Parents furious as school makes pupils eat outside in the rain sat on wet ground due to Covid
PARENTS were left furious after a school made their pupils eat outside in the rain because of coronavirus.
The youngsters have had to allegedly eat their lunch sat on the wet ground outside at Castle Donington College in Derby.
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Benches are meant to be provided, but parents have complained that there aren't enough for all the kids - so pupils have been forced to sit in the ground.
The canteen in the school has been closed and instead, pupils are being provided with "grab and go" meals, including hot dogs, burgers, pizza and chips.
But the school has defended the actions, telling parents this is so children remain within their bubbles and reduce the risk of potentially spreading the virus to other year groups.
On the school website, it states: "There will be no indoor seating for dining. Outside benches will be available in each zone."
One parent Jenny Breslford, 36, claims her 14-year-old daughter has eaten outside even in wet weather and that there is not enough seating available.
She said: "There’s not enough seats even in dry weather, so children are sitting on the tarmac."
Her daughter has since been given special permission to eat inside, with the company of one friend, due to a medical condition.
AL FREEZECO DINING
Another parent, who has chosen to remain anonymous, told Derbyshire Live that her Year 8 son had to eat outside in the rain.
She said: “Last week he came home and his lunch box was wet and all his food was wet inside.
"Some of his friends are taking their coats off to sit on them outside, which means they’ve got somewhere dry to sit but they’re cold because they’ve got no coats on."
And one dad believes that his Year 9 daughter has suffered a urine infection due to having to sit out on the tarmac as there was not enough seating for her.
He also said: "In this kind of weather it's ridiculous, they should all stay inside and stay warm."
As well as eating outside, several parents have reported that their children are coming home "cold to the touch" as the school are keeping all windows open during lessons.
The pupils are now being sent to school in hoodies and extra layers on top of their uniform to ensure that they are warm during the day.
'COLD TO THE TOUCH'
Parent Jenny, a senior administrator, said: "They’re wearing coats, gloves and scarves in the classrooms as it is."
Windows in classrooms are being left open in accordance with the Department of Education's guidelines.
But in cooler weather, the windows should be "opened just enough to provide constant background ventilation, and opened more fully during breaks".
One furious parent emailed the school to complain about the eating arrangements.
In the email reply seen by Derbyshire Live, the school wrote: "At present, we have enough midday staff to cover the outside zones, field and astro pitches but we are unable to supervise pupils in individual classrooms.
"The track and trace system means that we have to know where pupils are at all times so that as few people as possible have to self isolate in the event of a positive case.
"Pupils outside are deemed safe from infection but inside we have to keep detailed seating plans to identify any pupil at risk - unsupervised classrooms at lunchtimes means that the track and trace process collapses.
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"Many more pupils would have to be sent home for fourteen days - something that nobody wants given how much schooling has already been missed this year.
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"We would not choose to run break times in the way we have been this year but we are obliged to follow Government and Department for Education guidelines in order to minimise the risks of virus transmission and to keep pupils, staff and their families safe."
The Sun Online has contacted the school for a comment.
