British schools banning traditional games over health and safety fears

Traditional playtime games like conkers and British bulldog are disappearing from school playgrounds amid concerns about health and safety, according to research.

Schools are banning the activities due to fears of broken bones and even nut allergies, according to a survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

It also reveals that pupils are being taken on fewer school trips due to too much form filling, a lack of time and funding and safety fears.

Almost three in 10 (29 per cent) of the heads, teachers and support staff questioned said British bulldog has been banned in their school, while 14 per cent said pupils are forbidden from playing conkers and nearly one in 10 (nine per cent) said leapfrog had been banned.

Some five per cent said children were prevented from playing marbles and the same percentage said chasing games like tag had been banned.

One primary school teacher told researchers: “Apparently the main problem with conkers is that nut allergy sufferers are increasingly allergic to them.”

“Bulldog is banned because of the number of broken bones it generates!” a secondary school teacher said.

In total, one in six (15 per cent) of those questioned said fewer playground games and sports are played at their school now than three years ago.

Three in five (60 per cent) cited the reduced number of staff available to supervise pupils as the reason for this, while more than half (55 per cent) said it was due to teachers’ concerns over pupil safety.

More than two in five (42 per cent) said there was a fear of being sued if something went wrong in a game. The poll did find that some schools are adapting playground games to make them safer, with teachers saying that football is now played with a soft ball, and pupils playing tag or touch rugby instead of the full contact sport.

In total, more than half (57 per cent) of those ques-tioned said there was a growing trend of “risk aversion” in schools.

Of these, 90 per cent said this culture was hampering activities both in and out of school, 84 per cent said it hinders the curriculum and 83 per cent said it puts a brake on pupils’ preparation for life.

A secondary school teacher told researchers: “Pupils need to learn their own limitations, which they can’t do if they don’t encounter risk.”

Almost a third (31 per cent) admitted the pupils they work with have been taken on fewer trips and activities over the last three years. Seven in 10 (69 per cent) said this was down to increased paperwork, while 60 per cent blamed a lack of funding and a quarter (23 per cent) said it was due to concerns over pupil safety.

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.”

She added: “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.

The poll questioned 653 school staff working in the state and private sectors in the UK between Friday March 18 and Monday April 4.