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Original poster

EURO 2016 - should children watch Eng vs Wales at school

260 replies

OX3Mum · 13/06/2016 21:05

My football loving kids are distraught that their primary school isn't showing the England vs Wales Euro 2016 match this Thursday at 2pm - apparently for 'technical reasons'. Are any other primary schools showing it /letting kids go home early - or are there going to be loads of kids going home sick this Thursday lunchtime...?

OP posts:

SiencynArsecandle · 14/06/2016 19:11

It appears to be a much bigger thing here in Wales than it is in England. It's wonderful for us to actually be at the tournament, and most of us just want to enjoy our moment in the spotlight as it rarely happens in Welsh football! DD's school (14) have told them all to go in team colours (doesn't matter what team it is) and the teachers will all join in too. Maybe it's a symbol of the Welsh patriotism? We tend to support anything or anybody Welsh who does well!

As for the male/female argument, well I'm an ex-referee, ex junior club manager of a mixed team and DD plays at County Level. DS isn't into football at all (apart from when Wales are playing!).

Jubaloo442 · 14/06/2016 19:11

Ours (secondary) are showing it but if students want to watch they need to buy a ticket - all funds donated to a charity which works closely with our disabled students and gets them into sport.

Friendofsadgirl · 14/06/2016 19:22

They had better not show it in DDs school
Although we're in Scotland so we'd have a national holiday if we even qualified for a major tournament.

MagicalMrsMistoffelees · 14/06/2016 19:29

At the school I teach and at my sons' school, children are given the option to watch the game in the hall from 2pm or stay in class. Everyone is happy with that.

I don't care about football but it's great that the children are able to get together and enjoy watching sport. Sport is incredibly important to children and develops teamwork, a healthy lifestyle, a sense of achievement, perseverance, fitness, a sense of fair play etc etc. i believe watching sport will motivate children to get involved themselves and that is brilliant.

(Our school watched Tim Peake's blast off too!)

derxa · 14/06/2016 19:32

Although we're in Scotland so we'd have a national holiday if we even qualified for a major tournament

derxa · 14/06/2016 19:35

Don't England and Wales play each other several times a year? They're right next door?! The Home Internationals haven't been played for years.

PortiaCastis · 14/06/2016 19:35

I prefer rugby

NicknameUsed · 14/06/2016 19:45

"but I watched the first moon landing on TV in the school hall in 1969."

So did I. I remember it well. That was a far more momentous event than a football match in the knock out stages of a tournament.

I just don't get the importance of it at all.

We have GCSE exams on right now and football is just not on our radar. DD will be revising physics on Thursday.

AllPizzasGreatAndSmall · 14/06/2016 19:50

Should they watch all historic rugby matches, or cricket matches, or gymnastics or Olympics or or or.

Why this massive bias towards football

Whilst obviously not every child is interested in football, far more are football fans than any other sport.

In my school football matches at break can often involve around half of the year group, from different classes, boys and girls playing together.

As usual when there is football on, there are always some people who like to act all superior snobbish about their, or their children's lack of interest in it.

DilysPrice · 14/06/2016 19:52

I think the last competitive match between England and Wales was a World Cup qualifying match in 2006.

The group stages are drawn at random and shown in one of three time slots - early afternoon, late afternoon and evening. Some will be weekends, some week days. It's just the luck of the draw that Wales Slovakia was on Saturday teatime and Wales England will be in the middle of the working week. Once we get to the finishing stages then all the matches will be at peak viewing hours, but for the first two stages they need to shove some into working hours or they'd never finish. Compare and contrast with the Six Nations where everything is played at the weekend, and where Wales plays England every year.

CoolforKittyCats · 14/06/2016 19:52

As usual when there is football on, there are always some people who like to act all superior snobbish about their, or their children's lack of interest in it.

Nothing to do with being 'snobbish'

Despite what you may like to think not all people or children like football!

PortiaCastis · 14/06/2016 19:54

Sorry but my dd has no interest in football, she does however fancy Owen Farrell who is the England rugby teams kicker

FellOutOfBed2wice · 14/06/2016 20:02

I'm not a football lover by any means but even I can get my patriotic hat on for an England game and as a teacher we've always watched the games in the hall or wherever was big enough of an England game falls in the school day. It's nice and means everyone comes together- it's a community thing. God, there are some miserable buggers about.

SellFridges · 14/06/2016 20:02

DD's reception class are showing it on the whiteboard. If they don't want to watch they can go in the creative area.

This is all according to her so may be bollocks. She's very excited - they've been learning about the countries, competition and rules all week.

Mamadothehump · 14/06/2016 20:05

Our school are switching free play Friday to free play Thursday. The football will be on but if they don't want to watch it, the activities that would usually be out on a Friday afternoon will be available.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 14/06/2016 20:07

My DCs school are showing it as a treat because it will be the end of test week. I did raise my eyebrows when DS told me.

But my DS age10 hates football. Nothing snobbish about that - my DH is a huge fan but has failed in every attempt to interest DS in playing or watching. He's a rugby boy.

Some people just don't enjoy football.

I'm not overly bothered that the school are showing the match but I do get annoyed at the way football is treated like some sort of special religion.

clam · 14/06/2016 20:11

Back in 1977, when Virginia Wade got to the Wimbledon final, we all trooped to the hall to watch. Dh did the same at his school, but he and his mate got given detentions for cheering for Betty Stove!

Boogers · 14/06/2016 20:12

We had a text message from school this afternoon to let us know school was showing the game on the big screen in the hall.

They're going to be distracted anyway so it's either that or hand out lots of bad comments/detentions for surreptitiously checking the score.

derxa · 14/06/2016 20:13

As usual when there is football on, there are always some people who like to act all superior snobbish about their, or their children's lack of interest in it. How true. Football is so important to so many children. I used to run the school football team. We were obsessed

ladydepp · 14/06/2016 20:14

My dd's primary have given the children a choice, my dd and 3 of her classmates have decided against football and would prefer to do Science. That's my girl!

(I think it's harmless fun to let them watch it, and tennis finals are always at the weekend so NOT relevant to the argument )

Temporaryanonymity · 14/06/2016 20:14

I was more than happy to sign the consent form for this. I am very disappointed that I won't get to watch this historic game with my sons, but I am sure they'll always remember being allowed to watch it at school.

Only last month they were doing dull national tests. I think they deserve it.

derxa · 14/06/2016 20:15

He's a rugby boy Good for him

I don't think this game should be imposed on anyone. However snobbery sucks..

starry0ne · 14/06/2016 20:48

I have no idea ..However I have to say if they do show it he will feign interest to look in with his friends ( I have recorded matches before and he never watched them to the end.) So I imagine he won't want it regardless if there is another option...

They have watched the eclipse, Tom Peake and other stuff on white board.. I do see historic events as important..If they had made it to the final fair enough but they haven't and if they continue fighting will be kicked out anyway.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 14/06/2016 20:53

It's the only England or Wales game with a 2pm kick off. We are doing an optional showing, and staying back for the end. It's that or half the school will Nick off all day!

SarahAnderson · 14/06/2016 21:14

wtf? It is totally out of order to show a football game during the school day. Any football game. Including the world cup final if England were in it. That is not what school is for. Cannot believe anyone would find this acceptable.

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