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Original poster

Village Gala Day Drama

291 replies

Bronniel · 11/02/2025 22:28

I live in a small Scottish Village, every year there is a Gala Day, I imagine it is similar to a Village Fete in England, but basically It is a lot of local businesses, food vans, live music and some little rides for the kids in the local park, with a parade around the village and a fancy dress competition, it is fairly popular. Also a lot of other events in the village on the weekend surrounding it and competitions for the kids.
Every year there is a Gala Queen, plus some other big roles like crown bearer, maids etc. Basically the Queen gets crowned to kick the day off and prior to that leads the parade in a horse and carriage. It's all very much set in tradition but still popular and the kids enjoy it.
Traditionally the Gala Queen and the rest of the Gala party has been selected by the primary school in the village, and consists of P7s, the head teacher picks them and they are chosen based on behaviour/attainment etc. throughout the year. My own kids viewed it as quite a bit accolade to be chosen and it seems like a big deal to the kids. This method though has had its controversies as obviously not every child in the Village attends the village school with some going to other schools for various reasons and others going to say the catholic school or occasionally the odd who does the 30+ minute commute to a private school, it also excludes any kids who attend the schools for additional needs as these aren't in the village. However it has always been the primary schools pick.
I am on the Gala Committee and this year there is a push to change the allocation method, basically to some sort of system where any Primary 7 aged child who lives in the village or surrounding farms/one hamlet where all the kids also go to the local school, would be able to enter. The top ideas right now are some sort of essay writing competition or a competition where kids submit "evidence of excellence" be it a video of a dance they have learnt, art they have done, sports awards etc. The essay seems to be the popular choice but some fear that it will mean just the smartest kids get the chance to be part of it. It's said that either the committee would pick or we could get some locals to pick (so a panel of maybe the head teacher, the minister at the local church etc). The idea for the essay writing competition is they would write an essay on the history of the village or something similar.

However the issue is, this same year one of the most vocal members of the Gala Committee has a grandchild who is in Primary 7, but at a private school, so wouldn't be eligible under the historical system as despite living in the village, doesn't attend the local school. About half of the committee are against any changes as it is set in tradition and they feel the change is purely to benefit this members grandchild and future grandchildren. They also feel that it is unfair to ask the children of the local state school, many from lower income backgrounds to compete against private school kids on either the essay front or the hobby front. Others feel it is a necessary change as the days of all the kids going to the local school are over, and lots of the kids at the local school aren't from the village now.

It is creating quite the divide and a lot of upset so I'm looking to see what others think as we seem to be in a deadlock.

So
YABU - The traditional method should stay
YANBU - Time to update so all the kids in the village can be involved

(I know this seems trivial but it is the source of many a head ache for me right now and it is the height of village drama for our sleepy little place).

OP posts:
CaptainFuture · 12/02/2025 07:32

TickingAlongNicely · 11/02/2025 22:31

I would counter with suggesting any child who wants to take part of the right age group is entered into a draw (separate girls and boys if necessary) and it is simply names out of a hat.
Definitely not an essay competition.

Absolutely this. The luck of the draw then!

Zusammengebrochen · 12/02/2025 07:31

Any p7 age child with random selection.
In the village I grew up in they alternated the catholic/non-denomational p7 class year to year, a queen and 2 attendants- in our school it was pupil votes (was probably the same in the other). It was always the popular girls who got chosen, though sometimes popular didn't mean kind, sadly. The private school kids didn't seem to object to not being included.

ManyATrueWord · 12/02/2025 07:30

I think if you drop the idea that it would be bad optics to take away the role from a village school child because a committee member had a child at a private school they might take a look at themselves.

Smallsalt · 12/02/2025 07:27

Our gala, you have to live in the village. Doesn't matter what school you go to. ( in effect everybody is at thr sane school, we are remote)

So children in the school are from the next village but they don't qualify.

Names are drawn out of a hat of eligible P7s.

MelisandeLongfield · 12/02/2025 07:26

The phrase "too much time on their hands" leaps to mind in respect of the organisers. Essay competitions and X-factor style selection for the children? Give over! It's a village fete, not a Royal Gala Performance.

All the children who want to be part of it submit their names and the successful entrants get pulled out of a hat - done.

Drylogsonly · 12/02/2025 07:26

Personally - I would keep it and exclude the private kids, they have opted out of local schooling and already have more advantages.
NOT an essay - again that would exclude too many children if that age, plus half of them will have their parents doing it for them…

ToffeePennie · 12/02/2025 07:20

Hi ladies and gents here’s a solution:
Ive spoken to the head and she’s given me the names of the 10 village children who deserve the accolade this year.
We’ve also asked for any parents to fill out a slip with their school name on so I can approach the school and check, (with a time limit on the slips say 10 days to return them - give them out at the next “village meeting” I am almost certain you have one)
Ive confirmed with these other 5 schools that 3 people are also in the draw.
pop them in a hat and let’s ask the vicar to pull the name.
Essays are wildly inappropriate, “videos of excellence” are beyond inappropriate. These are not test of attainment whatsoever, these are simply tests of who has the most money.

