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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU? School says sports day on Saturday is compulsory

457 replies

weekendsareforfamily · 03/07/2018 14:55

My son is in year one, so second sports day now. Last year it was scheduled on a Saturday but the weather was bad so was cancelled and rearranged for a Tuesday afternoon. This year it is planned for this coming Saturday. My boy has a swimming lesson from 09:30, the children have to be in school for 09:00.
On the FB group chat someone has asked whether they have to go as they are working and cannot get the child to school. The receptionist has replied saying yes as its a compulsory day and we have all known about this since September last year.
Now I was planning on popping into the reception to say my boy wouldn't make it because he's swimming but now I am worried I will be told tough and that I knew about this so should be bringing him in. I am worried I will be fined if he doesn't attend but it's a Saturday?! Do I tell the truth and risk a fine? Do I lie and make up another reason? Do I lose out on the money I have already paid for his swimming lessons (we have already lost out on two from going away at last half term)? Arrrgh
WWYD? Thanks

OP posts:

AlexanderHamilton · 04/07/2018 15:33

Roomba - sadly having worked for Stagecoach for over 10 years I can confirm that there are many children whose non resident parents insist they attend court ordered contact regardless of whether they have a LAMDA exam, drama performance, best friend’s party or school event.

The boy with behavioural difficulties whose face lit up whenever he took part in drama class but whose non resident father thought he should do football on “his” weekends instead was particularly heartbreaking to lose.

Angharad07 · 04/07/2018 15:36

So the state is now dictating what we do with our children on the weekends now too?

leopardprint24 · 04/07/2018 16:26

My LO attends the same school as the poster and they have sports day on a Saturday every year, from what I can gather....

henryscatoscar · 04/07/2018 17:41

guess it is to make it more flexible for parents. many people who work monday to friday cant do it. although i took half a day off for one (on a week day) and it was canceled that morning and I couldn't then attend the re-schedule

independent schools - some of our teacher friends have it as part of their contract to work some saturdays per month.

state school - its not compulsory and yes I would suggest the secretary used to work at a doctors. no fines involved etc.

overall just depends if you want to do it or not and how your child feels about it.

I thought sports day was supposed to be a bit of fun at primary level especially year 1. attending or not wont scar anyone for life.

gillybeanz · 04/07/2018 17:41

School is not compulsory on a Saturday.
I'd let them do and say what they want tbh, your child has a prior engagement for a day not considered compulsory for school.
I hope nobody turns up.

Silver1022 · 04/07/2018 17:42

My sons school is the same they have to attend church in the morning at the local cathedral then back to school for sports day. If the child isn’t on any races he still has to attend in full school uniform. It’s this weekend as well. They then have Monday off, his football team had a match, I spoke to them and still he wasn’t allowed, you are notified before the child even starts there that on founders day the first Saturday in July that it is compulsory for the boys to attend. He is in a boys grammar school

WTFiswrongwithpeople · 04/07/2018 17:44

Compulsory attendance to something outside of normal school hours? Bollocks to that. And to the receptionist. Did she used to work at a GP surgery?

MotheringMilly · 04/07/2018 17:46

It's impossible for it to be compulsory. I guarantee most teachers would rather it wasn't happening, like most school trips. That said, give the child the option, missing one swimming lesson isn't a problem.

salsamummy · 04/07/2018 17:49

Our school's sports day was on a Saturday but Saturday school is normal for us andtherewasapimmstent-- so we went.

Notreallyhappy · 04/07/2018 17:50

If you don't go will they come and get you from your swimming class....?? 🤔

Strongmummy · 04/07/2018 17:51

What type of idiot schedules a sports day on a weekend? What are they going to do if you don’t go, sue you/arrest you?!?! Tell them to do one

Iseveryusernametaken · 04/07/2018 17:54

Whilst I quite like the idea of Saturday sports day as I wouldn't have to deal with last minute work juggling, I can see why it's difficult for some parents. I don't see how they can say it's compulsory when the normal school week is m-f though, I think that the receptionist may have been a bit over zealous with her response. It is amazing that the teachers are willing to give up part of their weekend to support though and I think that (whilst I would attend anyway) I'd feel a bit obliged as they don't have to. My school run is a 20 mile round trip btw so empathise with the inconveniences.

