School support with extra-curricular interests / talents

Great outcome, so glad the school were able to see the big picture.and think about the whole child and not just exam results.

That's a great outcome, well done.

how many panto shows is she doing in total? ours do between 18 and 26 depending on the year and team arrangements. only in primary here but we get authorised absence for a few rehearsals that are during the school day and for school time performances, this generally seems to total about 4.5-6 school days spread over November and December. Never had late starts after a late show even in year 3, been required to return to school for 1hr here and there if they can between things etc. no extensions with any tasks (although I do realise that homework is less).

Will we still do panto in secondary school if possible? probably not. if we did then I would at most perhaps be asking for a tiny bit of leniency if there was a short turnaround homework (say set tuesday for wednesday but in tuesday matinee and evening show) but otherwise by that age I think it is necessary for them to find a way to fit it in.

Panto is a lovely experience for them I agree but I am not sure it counts for much on a CV and if my children were doing lots of other stuff as well then I probably wouldn't let them do it as well, not if they had already done it in the past and had the experience already if that makes sense. Of course there is also the catching up on work missed to do shows. It is a huge commitment isn't it.

children we know who compete internationally in sports or who are top in the country in various activities (music, dancing, sport) seem to get authorised absences for training camps and competitions or performances/exams during school time and I know some of the sports ones can submit work online from distance learning where required etc with some getting brief extensions but not normally much as unfortunately it tends to then lead to being behind which then leads to being more behind etc.

Snowflake9
We've given authorised leave for a week for some GCSE students as long as there's been relevant discussions about educational responsibility etc for young performers and we are happy they're able to manage.

There's lots schools can do that's specific to certain situations and depending on what other agencies and education providers are involved.

I'm not convinced that taking the line my child should get free time in the day to compensate for the fact we choose to do music lessons out of school instead of in school really cuts it.
Equally, suggesting that a child doesn't need supervising is nonsense and so's the idea that a member of staff should supervise 1-1 for a period of time instead of actually being free to do their job.

When I was in secondary school and on stage, the school would allow me to come in after registration with tutor / assembly so essentially miss the first 30 mins of the school day and I was able to have a week extension on all homework as I would come home from school. Eat dinner and have to be in the theatre for 5 and not be home until 10+

My school were really supportive and I was very grateful for it.

Squintsoftheworldunite
And I've given a list of examples of what my school does to support students working at a high level. The fact I think the OP's expectations are unrealistic and her attitude is wrong has absolutely NOTHING to do with having low expectations or pissing on chips.

The fact of the matter is that the OP seems to think that school should be giving her child additional frees because her daughter does music lessons out of school. So what? There must be at least a dozen students in my school alone who do music to a similar level, but they don't expect school to give them free time for it.

There's another dozen or so that do sport to a high level, including national and international teams. They aren't expecting staff to plan their lessons and learning sequences around when is convenient for them to do the homework.

Maybe every child who does shows or sports teams or private music lessons should also get these banked free lessons in year 8 too because it's wrong to expect them to do their homework on time when they other more important things to do that are their passion.

I know of schools that:

• allow children to leave early three times a week for vocational dance
• allow the same children to not do contact PE sports
• schools that allow children to do less GCSEs... not to do poorly on them or do less than they’d need as “back up” but just less than the absurd 10-12 many schools have started doing. Can I remind you children need 5????!

And as for all your responses saying “you clearly have no clue what you’re doing, your feet are in fairy land”... firstly the lack of faith any of you show in the determination of talented young people is astonishing. And indicative of why many give up on careers they would love, going on to live lives with regrets for what they could have done. The OP clearly stated that her kid isn’t only willing to accept the top west end parts, she is willing to do all the different jobs an actor-musician can to get by without a big break.

My DDs ballet teacher told her that when she was 9 years old she told her mum exactly what she wanted of her dance career. Many people around her told her she would fail, that she couldn’t know what she wanted and the odds were slim.... thank goodness she ignored them. All the people like you judgy lot.

I love how ready people are to twist words, jump in on hassling someone else when your criticism wasn’t asked for.

When I was a child the phrase was “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all”. It really should be a core rule of mumsnet. If you don’t have the advice being asked for, stop “pissing on someone else’s chips” (though to the darling who posted that, t may be my new favourite phrase).

Agree with above. At my child's school every child has to do at least one extracurricular club at the school. If they take part in a sports club, music lessons etc, outside of school they can get a pass not to do one within school. It does not allow them to skip normal PE lessons. Tne curriculum.at this age is compulsory. When she takes her options she will still have to take PE as they are still compulsory plus she will still have a full timetable for tne optons she can choose. School are already being very accommodating,

I am suggesting she gets a rostered 'free' in lieu of the music lessons she DOESN'T have in school to catch up with homework and class work she will miss due to matinee shows and make up some practice time. For half a term.
We know what you are asking!

We are telling you it's an unreasonable expectation.

