Learning from the rough and tumble

But new research shows many parents feel today's stringent school health and safety rules – which have led to children being banned from playing traditional playground favourites like tag and conkers – are taking safety too far.

A poll of UK primary school children's parents by the British Toy and Hobby Association and Play England found that 74 per cent of parents believe schools are too concerned with health and safety to allow youngsters to enjoy the traditional rough and tumble play that's so important for social and physical development.

Around 85 per cent of parents questioned said that they thought playtime at school can improve children's learning, yet a third felt that their kids didn't get enough playtime.

The average child has just 37 minutes of time to play throughout the school day.

Psychologist and play expert Dr Amanda Gummer points out that play helps children to concentrate, with active play meaning they're more refreshed for lessons.

Play also improves children's social skills, and teaches them how to assess risk.

She says: "While schools need to prioritise safety, the playground is the perfect place to learn these skills.

"It's concerning that such a large proportion of parents feel their child's school is restricting their play, and rough and tumble play

in particular."

Children, especially boys, learn social skills through rough and tumble play that can't go on in the classroom, picking up abilities like leadership and negotiation.

While Dr Gummer says she thinks some modern school health and safety rules go too far, she stresses: "It's easy to say that until your child comes home from school with a broken arm.

"We can't be too blas about it. But as soon as there's some sort of health and safety incident at a school, there's

a kneejerk reaction and everybody goes too far the other way."

The root problem, she says, is that local authorities

and schools are terrified of litigation if a child is injured at school.

"Children are growing up without the ability to decide on risks for themselves, and

if you don't give them the chance to learn about risk when they're little, they'll end up really hurting themselves when they're grown-up.

"These rules might prevent a couple of kids slipping on a bit of ice, but you're creating an unhealthy culture at playtime, where kids don't get the exercise, therefore they don't concentrate and they don't learn as well, they don't sleep as well and so on.

"It's a vicious circle."

She says it's understandable that teachers think. "If in doubt, don't do it" after endless risk assessments at school.

"They don't want a parent or a zealous, ambulance-chasing lawyer saying a child's injury was the school's fault, and suing."

There needs to be an acceptance within the law that accidents happen, she says, and that it's not always somebody's fault.

"Until it becomes not-profitable for these lawyers to encourage parents to go down the litigation route, people will still see it as a way to make a few bucks.

"We can't afford to be lax about children's safety, but there needs to be some common-sense so a sensible balance can be found."

Teachers themselves are in a very difficult position with regards to health and safety rules, says George Muirhead, chairman of the National Primary Headteachers' Association.

"Teachers are between a rock and a hard place,"

he stresses.

While headteachers want children at their schools to have a full range of activities both in play and other areas, he says a minority of parents will take legal action if there's an accident at school, and that can be both time-consuming and very costly for schools.

"Schools do try to let children enjoy a range of activities at playtime, and extend play and risk-taking as much as they can.

"But safety is paramount.

"There's a minority of parents who, if their child is injured in any way, feel that somebody's to blame and that it wasn't an accident.

"That's always in the back of your mind."

He adds: "The safety and security of children is absolutely essential.

"Sadly, the minority of parents who go straight to litigation when there's an accident make schools very cautious."