary & the head of house is calling me today at some point. If that fails I am going to the head, as its a different one to the one who was in charge when this rule was put in place. I did speak to Devon's tutor about it a few months ago but he just said rules is rules pretty much The wheelie case is a nice idea but none of the pupils will use them I have also found out that the new lockers were all given to the new year 7 pupils rather than re distributed to those who already had them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Colditz High School is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 My ES's old school didn't have space for lockers - it was a very popular school built years ago and not big enough for the current capacity. Luckily though they didn't have to carry books they weren't going to use! But they did have to carry their coats and pe stuff around. Needless to say ES decided he wouldn't ever bother taking a coat to school because he couldn't be bothered carrying around school. Its just so silly. Its almost as if they want to make life harder for the kids Good luck talking to the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Whatever happened to good old coat pegs and lockers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Whatever happened to good old coat pegs and lockers. Coats would simply get nicked and most schools don't have room for lockers DD's high school was originally built for about 400 pupils and has something like 1800 on the roll now. Good luck in getting it sorted out Sarah. I have two girls who are not backwards in coming forwards. Eldest one never got in trouble for it but youngest was another matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Ah.....another case of the 'world gone mad' and common sense was last seen running for the hills My lot only have to take in that days books - bad enough most days. DS has Dyspraxia and when he was at senior school (have to say things are a little more civilised now he's at 6th form - but not a lot) he also had to lug around a laptop, along with his text books and also - for some reason that is beyond me in this day and age of technology - all the work stored on his laptop, printed off and organised into folders They were supposed to be putting in bigger lockers but DD says they haven't and they only just manage to fit their PE kit in. No way big school bags or books are going to fit in and nor is there is enough time before school (they aren't allowed in before registration) or between lessons as the school is spread out over a massive area to get to their lockers to get the next classes books Good Luck Sarah - you go for it and sort them out :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I've been having a little look on the tinternet and there are a few studies that have been done, mainly in the US about kids school bags and back pain. It's all in pounds though I have found this on http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/faqs.htm#10 What measures are there to protect children from back injury sustained through carrying heavy school bags? There is no specific health and safety legislation limiting the weight that children in school can carry. Section 3 of the Health and safety at Work etc Act 1974 imposes some duties on employers and the self-employed towards persons other than their employees such as school children. These are amplified by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which require an assessment of the risks arising from work activities which affect the health and safety of those not in their employment. Although section 3 may apply, other non-HSE legislation concerning the welfare of school children takes precedence. This is an area for Department for Education and Skills pupil health and safety team to deal with info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk. My ED started year 7 last September and she had to take in £5 deposit to secure a locker, which she has luckily got. Unfortunatly, she has to do this every year, so I can foresee that sometime in the future she will be without one. She does have a peg to hang her coat on, but I think the space they are given is very small so she can't really hang up her pe kit as well. Even with usinf her locker she still carries a lot of stuff to and from school. This is not including taking her cello in on a Monday and home on a Wednesday. I do think this it is very irresposible of your childs school to make them take every book in everyday. Surely the reason for having timetables is knowing what lessons you have on what day and is about being prepared. But there will always be kids who forget books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Sarah I suggest you ask to see the risk assessment they carried out on this policy. Chances are they didn't but they should have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 When I made my initial stink about this it got to the point where the local education chap did an assessment, & the school passed, so I am afraid I admitted defeat. However, her bag is now considerably heavier than it was then, about 4lbs or so, so its a route I may go down again. Unfortunately all my correspondence about this was lot in 'the great computer meltdown of 2007' Still waiting on the school phone call, which I am hoping will be over the lunch period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 **This** might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...