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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have never seen a 'graduation' photo for pre-school before?

208 replies

TiaMariaandDietCoke · 06/07/2012 21:56

Tonight a couple of old school firends have posted photos of their 4 yr old DCs who finished preschool today - in full graduation robes, mortar board and scroll. I was a bit Hmm and Shock I have never seen or heard of this before - is this new? is it another Americanism brought over to the UK?

Before anyone asks, no, I'm not bothered by it, just very curious as to whether this is new or if I've had my head under a rock until now! Grin

OP posts:
ThePathanKhansWitch · 06/07/2012 22:26

If it's anything like the Christmas concert, mortar boards will be mashed, gowns ripped, and someone's bound to wet themselves.

Quite looking forward to it Grin and not taking it at all seriously.

MsVestibule · 06/07/2012 22:28

MsV, I'm not sneering - Sorry Tia Maria, my comment wasn't directed at you at all, honest! Or anybody else in particular. Apart from maybe my DM, who was all Hmm when I told her about it.

Nobhead · 06/07/2012 22:30

My DS's nursery did it, the photo is very cute and I bought it I'm a sucker and would buy it even if DS was dressed in a bin liner Don't see the problem TBH it looked like they had fun and it was just dressing up, if you don't like the photo don't buy it.

igggi · 06/07/2012 22:43

My ds got the idea that the gown and mortar board was going to be the uniform at his new primary school. He may be a bit disappointed with the sweatshirt and trousers!

Floggingmolly · 06/07/2012 22:46

It's aspirational! Grin Grin Grin Are you serious?

simpson · 06/07/2012 22:48

My DD's nursery school class are doing this next week but the class photo of them all is free and they makes their graduation hats out of card.

They get given a school tie as a graduation present as they are all going into reception next school year. They also get certificates. I think it's sweet but it has not cost me anything so YANBU!!

PrincessOfChina · 06/07/2012 22:48

Our nursery does this, but it is the University nursery so kinda funny to think of all those four year olds graduating alongside the achingly cool 21 year olds!

Original poster
TiaMariaandDietCoke · 06/07/2012 22:48

Grin at your DS igggi - for some reason I now have an image of Dcs playing football wearing gowns and mortar boards - well, I suppose Harry Potter did play Quidditch in his robes....

OP posts:
BackforGood · 06/07/2012 22:50

Been going on for YEARS. Really common for it to happen around here (By that I mean it happens a lot, not 'it's "common" Grin).

BonnieBumble · 06/07/2012 23:13

FloggingMolly - What have I said?

Gaining a degree is something to aspire to, well it was for me anyway.

EvilTwins · 06/07/2012 23:20

It happened at my DTD's nursery 2 years ago. They had a sports afternoon then their graduation ceremony. It was very sweet. Their key workers said nice things about them all then all the kids sang a sing about going up to big school tunelessly beautifully and then they took it in turns to wear a gown and a cardboard mortar board and receive a well done certificate and a copy of Topsy and Tim go to Big School. No official pics though. We all
Tool them ourselves. My girls were waving like slebs. Think I would have been a bit Hmm about paying for a photo.

Supercalafraj · 07/07/2012 00:08

I had a print out of my ds wearing the full gear when he finished nursery aged 4. Cute, but I wouldn't have paid for a proper pic.

VolAuVent · 07/07/2012 00:11

Very odd and pointless. YANBU.

Nevertooearlyforcake · 07/07/2012 01:17

My DD's nursery had one, in fact I thought they all did now! I'm not into weird adoption of Americanism and was a bit Hmm at the idea but it was actually very nice, just a party really. They sang a song to all the parents about moving on to school and got given a scroll and a cuddle from the staff - more of a goodbye than anything else. We did get given a book with a mortar board shot but the robes were bright green so felt like a bit of piss take! The rest of the book was a little story of her nursery progression, lovely to have.

Nevertooearlyforcake · 07/07/2012 01:21

Oh - there were no robes at the party and the picture (inkjet printer on standard printer paper) was free

NoOnesGoingToEatYourEyes · 07/07/2012 01:22

I picked DS, age three, up from his daycare today and was shown his graduation photograph when I arrived to collect him.

Full cap and gown to celebrate the fact that in September he will go to big school. He will get a graduation certificate and I will get to pay £6.00 for the photo.

He looked happy in the photo so I muttered "oh what a lovely idea" while pulling my Hmm face.

NatashaBee · 07/07/2012 01:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

perfumedlife · 07/07/2012 01:32

Ds' nursery did this four years ago, we actually had to go watch the full show, kids being presented with their leaving certificate in full gown/mortar. They did a little song and dance routine too, The Proclaimers, with jeans, white shirts and geek specs/guitars. Was very funny.

chipmonkey · 07/07/2012 01:54

We have had this for ds3 and ds4. They looked adorable and we didn't have to pay for anything. Ds4 stuck his photo up in the hall so everyone who came in the door would see it.

HerRoyalNotness · 07/07/2012 02:22

We're in Canada (although not Canadian) and our DS had a whole graduation concert at his Preschool. Thy each had a hat and they received a certificate. Parents took their own photos, and you know, the proud look on the faces was so precious. It is a milestone for them, the end of the first chapter and I think it is lovely that this is acknowledged.

sashh · 07/07/2012 04:23

My local primary does this between nfants and juniors. But the kids make their mortar boards and the 'gown' is a black bin bag with a slit in it.

I'm in an area where very few parents could afford £20. I think it's a good idea with the school because the teachers talk to the children about university, and it's often the first time they have heard the word.

Julesnobrain · 07/07/2012 06:54

My nursery did this. The kids dressed up in fancy dress, the nursery made black capes, mortar boards, they got a certificate and then had a group tea. They loved it, v informal, take your own pics. DS still has his photo and scroll on his bedroom wall and now he's 9. I think the reason it was fine was that it was all a bit homemade which is what you want at that age. If it had been proper grad wear with professional photos which you paid for it would have not been enjoyable or light hearted fun

fufflebum · 07/07/2012 07:24

I had not heard of this until we received a photo from my sister in law last year of my niece in full regalia! They live in Ireland.

I have to say my niece looked very happy in the photo but I found it all a bit bizarre and rather amusing (picture red gown, red mortar board and scroll to a backdrop of blue sky and rainbow!).

Foxy800 · 07/07/2012 07:55

We do it at the nursery I work at but it is quite low key, just a bit of fun for the children and parents, we have a party and they have a graduation hat, that is made by us out of card and they get to take it home, nothing else, we take the photo nothing professionally and the parents can have a copy if they want.

Foxy800 · 07/07/2012 07:56

They also get a certificate made by us too.