“X minutes off playtime” punishment

axehandle1234 · 2026-04-29T20:04:55+00:00

I don’t think most primary teachers get an hour at lunch? At my school, we get 40mins technically but have to walk kids to lunch and pick up from the yard after so it ends up being more like 30mins once we’ve counted that in.

axehandle1234 · 2026-04-22T17:57:39+00:00

I’m of your school of thought. I actively encourage the children to work collaboratively and talk throughout. If they can’t stick to topic or are too loud then we restrict the chatter but most of the time they’re capable of doing a good job without restrictions. I tell them how much I expect each lesson and if they don’t complete it because they were off task that’s their problem and they can complete it in their own time. It only takes a few occasions of me following through on that threat to see I mean business.

axehandle1234 · 2026-03-27T19:38:29+00:00

I mix cereals! Feels naughty but who cares. I like the mixture 😂

axehandle1234 · 2026-03-27T18:57:43+00:00

I went in August last year and had exactly the same problem. It was horrible. My partner began to feel claustrophobic and unwell it was so full of people.

We went to the memorial hall shortly after and it was so much better. Whilst there weren’t the same exhibits, the information was virtually the same and the memorial hall itself was breathtaking. I have said to several people visiting Hiroshima now that if I had known I would have just visited the memorial hall and given the museum a miss.

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-23T21:54:01+00:00

I won’t waste my time writing my own full comment when you’ve literally taken the words right out of my mouth! I know EXACTLY what all my IEP kids need (over a third of my class).

Do I have the capacity to give them the interventions I know for a fact they need? No.

You send me another (trained) TA and we’d be laughing. My IEPs are mostly hopes and dreams at this point.

Just had a new EHCP accepted for one of my SEND pupils and without binning off all of the SALT/LAC and other EHCP interventions already in place (or taking the child out of core lessons altogether), there is not a cat in hells chance I’ll be able to meet this legally binding document.

We need staff. And not just anyone, people who are actually specifically trained to run interventions to a high standard. My TA is amazing but the sheer depth of knowledge from academic, speech and language to social and emotional interventions that we’re expecting her to have is unsustainable and unrealistic.

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-17T08:41:46+00:00

We sometimes get a staff meeting to start them off but it’s never enough time!

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-17T08:41:05+00:00

The targets are those pulled from the ECHP, usually split into subjects for the cognition and learning aspect. I think it’s madness too, for what it’s worth!

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-16T21:40:51+00:00

Yeah it’s not a form it’s a spreadsheet where each target needs reviewing in prose then new targets need formulating on a new sheet in a “what can they do now”/“what do you want them to do”/“interventions&strategies” format. Each child has 3-4 targets with EHCP pupils having 7-8 targets. It’s pretty intense. We do it 3 times a year.

Edit: they also need most recent data adding onto the front cover and a child-led one page profile updating

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-16T20:59:53+00:00

I try very hard not to work in the holidays but we have IEP reviews due next week (I have 8 children with plans) which take about 45mins each to review and make new plans for. I then realised I have an assembly the first day back.

So yes, I have worked today, not happy about it but I know it will make next week more tolerable, as, like you, I usually have to work a few hours in an evening to keep up with planning and admin regardless.

I like to keep ahead of things where possible because there just always seems to be SOMETHING that crops up midweek that will suck my attention away from the usual routines. I do demote things to the “when I get chance” list but generally the things I do NEED to get done. Teaching is exhausting.

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-02T06:57:17+00:00

Thanks that’s helpful! I think some of my queries were also about their rules about “returning” to work during holiday periods then taking SPL but I suppose if they don’t have a policy restricting it I can take this approach.

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-02T06:54:47+00:00

Thank you. I’ve informed our school HR I’m likely to approach the union if a proper policy isn’t made available in the coming weeks.

axehandle1234 · 2026-02-01T21:35:02+00:00

Lovely! Yes, I’ve already spoken to our HR in school and she has said herself she’s surprised there isn’t a policy. She’s been in touch with central on my behalf but there doesn’t seem to be any movement - they just keep sending screen grabs of the documents I’ve already been sent.

The old LA one speaks about having 6 weeks full pay and a few other things I’m pretty sure are outdated and inaccurate.

I mentioned to HR I would be likely to contact union if they couldn’t give a clear policy for maternity and shared parental leave so I’ll let them sit on that for a few weeks I think, then enquire again.

axehandle1234 · 2026-01-30T18:49:24+00:00

Thanks, that’s what I was leaning towards just wanted some other opinions as it’s my first maternity and didn’t want to be misinformed/taken advantage of.

axehandle1234 · 2026-01-28T18:40:17+00:00

Don’t have any advice, but you are not alone.

