Sports day, what does your school do if it rains?

[Coffeesnob11]

DS attends small primary school and every year Sports day seems to cause issues. After they cancelled it at 10am last year due to the weather there was a lot of feedback from parents saying that they were frustrated as they couldnt cancel their day off when it had already started. This year they promised to make a decision by 8am but here we are again and they are waiting until midday (it's this afternoon!)
We were told to be prepared for it to be cancelled but also told to bring cakes to sell to raise money for the school commitee. I am not sure anyone can make a cake in an hour even if they dont work.

I am lucky in that my boss is flexible so I am not taking annual leave but equally I am unlikely to make it, as are other parents if they reschedule. It also means more time and money making more cakes to sell (with less people being there due to a change of date.

I know its for the kids not the parents but my son is 5 and I get very little chance to go along to things as I work full time and am a lone parent. They also combine it with the prizegiving and fundraising event.

Do other schools cancel sports day and if so how much notice do you get?

Usually cancel as early as possible to give people notice, i.e. before the start of the school day.

We have had it cancelled a few times, usually for a notification in the morning.

I'd buy cakes, wouldn't be making them.

Ours has a reserve day announced at the time the original date is put out.

If they cancel, it will be the day before, based on the weather forecast, which does sometimes mean it has been cancelled "unecessesarily"

We let people know as soon as we can, but try not to call it too early either - our sports day is run by an external agency who comes in to do PE lessons so there is a cost involved in cancelling I assume.

I know it's frustrating for parents but it's a difficult decision when weather is inclement, it's really easy if it's dreadful weather, it's when it's a bit hit and miss it's trickier.

I guess for many working people the time of cancellation probably makes no difference in terms of their time off. It's booked off already whether it's cancelled at 8am or 10am and usually can't be reinstated at such short notice.

The few times our school has had to cancel they've notified parents / carers before the start of the school day, and even then we had complaints. I can't imagine keeping parents / carers waiting until midday.

Funnily enough our first date was cancelled.
Everyone was on weather watch, and the head decided on the Wednesday to cancel, sports day was the Friday.

First time in 6 years that's happened!

Went ahead on the backup Friday 2 weeks later.

Our school hold sports day first thing in the morning - if it’s cancelled it’s notified by 8am. Otherwise it starts at 9, is done by 10:30, lots of parents just go to work a bit late. It’s much more popular with parents than starting mid afternoon. You do have to just accept though that if it’s unsafe (wet slippy grass) or very unpleasant then outdoor events get postponed, the school aren’t doing it to inconvenience working parents.

Cakes sales and the like at our school are part of the summer fete, totally separate event, usually run by the parents association on a weekend.

We have just switched ours to the afternoon, after that was deemed the most preferred by parents. Starts at 1:30pm, ends by 3pm. Parents can take children straight home from sport's day - held on a nearby park - or we take them back to school for collection, after school care or clubs.

Seems here parents prefer the afternoon slot - it's an area with a lot of two working parents, etc.

Our schools always gives a Thursday date with Friday as a back up. They will let is know as soon as they can. If heavy rain forecast then often before school opens. Sometimes they'll try ton go ahead with drizzle.
I think you're being a buit unfair on the school. It's an absolute nightmare to organise in this country! Once you've booked time off, for most people it makes no difference what time it's cancelled.

Our school does this too with timing. It's brilliant!

Our sports days are in the afternoon around 1/2pm. If it rains, it gets cancelled by 12 noon.

School can’t really win here though, can they?

it’s an outdoor event. If it’s raining heavily, it can’t go ahead. Cancel too far in advance & the weather turns out better than expected = people complain. Wait to see exactly what the weather is doing and cancel last minute = people complain. Go ahead in a bit of drizzle = people complain. Go ahead when it’s really hot & sunny = people complain. Sack it off altogether = people complain. Make it non competitive = people complain. Make it competitive = people complain.

There is a trend.

We have a morning sports day where I work, it starts at 9.15 so not long after drop off. It does mean the decision needs to be very soon on the morning.

It rained all the preceding day and through the night, but luckily there was a strong breeze and sunshine, the grass dried and it went ahead.

Ours had to cancel in the middle of the younger ones sports day as there was the worst torrential downpour so my sons that started half an hour later was cancelled. Luckily I work from home and live one street away so just let my boss know.

They faffed around until the last minute then rescheduled at the 11th hour as children will shrivel and die if one speck of rain touches them. That's OK as apparently all parents have unlimited annual leave they can take at no notice or just sit at home all day waiting for school messages. Thankfully mine are in high school now.

Ours are split into upper and lower primary and both days were cancelled this year the day before due to the weather forecast.

Both days then turned out to be sunny and dry. Cue lots of moaning on the school Whatsapps. Schools can't win!

The DC's sports day always used to have a date and a reserve date in case of bad weather and the first date would be called off by at least the evening before. One year, they then had worse weather on the reserve date so modified how they ran it (rather than all year groups watching the races, they just came out for their session).
I think the problem this year is that the weather forecast doesn't seem to be getting better!

Wonder why teachers are leaving the profession? Moaning Karen's who don't understand the complexities of organising a sports day, don't realise that Headteacher's are miracle workers but can't actually change the British weather and are so precious they can't handle a sports day being rescheduled!!!
Perhaps you'd like the school to hire an indoor arena so you don't get inconvenienced?
Ffs, some of you parents haven't a frigging clue!!!

Calling women 'Karens' is quite offensive.

It's better than the real words I use for parents who haven't a clue on how difficult the organisation of a sports day is!!!!

Same here.

It is rather a no win situation.

Ours goes ahead in any weather. They also never close the school for bad weather/snow.

We might get a message to bring umbrellas. But outdoor events - sports day, school fair, parties, open days, yard sales, bonfires, matches, races, have all always gone ahead regardless of the weather at our primary.

As many parents need to give several days if not weeks notice to take leave, whether it's cancelled at 8am or 11am really doesn't matter. The fact is it's an outdoor event so it's always at the will of the gods!

We had ours in drizzle a few times over the years, only cancelling for torrential downpour

A really easy solution would be to not invite parents to sports day, just let the kids do it and have fun.

I don't enjoy standing in a field watching my child run not very fast, or other kids running no matter if they are fast or slow. I don't find a teachers' race amusing and I am never going to join in the parent's race no matter how many times I get asked. The poor kids who come in last in front of everyone, classmates ands parents and teachers, with that humiliating 'let's all clap for and encourage ' it's just terrible.

I don't go into schools to see spelling tests or times tables competitions. Just do sports day whenever it suits the school and leave me out of it!