It's not uncommon for teachers to use films and other videos to help introduce topics to children at school, whether it's an educational video that serves as a teaching aid or the film adaptation of a book that they'll be studying.
But one mum has said her child seems to spend a lot of time watching films and YouTube clips at school and has raised concerns online after her youngster "watched an entire film" in one class.
The mum said her child - who is in primary school - and their classmates watched the film as their teacher "had marking to do", and claimed the video they watched was not "educational".
She wrote in a post on Mumsnet: "My Key Stage 2 aged child seems to watch films and YouTube clips more than I thought would be the case at school.
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"Apparently, they watched an entire film today (not during playtime) as the teacher had marking to do.
"I don't mind a bit of TV at school but feel they could at least make an effort with finding something vaguely educational, and also I thought teachers usually did their marking in the evenings.
"Am I being unreasonable to ask the school's policy on TV during school lesson hours or should I be more empathetic and forgiving towards teachers given the incredibly hard job they do?"
The mum also clarified the film they watched was a "modern cartoon film" that wasn't connected to their curriculum at all, and they didn't discuss the film afterwards.
She added: "Film definitely not linked to the curriculum. It's a modern cartoon film not based on a book and with no important message. No questions after. The YouTube clips are usually music or football. I think the teacher said they needed to do marking."
Many commenters on the post were quick to defend the school, with some suggesting that watching films in class won't be a "regular thing", and that the occasional film was nothing to worry about.
One person said: "I'd be very surprised if it was a regular thing. We are allowed to have a film maybe three times a year with occasional themed films to do with our topics. Usually only so extra staff can be released to do jobs at the end of terms like changing the displays."
As another added: "When I was in secondary we would often have classes put on a film instead of a lesson that day, usually if we were at the end of a topic before starting the next one. The films had nothing to do with the class.
"Personally, I wouldn't complain. Kids work hard at school they deserve a reward sometimes."
While a third posted: "My daughter ended up with two or three films a year in the early grades. Generally on the second to last day of the term as a treat and to let the teachers get their paperwork done.
"As long as it doesn't happen too often, let it go."
And some also defended the teacher, insisting that while watching a film isn't an "ideal" lesson, there sometimes just isn't enough hours in the day for the teacher to get everything done that they need to.
Someone wrote: "I would suggest that the teacher is marking end-of-year assessment papers, whilst trying to get reports completed and another 101 things that need doing at this time of year."
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