You CHOOSING to have private music tuition out of school isn't doing the school a favour, it's not that choosing to have private music lessons means you can bank the time up to take as frees for homework.

Otherwise, why not decide any child who does gymnastics or football or dance or any other club out of school should get additional frees as they shouldn't have to do PE because that time is in lieu of all the out if school activities they do.

I'm sorry OP, but you really seem to have a warped view of what is reason and not reasonable.

I have no experience of this, but I think yr8 is just too young to think academic stuff is something you can compensate.
I just think it's up to you, if you think it's ok for her to forget about academic success at this young age, go for it. She is barely a teenager. Your decisions still determines her life.

OP, rather than ask to drop PE/RS or SRE (all of which is compulsory), think about a subject that she might drop - one that she's never ever going to do at GCSE level. We managed to drop DT and Art in Y9, which made a huge difference - it was a very difficult year and DD had some health problems. Now in Y10, she's got a full course load, and is handling it very well.

It's worth bearing in mind that in Y8 they are still, in a way, building up their stamina (physical, mental and emotional), and as they progress they will be able to handle their time better.

Sorry but a school is not going to allow free periods and missing subjects like PE and RE completely in year 8. You made a choice for your child to take part in a panto, she will already miss school for some performances so in all honestly I already think school are being more than accommodating already.

Touchy!

Perfomance is hard as a career. You have to be beyond resilient. Your dd will have to learn how to fit everything in and you'd do well to keep your feet on the ground.

Not a shot patent. But expecting school to allow your child to miss parts of tne curriculum in year 8 is unreasonable and not in your child's interests. Also thinking that instrument lessons in school is a free period is complete nonsense.

To add my DS has a 20 minute (not 40) instrument lesson. It's not a free period from his other subjectshirt. He excuses himself from his lesson, returns to tne same lesson and is expected to find out what he has missed and work on this at home. This is a condition of his instrument lesson. We don't ask for any special treat mentioned for this or his sporting talent. I know lots of high school kids taking part in panto season none of them expect the school to make allowances for this.

I have a DC who sounds similar being both in the music scene plus dance and musical theatre. She went to the local comprehensive who did allow her absenses for professional west end work which was weekly missing 2 afternoons for a year and the rehearsal periods at the start of every contract ( every afternoon for 8 weeks) I think they accommodated this as we made every effort to keep up with school work and homework was done on trains and backstage etc. Some productions DC had a tutor who liased with school for work but we generally found DC had to be proactive and self learn. These skills really helped for A level and Uni (music) I am not saying don't ask for late starts, missing PE etc however if she is serious about further work a track record of juggling it all and achieving well will mean she is more likely to get the performance licence from local authority/school.

As the mother of two performing children (one in the West End, the other works more in film and TV) plus working with children in the industry, I think you are going about things the wrong way.

At your meeting explain the constraints your daughter is facing and ask if and how they can support her. You are coming across as being very specific in what you want and some of it fits your criteria as opposed to what the school may be able to deliver. For example, saying she doesn’t need supervision if she is missing lessons - well actually she does.

I have always had excellent two way communication with our school and we have a great supportive relationship with them. For the WE work DD was at school in the morning then rehearsals in the afternoon. Homework was also completed. When the other is on set she has a tutor. Education absolutely has to come first and this is reiterated by the production teams. I wouldn’t let my children sacrifice their learning for this. Sure it’s their hopes and dreams but it’s my job as a parent to ensure they have the academic background they will need to do any job, not just in performing. The number of children working in the industry who continue into and are successful in adulthood is tiny. You just can’t risk it.

We have also never done panto because it’s too intensive, often badly organised (even at the big theatres) and is far too intrusive into school and family life. I guess you are finding this out now.

The music by itself should be more than manageable outside normal school life without any dispensation.

I guess what I am saying is your daughter has taken on too much. It shouldn’t be down to the school to have to sort it out.

But you are where you are. Work on building a relationship with the school where they are 100% on board and supportive and you can get through this temporary blip. You then put your foot down and say no more panto in future years.

Y8 do not normally have free periods. Tbh I doubt panto really needs much extra practice outside regular group rehearsals or voice/dance lessons. It sounds like you are asking for a lot of rearrangements for such small gain. Could she use practice rooms during break/lunch/ after school, will the drama/music staff support her?

Meant to say i think what you are asking for sounds unreasonable. A floating 40 minute free? For what?

Not to piss on your chips but most of dd2s dance class are in the local panto this year and don't get any concessions!

I have a national level sports kid and moved them to private school so they can fit everyhing in. But academics are really important and you cannot in all honesty say shes 8s and 9s across the board if she's just started in year 8! She hasn't even begun studying for gcses yet!

Have you considered Interhigh? It's about £330 per month, but it's a fully online school and children with commitments (they have actresses, golfers, etc.,) can rerun any missed lessons in their own time to keep up, as all lessons are recorded.