Play isn’t an extra

20 January 2020

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A report, last year, highlighted the worrying fact that one in four secondary schools now leave only 35 minutes or less for lunch, forcing children to miss out on opportunities to make friends, socialise and exercise.

Following this study, by University College London’s (UCL) Institute of Education, former Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen has spoken out about the importance of break times. “Play is a fundamental human right”, said Rosen, in a British Psychological Society (BPS) video on the importance of playtime.

Dan O’Hare, from the BPS’s educational and child-psychology division, said “... play is vital for school children… [it] isn’t just a means to an end: it’s fundamental to children’s development and wellbeing”.

James Bowen, Director of Policy for the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “Breaks are essential for everyone in the school, and the negative impact on pupil wellbeing is definitely a concern.”

General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, urged caution, however, in considering what is expected of schools. He said: “There is great value in playtime for children to socialise and let off steam, but schools have to balance this against all the other demands expected of them.” Mr Barton has called for a review into how growing strains on timetables and staff can be balanced with the benefits offered by play at break time.

You can read the full article, and watch Michael Rosen’s video here.

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