I think, either go, or just don't turn up. There's nothing that they will be able to do.

TheSecondMrsAshwell · 04/07/2018 18:00

Ritual humiliation of those who are not sporty.

Oh yes. Totally agree.

I once had a work do that included 10-pin bowling. I was terrible at it and it took me straight back to school sports days. Went home in tears.

neveracceptpoortrading · 04/07/2018 18:01

What is compulsory in a state school:

After-school detention for 30 minutes.
Teachers have the legal right to keep a pupil in after school for detention or require their attendance at a Saturday detention session.

They must give 24-hour notice and should not set Saturday detentions in the weekends immediately prior to or after a school holiday.

Parents cannot object to the detention but may request a change of date if there is a sensible reason, such as a family wedding or participation in a sports event.

As this is a school sports event and not detention it cannot be classified as compulsory.

Reads like swimming is "Your choice"

Sausagehead · 04/07/2018 18:06

No way. Unless they can have a day off in lieu for random fun 😉

altiara · 04/07/2018 18:06

How can people say you have to go to support the school? What about those in real sporting competitions where the child is also practising several times a week.
My DCs/their friends do swimming competitions, football tournaments, cricket matches, gymnastics competitions, martial arts competitions - all can involve a lot of travel and commitment.

I personally would tell them you have a commitment first thing but will get there at eg 10:30. I would want to ensure I didn’t miss any more swimming lessons, not just because of cost but if they’re still learning then they need the practice.
Having said that, if they were a good swimmer, I’d consider missing the lesson if they wanted to go to sports day more.
I love sports day but I’d have to seriously weigh up what other commitments I had.

Princess9891 · 04/07/2018 18:08

Have you stopped laughing yet? I wouldn't have.

Parker231 · 04/07/2018 18:08

After last nights football success I can’t imagine many people being prepared to miss Saturday’s match for a school sports day!

letstalk2000 · 04/07/2018 18:09

Silver . I have no problem with a school organising Saturday events which should be 'fun' or different (team building ) . However, it is idiotic and totally counter productive for a ' BOYS' school to schedule a sports day on a World Cup QF day . This even if England were not playing.

God knows what the school expects to happen at 3pm on this Saturday.

A 1000 totally 'anxious ' and frustrated boys. A bit of common sense goes a long way . Unless this grammar school has ideas above its station and declares itself a 'rugger' school.

Anniegetyourgun · 04/07/2018 18:17

I really can't agree with people saying school sports day is important. Some schools do it better than others and some pupils relate to such events better than others, but when you get right down to it, this is a bunch of five- and six-year-olds playing a bunch of rather silly games. Fun? Hopefully. Important? How could it possibly be?

Iirc, at that age I took DS2 to my work sports day, entered him in the five-and-under race, stood with him in the line-up to stop him ducking out; then, when the starting signal went, he ran backwards, in the opposite direction to everyone else. Nobody ever accused him of being Mr Competitive. 25 years on, though, he is a very nice human being. dunno where he got it from

cherish123 · 04/07/2018 18:17

It's not compulsory but I would probably miss the swimming. You are just singling your child out as different.

TurquoiseFrog · 04/07/2018 18:17

Be careful your DS hasn't been practising in class for weeks and won't feel he is missing out when they chat about in school before/after. Seems a bit OTT to miss it. Most parents see it as a sort of rite of passage. Many lesson to be learnt about winning/competition etc.

Thesearepearls · 04/07/2018 18:18

I don't understand why this is a biggy

Anniegetyourgun · 04/07/2018 18:19

OK, the whole sports day isn't five-year-olds, but the OP's kid is.

Silver1022 · 04/07/2018 18:25

They have actually changed the time so it starts and finishes an hour earlier so we can be home in time to watch it. I wonder who decided that lol

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