A Perth school's decision to reduce the amount of free play for students to 15 minutes a day has been described as a violation of children's rights and prompted a call for an urgent review by WA's Education Department.

Key points: Clarkson Primary School pupils now have 15 minutes of "instructional play" at recess

Clarkson Primary School pupils now have 15 minutes of "instructional play" at recess They get another 15 minutes to eat before five minutes of mindfulness activities

They get another 15 minutes to eat before five minutes of mindfulness activities The school says it helps students interact but critics say it is risking their wellbeing

At the beginning of the year, Clarkson Primary School abolished free play at recess for Years 1-6, replacing it with "instructional play" in a program the school said had been a resounding success.

In a letter to parents explaining the change, principal Tony Shields advised class teachers would instead take students into the playground for coordinated sessions lasting 15 minutes focusing on "learning dispositions and playground rules".

He said it was an opportunity for the school to engage children in positive play.

The approach has left students at the northern suburbs school with just 15 minutes of unstructured play per day, between 12.50pm–1.05pm.

The school argues its new approach to recess play time is "paying huge dividends". ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

Prior to that, they have 10 minutes to eat their lunch.

Concern lack of play 'jeopardises' child development

Murdoch University director of early childhood education Sandra Hesterman said she only found out about the school's "extreme" policy recently after speaking to a concerned parent.

She said mandatory minimum times of free play that are not teacher-directed should be introduced at WA schools, and it should not be left to the discretion of principals.

"It is of immense concern and requires immediate review by the Department of Education," Dr Hesterman said.

Sandra Hesterman says restricting free play opportunities to 15 minutes a day is oppressive. ( ABC News: Rebecca Carmody )

"It is a violation of the child's entitlement to play and jeopardises the child's wellbeing and healthy development.

"Although no actual time period is stipulated for freely chosen play time at recess and lunchtime in WA schools, it is difficult to understand how government and perhaps our society detaches its duty of care towards our most valuable resource, children, by minimising free play to 15 minutes a school day.

"Instructional play at recess is not the same."

Dr Hesterman said while it was not uncommon for schools to reduce free play to minimise playground conflict, cutting it back to 15 minutes was oppressive.

"Children who are restricted in opportunities to engage in free play … are stifled and can become tearful, frustrated, agitated, aggressive and unwell," she said.

"Time for freely chosen play and leisure are identified as birth rights under the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child."

WA's public primary schools typically allocate 20 minutes for recess and 40-45 minutes for lunch, including time to eat.

Big change in student behaviour, school says

Far from being detrimental, Clarkson Primary School said its approach was "paying huge dividends".

After 15 minutes of instructional play at recess, its students have 15 minutes to eat.

Following that they take part in five minutes of mindfulness activities to "promote a sense of calm" before returning to the classroom.

The Education Department says it has not had any complaints about the school's approach. ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

Associate Principal Lloyd Morris said there had been a huge turnaround in student behaviour, and pupils were more focused on their learning when they returned to class.

"Our play strategy developed because we noticed students sitting down at recess time, not playing with other children, there was sometimes conflict at break times and students weren't making the most of the opportunities available to them because they lacked the skills to go off and play independently," she said.

"Since we've been running supervised play at recess times, students are having fun, they're making new friends, playing with people they might not have played with before, and they're trying new things.

"The improvements have been remarkable. Students are needing far less encouragement from staff to actively play and supervision is now much more relaxed."

The school said it had taken on feedback from parents and students throughout the year and adjusted its strategy accordingly.

Mr Shields told ABC Radio Perth the school was next year looking to increase morning break time from 35 to 40 minutes and lunch time from 25 to 40 minutes.

The Education Department said its regional office had not received any complaints about the school's approach.

Clarkson Primary School says it had noticed students were not playing with other children. ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

It believed principals were well placed to make decisions about play opportunities at recess and lunch.

"All public school principals have the flexibility to work with their community in making local decisions to best meet the needs of their students," deputy director general of schools Stephen Baxter said.

"This includes schools developing an approach to support student development during instructional time and student breaks."

More and more kids don't know how to play: Maggie Dent

Parenting educator, author and host of the ABC's Parental as Anything podcast, Maggie Dent, said while she did not think 15 minutes of free play a day was nearly enough, instructional play had its place.

She said more and more children were starting school not knowing how to play, and needing to be taught to avoid conflict in the playground.

"Children are not playing as much with other children before they get to a school environment," Ms Dent said.

Maggie Dent says many children do not know the basic rules of engagement for play. ( Supplied: Rueben Hale )

"In today's world parents are very busy, there's less neighbourhood play and the prevalence of digital devices means children are playing online, not with other children."

"It's a really sad indictment of our modern world that children find it difficult to play with other children because they haven't learnt how to play.

"There's no question that the devices are stealing and displacing normal play activities."

Ms Dent said many children did not know the basic rules of engagement for play, including how to initiate games and how to deal with losing.

She said she hoped Clarkson Primary School would bring back free play at recess, without too much delay.

"Our job — collectively, as parents, as communities and teachers — is to try and improve that play code through play, and if they haven't got these strategies, then we need to teach them and give them an opportunity to practise with other children," she said.

"Children who are unable to play, especially without supervision and in unstructured ways, will definitely have some deficits in their growth and development.

"Not only physically but cognitively, emotionally and socially."