TheDisillusionedAnarchist · 12/02/2025 07:08

I'd stick to the old way. It's not about excluding kids but about the village school as part of the community so kids who attend that school represent their school at the Gala day (regardless of whether they live in the village)

In the same way perhaps that the village pub or the village shop are represented and just because Clive who is on the committee chooses to drink at the next Village pub or Matt (and 90% of the village) shops at Tesco instead of the village shop doesn't mean the committee need to include six other local pubs in nearby villages or ask Tesco if they fancy a stall.

There could of course be other roles in the day which kids who live in the village but don't attend the school could participate in. For example you could have competitions/talent contests/ fancy dress etc.

Cerialkiller · 12/02/2025 06:59

I like the idea of having benefited the community some how. You could do a simple form with enough space for a few sentences to explain what they have done. They need to 'apply' to be chosen.

This prevents kids who aren't interested being picked (it's my worst nightmare).

Young carers, fundraising for charity, helping at church, litter picking, rescuing hedgehogs, visiting grandma every day. Anything that is going out of their way to help os counted.

The roles are 'royal' so should be focussed on compassion, generosity and service.

Codlingmoths · 12/02/2025 06:53

Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:02

It's interesting everyone is so against the essay idea. One of the villages near us use this (but only open to kids in the primary school in that village) and they seem content with it, though I do see the flaws.
One of the committee members is a teacher at the local school and thinks it could be a project the whole class do, so a teaching opportunity as it happens. Then other kids could also submit.

Honestly I think it's a whole lot more stress than I care to deal with but the Gala Day is in June so we would like to get the allocation method sorted ASAP.

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The essay is ok if it’s just for the village school. It’s not ok if it is comparing the village school kids to the private school.

GetDownkeith · 12/02/2025 06:50

Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:27

I like this idea, though I'm not sure it is anymore inclusive than an essay or similar as it will favour the kids who are able to best articulate why they wanted and are best at public speaking. Does sound a lot more enjoyable than reading 30 odd essays by 11/12 year olds though!

I still think we would need an impartial (as much as can be) panel though, as obviously committee members would be inclined to pick the kids of their friends and family.

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I would say that the gala queen is quite a public role though. Ok probably no public speaking but paraded about the village usually so if they aren’t comfortable in front of the committee they may not be great for the role anyway.

VeryDeepEverything · 12/02/2025 06:40

Maybe a poster for one role and an act of kindness/community for another?

VeryDeepEverything · 12/02/2025 06:39

Kimmeridge · 12/02/2025 00:43

Ours changed recently to a poster advertising the Gala. Its quite inclusive because kids who aren't great at drawing have produced some amazing colourful efforts.

This is a great idea as the task has purpose and is accessible to all (unless you can't hold a pen at all) because no grammar rules or language skills are needed.

The committee are obviously people who invest and are invested in the village and you do need those people.
But maybe the posters could be voted for with the creator being kept anonymous to help avoid excluding certain children (though they will know their own of course).

Carnewb · 12/02/2025 01:18

If names out of a hat wouldn't work, then instead of dances or essays which could exclude or disadvantage some children, then something community minded or kind that has been done and the child is nominated for by someone else? Like maybe one child always goes on the litter pick when it's arranged, or have helped a neighbour with something or rescued a hedgehog sort of thing?
I don't know how workable it is, but anyone can be community minded/helpful/kind and it wouldn't favour more articulate children.

Kimmeridge · 12/02/2025 00:43

Ours changed recently to a poster advertising the Gala. Its quite inclusive because kids who aren't great at drawing have produced some amazing colourful efforts.

ARealitycheck · 12/02/2025 00:03

Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:53

I think a diverse committee could work but I'm not sure any of us have the authority to decide who is and isn't disadvantaged.

I still see favouritism at play though, the proposed committee so far is

  • Minister & Ministers wife
  • Head Teacher
  • Rep from the local secondary school
  • Head of the Gala Committee
  • Owner of the local pub (very active in the community, does free meals for those in need at christmas, arranges litter picks, does lots of the fundraising for the Gala)

The current head teacher lives in the village, she has lived here her whole life and is very active in the community, she also goes to the local church.

If we take the granddaughter who is at private school, who's family happen to be some of the few with kids who still go to church, and have Sunday lunch in the pub every week and are friends with the headteacher, I could easily see minister and ministers wife, pub owner, headteacher and head of the committee all putting her first just based on knowing her family well. I'd hope they wouldn't play favourites but it's a village and favouritism seems imbedded into the blood of this place.

Show quote history

Your last sentence shows why pulling a name out of a hat type thing is far fairer.

Original poster
Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:53

VeryDeepEverything · 11/02/2025 23:45

If you go for the selection evening you could have a diverse selection panel with votes to score favourite to not favourite and the winner being amalgamated from those.

