Parents furious after kids made to eat dinner outside in the rain on first day back at school

Parents are livid as their children were forced to eat dinner outside in the rain ‘like animals’. 

Some pupils returned to school yesterday, and those starting in year 7 at Unsworth Academy in Bury were told to eat outside as part of new safety measures.

Families found out that their children were forced to sit outside in heavy rain and wind on Wednesday and were left soaked.

Many children struggled to actually eat their food as they battled the wind to hold umbrellas up. 

The families explained they had not been made aware that their child’s dinnertime would be spent outside.

They added that the school risk assessment which was provided by the school had originally suggested the large spaces such as halls and dining halls to be used during wet breaks and dinner. 

According to the MEN, many parents have reported directly to the school and Ofsted as well as complaining on social media. 

One parent said the school is ‘treating these kids like animals’, another added: “I wouldn’t let my dog stand outside in rain, let alone make him eat lunch like this.”

Mum Louise, whose two children were back on Wednesday, the youngest starting her first day in Year 7, said: “They actually didn’t eat their dinner at all until they got home as it was all getting wet so her memory of her first day at high school was cold, wet and hungry. Other children were taking shelter under a tree or table tennis tables.

“We were not told that lunches would be eaten outside. We were only told that due to distancing, breaks will be outside regardless of the weather. The lady in the office advised me that that’s the only way it can be done and suggested they bring an umbrella to continue to eat outside.”

Dad James, from Radcliffe, also described his upset with the schools set up, saying: “Personally I am livid that a school finds it acceptable to put students outside to eat their lunch in all weathers. I’m not sure how they’re expected to juggle their lunchbox, their actual lunch and an umbrella while fighting the elements trying to keep their sandwich dry. I believe the conditions are better at Her Majesty’s Prisons.”

The school sent a reminder to parents last night that children should have their waterproofs with them. 

It said: “As I know you will appreciate, it is going to be difficult to ensure social distancing if all our learners have to remain in school during wet breaks and lunchtimes. To minimise the challenges these wet breaks create, we would like all learners to ensure that, if wet weather is forecast, they bring a waterproof coat and an umbrella to school.

“Many learners had their coats and umbrellas with them today; others did not and did unfortunately get wet at lunchtime. The vast majority of learners are unfazed by wet breaks; today a small minority were not happy that they had no coat or umbrella.

“However, at the same time they do now understand why they need to bring them with them to school, not just for breaks and lunchtimes, but also for the journeys to and from school.”

However, parents received another letter from principal Sue Armstrong with an update today: “Yesterday, the last-minute rainfall during the lunchtime break posed a new challenge for us.

“Unfortunately, with this being the first day learners were in school, contingency plans for wet weather were not as effectively implemented as we would have wanted, resulting in a small minority of students getting wet.

“This has understandably caused concern for those families involved and I would like to reassure you that arrangements have been reviewed to ensure students have access to adequate shelter at all times.”