Head refuses to reward Year 11’s with a July Prom? Any ideas?

OP I have no idea why you are being flamed here. Many schools are planning proms. Why shouldn't yours? Why should some year 11s get an end of year experience and others not? Also, yes teachers are drowning in assessment red tape - this is not the fault of the kids themselves and not an excuse for giving them no end of year celebrations. These kids have had a terrible 12 months and they deserve it.

This is the digital age - I'm surprised that you couldn't use the power of social media to gather contacts whether it's via the kids or on mediums like Facebook where the parents may be.

My daughter didn't have her Y11 prom last year; very sad but just the way it was. Her school isn't doing a Y11 one this year either. However a Y13 one is going ahead up to press, but obviously will depend on restrictions, so maybe she'll have it next year.
OP, I can see why students would be disappointed, but better to not have one than get all sorted for it then to be cancelled.

Teacher here. The Head is perfectly within her rights to say no - imagine the flak she would get if a week later, half the year group, several of the venue's bar staff & a group of chaperoning teachers came down with covid? & then someone died?

Heads have to cover their arses & be risk averse, basically.

You can try to organise a party via word of mouth, but good luck with hiring a venue.

They tend to insist on teacher chaperones. This is because a substantial number of the kids will get completely trolleyed, & teaching staff may have slightly more authority than their mates' mums or the venue staff.

However, no teacher in their right mind is going to agree to attend an unofficial event organised by parents. It would not only be incredibly risky because it will inevitably be even more shambolic than your average prom, given that the parents organising are naive enough to think booking a piss up for 300 teenagers in the middle of a pandemic is a good idea - there'll be flappy pissed parents getting underfoot everywhere & in the way of the vomiting/fighting/blue lights...oh & any teacher who agreed to attend would be undermining the Head. Not generally a good career move - in fact in these circumstances probably a disciplinary.

Honestly, how about a reunion party at Xmas/next summer if things are better then?

I wonder how many parents would actually step up and organise, promote and chaperone the event..

They'll all think it's marvelous idea and OF COURSE they should have a leaving do... But, I can't organise catering,no...sorry, I'm busy, I've got kids....

Oh you need someone to manage the money, collect it in, make sure they've all paid? Oh yeah....no sorry I'm too busy...

Wait you need someone to make sure only those with tickets get in? Oh..I would but I've got kids an sit their bed time...

You need to find money from somewhere to book a space? Oh sure ...bit isn't that included in the ticket cost? I'll pay for the tickets..but someone else will have to pre-pay the hall hire...

You need help setting up and clearing down on. The night?? Oh umm..well I would help, I really would,but the kids... They'll be in bed... And you know...

At 16 surely they can organise something low key themselves! They don’t need mummy to organise a get together with their mates surely!

It's not a right.

If she doesn't want one...that's the end if it.

She may have valid reasons like... cost... staffing... Covid worries...lack of space... Administrative burden... Year 11s have been trouble...

But at the end if the day, it's not a requirement to provide a leaving celebration in any form...

You are being very blinkered. There is a real chance that the variant will become a problem and that things like this kind of indoor event will have to be cancelled. If there has been expense it will no doubt be down to the school to sort. It is reasonable to not do a prom even if it is disappointing.

the school is under no obligation to hold a prom. The staff have absolutely the right not to be involved. Why on earth do you think school staff should be giving up yet more of their own time to facilitate this. Covid or not, this is simply not something any school is obliged to do.

I don't care how well behaved the cohort is, there is always the chance that some will drink or not behave . I stopped attending after school events like this after too many incidents of drunkeness and vandalism to the venue.

If yo want a party so much then you can organise it.

Maybe parents should be organising a party for all the teachers after they have finished all the assessments they need to do

Also OP. Not sure if you’re aware but teachers, support staff and the SLT of the school are currently drowning in red tape and ever changing guidance on how to award your Y11 the correct grades AND have enough evidence to prove it when little Tommy’s mum kicks off. It’s hell in schools right now. Staff exhausted and stressed. And you think staff should throw them a party in a pandemic. Stop being entitled and see the bigger picture. Arrange it yourself if it matters so much.

This is definately one of the more entitled posts of MN.

So many problems with this. Many already mentioned but to add

• you can guarantee that if it gets cancelled/ something goes wrong, parents and the wider community will contact the school expecting them to sort it. In this year of shite it really isn't worth it.

• in the schools I've worked in around England, it's common for year 11's last day to be a half day. They get a bit .... Rowdy....

Bit different to unvaccinated 11 year olds and most of which probably stopped LFT testing ages ago.

In all honesty OP, your child’s teachers’ are currently drowning in marking, moderation, admin and writing statements, just for your Year 11s (and 13s if your school has them) not to mention still trying to teach everyone else and plan and mark for those years. The Head may well not be having a spare minute to themselves.

If you are so desperate for a prom, for that many Year 11s, check your DD’s school email account and you will find she will have an email address in there (from a whole year email sent to her) that sends emails to the whole of Year 11.

Use that to send an email address to send all the pupils a message giving your contact details if they wish to take part and go from there.

Our year 11s are having a prom. They’re also having exams in the exam hall.

If op wants to arrange something, print out 300 slips with explanation of what hoping to arrange and contact details and the child hands them out.

For all you saying 'there's a pandemic'. Yes, and I imagine the y11 are in a bubble at school and gatherings will be allowed for weddings and funerals with people who may have no other contact with each other so a prom seems far more low risk than any of those activities.
Is there a board of governors at your school? I'd complain to them.
But orgsnise it as much as you can- even of it means getting notes out to all the students at school this week. It just takes one parent to take control and get others involved in organising it.
Our school is having a prom. They decorate the dining hall with thousands of fairy lights and the kids have a lovely meal. Usually some sort of casino like activity too. Normally there would be an after party at some gullible parents house but not this year.

My eldest was in Year 6 last year so didn't get any of the normal end of year stuff. Trying to arrange a present for the teacher. The school couldn't give out other parent details but did agree to send an email to all the parents giving contact details for the parent trying to organise the present. Would the school do that?

If they are in school until 11.45am surely there'll be some sort of leaving assembly ... and this leaves the rest of the day free for them all to get drunk hang out in the park with food and drink. Surely they will end up doing that whatever is officially planned, and it will be a memorable end to Year 11?

Our school are planning one, and I'm really happy for dd, but totally understand why some schools have decided to avoid them this year. I am half expecting ours to be cancelled due to covid, and can just imagine the grief that headteachers will get if parents have spent loads of money on non-returnable prom dresses etc.

I think you should respect the school's decision. If covid restrictions permit, there won't be anything to stop the kids from getting dressed up and having their own celebration when the time comes.

Teachers have had a hard time this year, dealing with all of the remote learning, changes to assessment etc. I can't get upset about them choosing not to prioritise a party. Yes, it's a shame for the kids, but it really isn't the end of the world.

4000 people attended the Brit Awards the other night. No masks or social distancing

One event.

Roughly 200 kids per yr 11 per high school? 3500 state secondaries, so not including private, academies etc. So 700,000 state school kids alone all getting up close and personal, then going home to families.

Bit different to 4000.

Sorry but kids life's won't be ruined 8f they don't have an Americanised prom

Throw her a sweet 16 instead. Black tie event? They can get dressed up like they would for prom.

It’s really not that big of a deal.. and I’m young, my prom was only 9 years ago. I didn’t go. I had money given to me for what would have been spent on a dress, transport ect instead. I don’t regret not going either.