ATL

Over-zealous schools ban British bulldog and conkers - ATL

Traditional playground games such as British bulldog and conkers have been banned in school according to teachers, lecturers, support staff and school leaders questioned by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

According to over a quarter (29%) of the 653 education staff surveyed, British bulldog has been banned in their school. While 14% of staff said their school has banned pupils playing conkers and nine per cent said leapfrog is banned.

Overall 15% of teachers, lecturers, support staff and school leaders said that fewer playground games and sports activities were played at their school than three years ago. The key reasons for the decline were fewer staff available to supervise activities and staff concerns over pupil safety.

A primary school teacher in England said: "Apparently the main problem with conkers is that nut allergy sufferers are increasingly allergic to them."

And a teacher at a secondary school in England added: "Bulldog is banned because of the number of broken bones it generates!"

However, some schools have adapted playground games and sports activities to counter health and safety concerns - football being played with a soft ball and tag/touch rugby as opposed to 'traditional' rugby. There were differences of opinion over certain activities – snowball fights are banned in a number of schools due to health and safety concerns, but in others they are encouraged.

A primary school teacher in England commented: "We were not allowed to go out and play in the snow last year in case children slipped up or got too cold… however, at my previous school our 'snow day' had been the best team building experience I had with my class!"

Thirty-one per cent of education staff said that they have taken the pupils they work with on fewer school trips and activities over the last three years. The main reasons given for fewer school trips and activities were an increase in paperwork and bureaucracy, less funding available and less time to plan trips and activities.

A head of department at a school in England said: "I get all excited about organising a new trip and then my heart sinks when I realise how much paperwork it entails. Neither parents nor colleagues are aware of the burden. I reckon about 100 hours of planning to organise a five-day trip abroad. Risk assessments for every moment of the day and night are ridiculous."

A house leader at an independent secondary school in England stated: "The form filling to run a school trip and the costs that are passed onto pupils as a result of having to pay for supply cover are more off-putting than what could go wrong."

There continue to be concerns from some staff over accountability or being sued if something does go wrong.

A primary school teacher in Northern Ireland said: "In spite of fears of litigation I will continue to take trips, as I do it for the children's sake - but it is a very real fear for me."

A teacher at a primary school in England added: "I don't fear being sued but I do worry if something were to go wrong I would be held accountable."

The pressure on exam results, taking pupils out of other examination subjects and less time actually available due to existing examination systems has also contributed to a decline in the number of trips and activities in some schools.

A teacher at a secondary school in Somerset said: "Our school is now massively reducing the number of term-time trips due to pressure on exam results - now all year round due to modular exams and controlled assessments."

Questioned about changes in attitude towards risk, 57% per cent of education staff said there is a growing trend towards risk aversion in schools. Of the 383 staff who thought schools were more risk adverse, 90% were concerned that this constrains activities both in and out of school. 84% think it constricts the curriculum, and 83% believe risk aversion puts a brake on pupils' preparation for life.

A deputy headteacher at a primary school in Cleveland commented: "All staff recognise the need to keep children safe, but not all recognise that children still need to take measured risks to develop real life skills."

A teacher at The Froebel Small School in East Sussex said: "At our school, we try and help children learn to be safe. We discuss risks when appropriate and negotiate ground rules, so that children understand how and why different approaches might be safe or unsafe. Children are allowed to explore their physical limits and learn to negotiate physical tasks at their own pace. Staff have clear guidelines and children have clear boundaries."

A secondary school teacher in Wales added: "Pupils need to learn their own limitations, which they can't do if they don't encounter risk."

Ruth Lincoln, a teacher at the Douglas Bader School, Coltishall stated: "We should be actively teaching pupils how to recognise, assess and manage risk – not to avoid or be afraid of it."

Sophie Buckler, a teacher at an infant school in Staffordshire said: "I recently visited pre-schools in Sweden to find out about risk-taking in another country. It was an eye-opener how many risks the children were allowed to take and how happy and safe they were."

However, more positively the majority of staff think school trips and activities are very important with 92% of individuals surveyed saying that they enhance learning and support the curriculum, and 85% adding that they can be one of the most valuable educational activities. In fact, some schools already have a relaxed attitude towards risk.

A teacher at a primary school in England commented: "Children go on weekly nature walks building up to the end of year when Year 4 and upwards are taught how to make a campfire and cook on it. They build shelters and in Year 7 to 8 sleep out over night. We also spend the day in the woods around a fire pretending to be Anglo-Saxons. Mud and love is our motto. I think we are unique!!"

Eighty per cent of teachers, lecturers, support staff and school leaders said that their school had a health and safety policy to protect staff and 90% had a policy to protect pupils.

ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: "It is vital that young people are given the opportunity to participate fully in school trips, sports and other activities. These activities are extremely valuable - they enhance learning, support the curriculum and help prepare pupils for life outside the classroom.

"Teachers, lecturers, support staff and school leaders all recognise that children need to be safe, however, without encountering risk it is difficult for them to learn their own limitations.

"ATL believes that our members should continue to implement sensible competent risk assessments with the aim of providing safe, fun-packed and 'incident-free' school trips, sports and playground activities. However, there needs to be a balance between safety and silliness.

"Risk in any school trip or activity should be recognised, assessed and managed, rather than avoided. In fact, young people are often less safe when there is an adult saying "be careful" - they then don't trust their own instincts."

ENDS

For details of the survey findings, please download this press release pdf.

Notes to editors

1. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is an independent, registered trade union and professional association, representing approximately 160,000 teachers, headteachers, lecturers and support staff in maintained and independent nurseries, schools, sixth form, tertiary and further education colleges in the United Kingdom.

2. ATL exists to help members, as their careers develop, through first rate research, advice, information and legal advice.

3. ATL is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and Education International (EI). ATL is not affiliated to any political party and seeks to work constructively with all the main political parties.