to think that Sport's Day shouldn't be like this?

[SportsDay]

My kid is in Yr1. No Sports Day in Reception due to covid. Got his first one today.

Got an email from the school yesterday to say that the kids did 'heats' last week and only those who passed the heats will take part in today's 'final'.

I've taken annual leave so I can go and now I won't get to see him do a race because he didn't pass the heat.

I don't mind it being competitive, but I think they should have done the heats and finals on the same day so all the mums and dad could see their kid race. Or told us sooner that only some kids would race. My kid really wanted to take part. I don't care if he comes last, I just wanted to see him race and he wanted to have a go.

Is this a normal Sports Day? He's my eldest so we've not had a Sport day before.

YABU - this is a good way to do Sport Day
YANBU - this is a terrible way to do Sports Day

Not normal ime. Maybe they are worried it will be too hot so trying to limit time outdoors?

It's gonna rain!

We had exactly this! My DD is year 1 and didn't get to take part in races on the day. She was gutted, especially when the kids taking part (some in several races) got stickers, and at age 5/6 stickers are their favourite thing. Not fair and not fun 😥

Bizarre for yr1!

Are you sure there's not fun races and team events?

It's all the years not just his year. He's gutted.

Nothing fun mentioned but maybe I suppose.

That's really weird. Our school has everyone do something, they do usually have an extra race for the top performers and my ds in year 3 didn't get into the relay team, who was seemingly picked and trained in advance. That's fine though, he still got his race.

It sounds like a good idea to me. I hated sports day because I never liked running and I never liked performing in front of an audience. If we'd have had eliminators ahead of the sports day I wouldn't have been put through the annual public humiliation of coming in at the back.

I think YABU because you're making this about YOU, when it should be about your child.

That's not fun at all especially considering their age. It should be normal egg and spoon race, sack race and splitting it up into small groups so all the kids get a turn. My kids school did this. Smaller groups and everyone got to take a turn. At that age it doesn't matter who wins just taking part and having fun.

That is bonkers!

Maybe they've always done it that way and they assume everyone knows not to book leave. But it definitely isn't the norm. My dcs had it and even the preschooler got to participate (he hated it, but still)

Some schools I’ve worked in have had heats for the running events but there have been plenty of others so everyone who wants to take part can.

No that's not ok, sports day should be for everyone, not just those who excel, the school should be putting on "fun races" or something similar for those that want to take part.

I think that's really crap. Like you our DC has barely done anything we can attend due to covid, and this sports day will be the first. We're not a sporty family at all and I doubt they will win anything lol - but at year 1 it's only a bit of fun, everyone should be included if they want to.

Our school does a lovely sports day - lots of fun events, teams are mixed year group so the older ones help the little ones. The senior classes have a competitive element but the emphasis is still on fun and participation. One class all deliberately ran behind the kid who broke his leg and was being pushed in a wheelbarrow, so he could win. It just brings out a lovely spirit in the kids.

I like that they encourage every child to enjoy healthy movement rather than discouraging 90% from even trying the way my school did. There’s plenty of competitions throughout the year too, and other students are encouraged to attend and support. I think they get the balance right between developing the talents of the sporty ones and instilling healthy habits in everyone.

If they want to do some more serious competitive races for the sportier children that’s fine- but there should be some fun races/events for everyone else eg sack race, egg and spoon, skipping, obstacle course etc. The outcomes of those seem a lot more arbitrary and the non sporty ones have more of a chance- or at least in the chaos you can’t tell who came last!

At least he is having a competitive sports day. In my opinion too many schools now refuse to let the sporty kids shine.

They get to shine in school and county competitions, or outside school clubs - what an odd post. Sports day is about encouraging the enjoyment of sport and everyone having fun. Not about parents of sporty kids making sure every other parent can see their child shine??!

I don't mind competitive. I just wish all the kids could have a go.

I’d have made sure I didn’t pass the “heats” so I didn’t have to take part. Nothing worse than being forced to compete in a race you’re almost guaranteed to come last in

And I say that as someone who was very sporty. I got my medals, pride and sense of competitiveness from competing in and winning county competitions. There was no enjoyment in beating my schoolmates - winning is only satisfying when you’re competitors are on your level.

It sounds very harsh for such little ones. In high school (do they even have sports days? Mine never did) absolutely! But not fair for infant level children. And must be very boring and disheartening for the children who didn’t pass the heats to have to sit and watch everyone else run races.

That is so weird! At my kids primary everyone did everything except for the final relay. Egg and spoon, fill up glasses, football control, walk with huge boots, skipping etc. And then everyone sat and watched the relay.

YANBU. I think anyone who WANTS (note, it should be a choice) to be in a race, SHOULD be in a race.

It's also important that there are different races - i.e. a sprint, obstacles, egg and spoon, three legged.. for those who might not be particularly athletic.

I was 'the fat kid' at school but always won the egg and spoon race because I had a steady hand.

My kids primary used to have a rotation of silly races throughout most of the day, egg and spoon, sack race etc and then sprints only including kids who’d won heats after that, finally a parents race and a preschool race. Then they’d let the kids go home early.

it won’t last long if they’re just doing running finals.

That's horrific for year 1!
My DD is also Y1 and our children have missed out on so much of normal school life, (mine had her first ever whole school assembly last week!) this is just cruel and frankly bizarre!