That would minimise favouritism as much as poss

You could also weight a score for a child +1 if the child has a disadvantage in some way.

I think a diverse committee could work but I'm not sure any of us have the authority to decide who is and isn't disadvantaged.

I still see favouritism at play though, the proposed committee so far is

  • Minister & Ministers wife
  • Head Teacher
  • Rep from the local secondary school
  • Head of the Gala Committee
  • Owner of the local pub (very active in the community, does free meals for those in need at christmas, arranges litter picks, does lots of the fundraising for the Gala)

The current head teacher lives in the village, she has lived here her whole life and is very active in the community, she also goes to the local church.

If we take the granddaughter who is at private school, who's family happen to be some of the few with kids who still go to church, and have Sunday lunch in the pub every week and are friends with the headteacher, I could easily see minister and ministers wife, pub owner, headteacher and head of the committee all putting her first just based on knowing her family well. I'd hope they wouldn't play favourites but it's a village and favouritism seems imbedded into the blood of this place.

OP posts:
ARealitycheck · 11/02/2025 23:47

VeryDeepEverything · 11/02/2025 23:45

If you go for the selection evening you could have a diverse selection panel with votes to score favourite to not favourite and the winner being amalgamated from those.

That would minimise favouritism as much as poss

You could also weight a score for a child +1 if the child has a disadvantage in some way.

Hell no don't go giving some kids an advantage at the start. Can you imagine the rows. 😁

VeryDeepEverything · 11/02/2025 23:45

If you go for the selection evening you could have a diverse selection panel with votes to score favourite to not favourite and the winner being amalgamated from those.

That would minimise favouritism as much as poss

You could also weight a score for a child +1 if the child has a disadvantage in some way.

ARealitycheck · 11/02/2025 23:43

Sounds cliquey to me at present. Invite those girls of age interested in becoming Queen, in the area to enter their names and draw from a hat. Having a child involved might encourage those who don't normally assist to take part.

mdinbc · 11/02/2025 23:35

Can you let the other schools know to nominate a selected few, based on merit, then the committee looks at all the nominations and vote? I think that would be fair. If you get 3 nominations from each school, then the panel decides.

Original poster
Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:27

feelingalittlehorse · 11/02/2025 23:13

So we have the same in our village (not Scotland).
Basically, they have a selection night for the main roles which are similar to yours (but also including a few other ‘Character’ roles that are in the parade each year.
So, for example, the Gala Queen has to be a girl, living in the village who is 12 years old at the time of the event. So all girls who wish to put forward for the role go to the selection evening, introduce themselves and then a couple of lines to the panel about why they want to be that role. The panel then choose.

That’s how we’ve done it here for years, with no complaints so far. Obviously that does take an evening of people’s time but it’s a generally enjoyable evening.

I like this idea, though I'm not sure it is anymore inclusive than an essay or similar as it will favour the kids who are able to best articulate why they wanted and are best at public speaking. Does sound a lot more enjoyable than reading 30 odd essays by 11/12 year olds though!

I still think we would need an impartial (as much as can be) panel though, as obviously committee members would be inclined to pick the kids of their friends and family.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:22

crockofshite · 11/02/2025 23:20

Who decides who deserves the honour now?

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The head teacher at the local school, so it would just be the same as it is now with only kids at the local school able to be chosen. I'm fine with that personally but it doesn't help the deadlock at all!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:21

gavisconismyfriend · 11/02/2025 23:15

We have a huge gala court - king and queen, ladies in waiting, pages, flower girls. Main roles are P7, other roles to P5 & 6 I think. Names in a hat, draw done on Facebook live by organising committee. Think most parents secretly relieved if their child’s not chosen as there’s an automatic expectation that if your child is a member of the court that you’ll go big on decorating your house, but that’s balanced by everyone loving the honour of their child being part of the court if their name comes out the hat. Names of those wanting to be in the draw go to the gala committee so any child could be involved regardless of school, although not sure if there are any that live in the village and don’t go to the local school. Everyone seems to accept it is a lottery and everyone joins in the day regardless.

Gosh that is a lot of kids. We have always stuck to 5, but the committee takes on the cost of dresses for the girls and kilts etc. for the boys. We also decorate the houses, the only expectation from the parents is having them ready on the day.

I will suggest a random draw but I think it will be a flat no. The only thing the majority seem to have agreed on is it being a reward of some sort as the committee takes on a lot of the financial strain and it seems fair that the honour is a reward.

There is a town near us with a larger Gala Party, but they use the Secondary School (I think the top performing S2's) and some younger kids (I believe 2 P3s from each of the primary schools and 2 P7s).

I'm not personally fussed on any method, school, random draw etc. but others are a lot more passionate.

OP posts:
crockofshite · 11/02/2025 23:20

Bronniel · 11/02/2025 23:02

Who would decide who the good kids are?

Show quote history

Who decides who deserves the honour now?