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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this school normal?

81 replies

pinkiepie1 · 19/12/2018 21:38

Does anyone else's primary school charge to see their childrens concerts?

DD is 5 and had her Xmas concert. The teacher has her favourites so they were in the play while 12 other 5-6 year olds were just sat quietly shoved in a corner.

It doesn't bother me too much about the favourites, this is about the fact we had to pay for tickets to see our dd sit on the floor for 40 minutes.

Then we got offered to buy her work.
I felt like a bad parent but I didn't buy half of her stuff.

Is this just the norm now? Or is dd school just trying to get as much money as they can?

OP posts:
Lettermethis · 19/12/2018 21:39

Where does the money go?

If school supplies, fine. If staff Christmas drinks, not fine.

Starlight456 · 19/12/2018 21:41

I know our primary charged to cover costs . There is no budget for it so helps covers costs of scripts , lighting and costumes.

Schools are broke these days they are looking for ways to raise money.

minisoksmakehardwork · 19/12/2018 21:42

Hmmmm. Our school don't and neither did our old school. But I have heard s local school charged a token amount for nativity tickets. I guess it's an easy money spinner.

I've never been to a nativity where all the children haven't had some kind of a part either though. Even if it meant all of reception are the main nativity cast, year 1 the extras and the older children take in other parts. Year 2 were always 'chorus' at the old school but that meant they had their own choreographed routine for the show.

Youmadorwhat · 19/12/2018 21:44

Yes we are in rep of Ireland and oir school charges 5€ a ticket. All money goes to the school.

InDubiousBattle · 19/12/2018 21:44

My ds is in reception and we didn't have to buy tickets to the Christmas concert but there was a charity donation box at the end.

drspouse · 19/12/2018 21:46

Youmad good grief, ours is 50p.

colorao · 19/12/2018 21:49

Back in the UK we bought a programme for £2, money went to the school.

No cost here but have had to fuck about making costumes. Very specific, white tutu, white tights, white long sleeved top...I thought they were angels or stars but nope. Had to buy glitter foam and glue gun a big heart on the top, loads of little hearts on the skirt and then make a headband with some more sodding hearts on. Asked my mum what it was about, thinking it was something traditional, but she has no clue either.

Eldest had to have pompoms. Totally underestimated how inept at pompom making I would be. He's sang me his song and it's something to do with the cha cha cha.

Roll on Friday when I see what it's all about.

Shakirasma · 19/12/2018 21:50

Yes our school charges. Proceeds cover the costs of production and the money left over goes into school funds to be spent on resources.

Original poster
pinkiepie1 · 19/12/2018 21:50

I don't know where the money goes, and from what the head said was that people donated costumes for the play.

It was both year 1 classes, with the year 2s doing the narrating(?) and about 10 from year 1 doing little dances on stage with the odd line.
I should have been more specific - the 12 children just sat occasionally standing to do a few songs were from my dds class, there were probably the same amount from the other class shoved to the other corner.

Thanks for answering.

OP posts:
IggyAce · 19/12/2018 21:50

Ours charged £1 per ticket one year, they now ask for donations for the food bank.

Youmadorwhat · 19/12/2018 21:51

@drspouse I know!! And they put it on two evenings!! My dd is in the equivalent of year1 so wanted someone to watch her both nights. Night 1 I paid for me hubby and grandparents and then night 2 just me. That’s 25€ 😫

Original poster
pinkiepie1 · 19/12/2018 21:52

This is a genuine question, (not being snotty or anything) how much does it cost production wize to do a year 1 Christmas play?

OP posts:
Holidayshopping · 19/12/2018 21:54

Schools usually charge for a programme. Having an art gallery and then having a viewing and selling art work as a fundraiser is often done in primaries as well.

Did the other children just sit on the floor and not sing or anything?

Allthatglittersisgold · 19/12/2018 21:54

Ours charges £3 for the show. Also sell some Christmassy work. The money goes towards loads of things though, trips, free school ties and book bags etc

QueenofmyPrinces · 19/12/2018 21:55

My son is in his first year at school and it’s his nativity play tomorrow. Each parent is allowed 4 tickets and we aren’t charged.

Allthatglittersisgold · 19/12/2018 21:56

Not sure the cost will necessarily go towards covering costs....more likely fundraising?

MinorRSole · 19/12/2018 21:56

Ours charged £3 a ticket and £2 per shitty Christmas item they had made. We have twins, it was an unwelcome cost.

FleurNancy · 19/12/2018 21:57

I wouldn't mind about the cost, schools need every penny they can get these days. I would however be bothered about half the class doing absolutely nothing, have I got this wrong? Were they singing or literally just sat down for 40 mins doing nothing?

Shakirasma · 19/12/2018 21:57

This is a genuine question, (not being snotty or anything) how much does it cost production wize to do a year 1 Christmas play?

How long is a piece of string? Depends on so many factors; cost of script, what resources school already has and what they need to buy or replace, how many children are taking part etc,

Fatasfook · 19/12/2018 21:58

Thanks to our Tory government schools are now so underfunded that they need to raise cash any way they can. Normal, and it’s a disgrace that it is.

themartinipolice · 19/12/2018 21:58

It will definitely not be going towards staff drinks, ridiculous suggestion.

More likely to cover costs of putting on the concert, or gluesticks, or paper, or toilet roll. Schools have nothing.

WhatwouldCJdo · 19/12/2018 21:59

Ours does to cover costs of the play and any extra goes into school funds for other drama type activities. It is a £1.
Group of parents serve coffee and pastries and the profit from that goes into the PTA to buy equipment for schools. Budgets in education are totally fucked.

Original poster
pinkiepie1 · 19/12/2018 22:00

After reading some of these I don't think my dd school is that bad lol

There wasn't a programme or anything just queued up for half an hour in rain to get front seats, sat down and waited, 40 mins later it finished and we picked our children up.

It was very much sit there and don't move, don't say a word until your class song is on then sit down and be quiet again. I think they did 2-3 songs but not like full songs if you know what I mean, couldn't have been more than an minute a song.

OP posts:
NottonightJosepheen · 19/12/2018 22:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhyDontYouComeOnOver · 19/12/2018 22:00

I've never taught in a school that doesn't charge. Current school was 2.50 a ticket, DS' school £4. We also have to buy work, depending on what it is. This year the class made cupcakes, ceramic decorations and framed art to sell at the Christmas fair.

It's not about what it costs to put on a show, because the answer is, other than ticket printing, not much. It's about how drastically under-funded schools are at the moment and the money goes towards resources, stationery, printing costs, paying for the trips of those children whose parents can't or won't pay and many other costs.