Sir, - In response to recent correspondence (Letters, November 27th), following on from Sylvia Thompson’s article “‘Parents were apprehensive’: the school where ‘risky play’ is on the timetable” (Education, November 26th), I can confirm that insurance is, of course, an important consideration as part of risky play in our school.
Our school’s board of management has ongoing communication with our school insurer regarding risky play and we have taken advice from them.
This has included appropriate risk assessments and supervision policies.
Each student also has student personal accident insurance for a small fee per child, as is the case in most schools.
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Children’s risky play can be quite spontaneous and imaginative during class and at break. What is risky one day becomes second nature the next, so we have ongoing conversations with the students and with each other, as staff, regarding agreed play boundaries.
Decisions always centre around balancing the benefits of risk against the imperative to keep children safe under our care.
Building trust with parents is central to this endeavour.
Our school has regular two-way communication with them regarding risky play activities through meetings, open days, letters, surveys, photographs and videos to build trust with parents and to listen to their opinions and concerns. Feedback has been very positive to date.
Activities, including hurling, camogie, cross country running and swimming take place in many schools nationwide, as the benefits are culturally considered to outweigh the risks. Why not play? – Yours, etc,
PAUL O’DONNELL
Principal,
St Patrick’s National School,
Slane,
Co Meath.
