To think a nativity play should include every child in some capacity?

[hattyyellow]

50 kids in top half of DD's primary school. Not a lot surely? As always, they are putting on a lengthy production with song after song. This takes up most of this half term.

DD came home to tell me that she had no part and that a third of the children weren't included but would sit at the front of the audience and sing along with the songs..so she will spend most of this half term sitting on the floor watching rehearsals.

She doesn't want a star part or even to speak. She just wants to dress up as a random stable animal or be one of a host of angels/stars and wander on stage and off again. Teacher said there is no "capacity" for extra children to be involved, within the restrictions of the script..

In the 80's, every kid got to stand on stage in some kind of costume. Surely? I'm convinced our school stretched the stable guest list to about 20 stable animals and a vast amount of angels - all in basic homemade costumes.

Now, it seems to have become a big extravaganza instead. Don't most parents only attend the nativity to see their kid up on stage, however small their contribution is - rather then to attend some imminently transferring to the west end lavish production, centring around a few main kids.

I can see that at secondary school you might attend a school production for its artistic merits. But at primary, surely it's about involving all the kids? Meh.

Isn't the point of nativity plays to make parents/carers cry? It has nothing to do with the Bible (no Donkey) or History (no census, no Herod) but all about kids having fun and proud parents pretending not to sob.

There should be at least one crowd scene, at the start, with people congratulating each other on booking rooms because it is so busy and general jostling of Mary and Joseph.

Everyone then gets a part, and probably another one as a shepherd or random animal (30 years ago I heard of a child being a glowworm!)

I agree with everyone else! Of course they should all have a part even if just in the choir, at least facing the audience, with a bit of tinsel on their heads or something. Poor little things and how boring to have to sit through the rehearsals.

I'd absolutely hate to sit through it, however 'good' at the end of the day it's a bunch of little children, not actors, and I am really not that interested unless I can see my own child's face - surely teachers know this! I'd obviously still go if one of my children was in this situation, I'd try to sit as near to her as possible and say I'd be listening out for her voice in all the songs and be as positive as I could about it. But it's really not on!

Thanks so much all for your overwhelming support :). I might be tempted to print out this thread and say to the teacher "It's not just me!". Will be campaigning for singing children on stage with some kind of costume - will keep you posted! Even if I have to buy a job lot of tinsel from Asda myself to decorate them all! ;)

Ds1 has about 170 kidsin his year (y4). They do a nativity/festive play for each year and every child is in costume. Whilst last year (traditional nativity) there were some key parts (Mary, joseph etc), lots of kids spoke a line or three of narration if they wanted to speak (which lots of them did and they were encouraged to do so). Most of the songs were accompanied by a different group centre stage doing a dance or actions to each song. (the kings and their camels etc, the shepherds and sheep, the animals in the stable, the angels, the stars shining down... Etc).

So if they can do it for 170 then they should be able to do it for 50.

I would be tempted to talk to the head - see if you can talk to some of the other parents whose children are similarly excluded and see if they feel like you do and will either come with you, write a letter or let you say that you are speaking on their behalf, and indeed parents of kids of those involved too. That way they can't brush you off as being the only one concerned about this.

I think there are three issues:
1 - a significant majority of kids excluded from the nativity
play
2 - kids missing out on a goodly chunk of this half a term's worth of education, either because of the rehearsing (fewer kids in play, thus they have more to do and need to spend longer rehearsing) or those not involved - hanging around whilst others are rehearsing
3- having a primary school teacher who doesn't seem capable of running or wanting to run not sure which of those isworse! a nativity play that the entire group of kids doing it can be properly involved in.

Ds2's school on the other hand as of last year has decided to change things and now yr R does a nativity play, yr 1 do an Easter play and yr 2 do a summer/leavers play . Previously they all did a nativity play and yr 2 did a leaver's production but apparently this was too much work and they think this will be better. Harumpff. I think it's really sad that they basically can't be bothered to do a nativity play for years 1 & 2 - one of the joys is watching them each year and seeing how they've come on in the last year, especially between yr R and yr 1 as in yr r they not been in school long, they really grown in confidence in yr 1.

