Prison yard or playground? Primary school reveals social distancing plan with children as young as four playing in hula-hoop 'bubbles', time slots for toilet breaks and NO help from teachers if they fall or wet themselves'

A primary school has advised that children would have to stay inside a hoop on the playground and clean their own cuts if they fall over when classrooms reopen. 

Holywell Village First School in Northumberland has come under fire over its plans for social distancing when pupils return to the classroom on June 1. 

A now-deleted post on the school's Facebook page seen by Metro said pupils will be assigned 'play bubbles' where they will have to stay when they go outside to the playground.

The instructions were accompanied by a picture to show how it would work if they reopen as expected on June 1 - with hula hoops placed in rows across the ground marked with an x in the middle. 


Parents also raised concern about children having to 'do their own first aid' if they scrape themselves.  

The post read: 'If they fall over or have a toileting accident they will be encouraged to change themselves and clean their scrape or cut.

'We have sourced PPE (following the COVID 19 guidance for Educational Settings) which is for use only for staff protection should a child vomit, not for trips, falls or scrapes.

'If it is not possible for the child to clean themselves in the event of an accident, the parent will be called to collect them so they can do that at home.'

The post also said children will be given specific time slots for going to the bathroom 'and will not be allowed to leave the classroom outside of their allocated toilet times'.  

Parents also raised concern about children having to 'do their own first aid' if they scrape themselves.  

The post read: 'If they fall over or have a toileting accident they will be encouraged to change themselves and clean their scrape or cut.

'We have sourced PPE (following the COVID 19 guidance for Educational Settings) which is for use only for staff protection should a child vomit, not for trips, falls or scrapes.


'If it is not possible for the child to clean themselves in the event of an accident, the parent will be called to collect them so they can do that at home.'