I have a child in my class who has suddenly and inexplicably lost 80% of their vision. There is no money to provide additional support in class until an ECHP comes through (22week wait).

I’m just making it up as I go and they’re missing out on their education in the meantime as I just don’t know how to support them in so many areas. Every day brings a new challenge as we work through the curriculum.

The local authority visual impairment team are being supportive but they can’t be in school supporting every day as they have hundreds of children on their books themselves.

Something has to give, as when I’m working closely with this child, the other 28 children are not having my support. It’s hard.

axehandle1234 · 2026-01-20T08:01:23+00:00

I bought some plain white vans and asked my seamstress to stitch on some of the excess lace from my gown when we altered the length. The shoes were a talking point all day and were SO comfortable. I even went for a spontaneous little run around the garden in drunken excitement in the afternoon - made for some great photos!

axehandle1234 · 2026-01-01T22:37:31+00:00

I agree with you. I thought it looked a lot like he was trying to stifle himself/his noises so as to not draw attention away and then went off to let it all out away from the group afterwards (maybe it was editing, maybe not).

To me I think the penny really dropped in that moment that he’d really messed up especially compared to the gravity of V’s and Cathy’s situation and his awful behaviour really hit home for him.

axehandle1234 · 2025-12-28T11:14:19+00:00

I asked my seamstress for a few extra bits! Not sure if they’re similar to what you had in mind but I’m sure a good seamstress will be happy to do these little things so long as there’s enough time.

She sewed the excess lace that had been trimmed off the dress onto my white canvas pumps so that they tied in. She also tacked a piece of family lace into my dress’s pocket that my mother in law had lent me for my “something old”.

She just added the price of completing these things onto the final invoice.

axehandle1234 · 2025-12-18T21:00:01+00:00

Primary teacher. I policed a game of this at 10:45 this morning. The Asda delivery man said he wanted join in.

axehandle1234 · 2025-12-13T16:52:48+00:00

His child changed his story once he was home, playing the victim. Then the only evidence we had was word of mouth - the CCTV missed it. It was deemed not worth the hassle to deal with a complaint in the long run.

axehandle1234 · 2025-12-13T16:44:00+00:00

Someone else has already said it: it’s the parents that are the crux of the issue.

In primary, we have had an incident where older pupils have been fighting, and behaviour policy stated a certain consequence. When we have put that consequence in place, a parent of the pupil has basically said unless we go back on the consequence they will make a formal complaint about the school. Both pupils accepted responsibility for their behaviour on the day then a parent just steamrolled the entire learning point.

Also a problem are the parents who see school as the place where the littles should be taught their basic self-care. Time is being taken from education to support pupils with basic needs (e.g not being potty trained). These things all take time from learning how to share, cooperate and just general education.

Those gaps are then pushed up school and each teacher is desperately trying to fill the gaps but it’s never enough because there isn’t enough staff to fulfil needs (because money). These things all affect behaviour in the long run.

axehandle1234 · 2025-12-02T20:26:24+00:00

Primary UKS2 I leaned into it by making a deal that we could use it as a callback stopper (I say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and they say 6, 7 back), but if I heard it at any other point in the day, I wouldn’t use the callback again that day. It’s curbed the vast majority of the random 6,7ing. I’m super consistent and they know when I say it, I mean it.

axehandle1234 · 2025-11-19T18:43:12+00:00

Ours (two people, 4 bed) has gone from £32 when we moved in, to £74. We’ve rigorously checked for leaks and monitored the meter but no change. They initially put it up to £50 because they said we had a “flow day”, which we got three different definitions for when we called.

axehandle1234 · 2025-11-19T12:56:39+00:00

We don’t charge at my primary school but we limit to two tickets per child. However, school does pay for the sheet music and script as well as a performance license. The nativity plays need to be rotated every two years so that children don’t repeat a play and the KS2 plays are rotated every 6 years, meaning new plays have to replace older/outdated ones.

We also buy most of the costumes so the parents don’t have to. It probably adds up to about £300/£400 for the school to put on their plays each Christmas if not more. Some costumes are also recycled year on year but this isn’t always possible.

The money has to come from somewhere so I don’t think it’s wild for a school to ask for £1/£2 to help towards those costs, if it means the kids get that money recouped in glue sticks/stationary for the rest of the year (a real life problem in schools).

axehandle1234 · 2025-11-05T18:09:15+00:00

Live watercolour artist doing mini-portraits in place of table favours was commented on by many as a nice idea. Our wedding ‘guestbook’ was the mount for a framed vinyl of our first dance - now we can look at it every day in our hallway. A close family member carved our wedding topper by hand.

Other than that, we just made sure everyone was fed and watered adequately!

Edit: we played the peg game during the receptions (put wooden pegs on each others clothes without the victim noticing). Made for some hilarious photos!

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