Just a quick update. Got together with a few other parents of children in similar casting situation, fuelled by all your lovely support. Teacher has now agreed, not very cheerfully and without making eye contact!, that the children singing will be accommodated on stage and can dress as stars or angels :).

She is still muttering a bit when I see her about all the extra hassle this is creating but at least all the kids get to dress up and feel included. DD just thrilled to bits that she gets a costume, even if she's at the back of the stage! Thanks so much again. :)

Did she seriously expect parents to come and sit through a nativity play where their child didn't even feature? She really doesn't get it, does she.

Well done hattyyellow, what a nice result. Bless your DD for being so excited

It is extra work for those involved. But if you and some of the other parents have offered to help get the children dressed etc it should be ok.

Well done, great result! Teacher sounds like a right charmer.

I hope the parents are providing the extra costumes.

Hurrah - the power of mumsnet and loving, determined mums!

I hope the choir enjoy waving to their parents from the stage.

Well done hattyyellow.

Oh yes completely, parents providing costumes :)

YANBU. Our school has more than 90 kids per YEAR. They do a nativity 2 year groups at a time (180 kids) and everyone does something and has a costume. I would rethink a school like yours, not v inclusive at all.

Ours is just KS1 with older dc as choir.This year dgs1 is Joseph[yr2] and dgs2 is 'a child in pyjamas' [yr R].Everyone is comething but there are only 45 in total.All yR are 'children' or 'lambs'.

I have never known one where they don't all take part. I agree with hatty, the parents need to provide costumes.

YANBU - my DS's school has 180 pupils in their reception and yr. 1 nativity. It's an incredible logistical feat but they manage it amazingly, every child is dressed up and included in some capacity. Last year they were split into groups: angels, shepherds, sheep etc, all in matching cute costumes, and each group had their time in the spot-light by singing and filing across the stage. I think your DD's school isn't making much effort.

YANBU and I can sympathise my Yr 6 DS came home with news that he will not be in the Juniors carol service and nativity again. This is the 4th year he has not participated and I don't think I want to sit through it now knowing how he will be feeling. Each year they pick certain children from each year and I kind of thought or hoped he may have something to do this year. He was not involved in Sports Day either and had to sit through that cheering everyone else on. He is an average child, well behaved, well liked and does not bother his teacher, good role model (his teacher's words). There are 8 from his class of 30 who have no part.
I am considering saying he has an appointment and taking him out that afternoon so that I can salvage some of his self-esteem or should I make him sit it out?

rsmiles that is horrible. The school has massively missed the point there IMHO.

It is Y1 who do the nativity in my school - 90 children, all with a part of some form, all get to dress up.

Likewise, when Y2 did their end of year play last summer, all 90 had a part in our production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

EYFS at my school do a nativity assembly within their own forms, so 30 involved at a time.

At DD's school the whole of infants did the nativity with Y2 having the main parts each time - about 50 children. Similarly, the juniors did the end of year show - similar numbers. Y6 had main parts.

I have a lot of sympathy for the children who have been left out, butt just wanted you to regale you with this story of the nativity play in our local school. Reception children don;t do a play at all, they have a Christmas Sing a-long with the parents, year 1 do the Nativity play and yr 2 perform a leavers play. I'm fine with that. 90-120 children in each year, so lots to accomodate. When DS2 was in yr1 they used a nativity script which included a long piece about how the Baby Jesus started crying and all the people who tried to make him stop. There were elephants, ballet dancers, acrobats, magicians etc, etc. The play went on forever! Kids loved it, parents - maybe not so much tbh.

I am in charge of our annual christmas performance at our school. We run it more like a bit variety show than an actual nativity. The nativity is only a very small part, and it's always year 6 students. The younger classes all do different acts, sometimes a play, sometimes just a christmas carol (or sometime just a bunch of kids randomly dancing around the stage in elf costumes when it comes to our prep classes lol). It changes every year depending on what kids we have and what talents they have. Every single student is included in some capacity and we try and make sure they all get some sort of 'major' role over the course of their time at the school (my own version of Santa's list!). It's really not rocket science.

Rsmiles your poor DS :(, that's rotten. Could you have a word with the school? Maybe they would have a last minute change of heart like ours did..

Thanks so much all for the different stories of how schools organise their plays, it's fascinating what a variety there is!