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

At my kids school Reception, y1 and Y2 had their own sports day (it was an infants school) and it involved a number of "stations" set up around the field with things like kicking a ball into a goal or balancing bean bags on head etc, you followed your child's group around, and it culminated with a whole school dance. There was some parental moaning from those that wanted to see their little ones win a race, but the children really liked it and everyone got to do everything.

Then Years 3-6 were the traditional races, with kid divided into houses and racing for their house but as far as I remember most children did at least one race. Some did loads, I think they could choose and put themselves forward within reason.

I think both worked well for their age group.

I think it's about time schools found a better way to have a day where parents can visit that does not involve excluding physically less able children. I cannot believe sports day is still a thing.

Our school was a bit like that ie earlier heats - but not in Y1.

Even with heats, all DCs still took part in fun races and class/team events eg relays. Nobody was sitting about all day.

The only race they did before was the 1500 (obviously older years) as otherwise would have taken too much time. The heats were done on the day.

That is bonkers is it a massive school? Ours participate in everything apart from the relay race when the 4 houses race so it's just 4 kids from each year that are chosen. Takes about 2 hours, smallish school, PPG makes 500 quid selling cakes etc.

What's all that about? They're little kids, not athletes in training.
All little kids like to participate in sports day because it's fun and especially if their parents are watching.
My youngest, now an adult was about as sporty as a sack of spuds and even she loved participating in sports day as a little one, because it was fun.
I remember her participating in a three legged race when she was six. Her and her friend who she was attached to kept falling over, they were hysterical with laughter, clearly they didn't win but they had a blast

Yanbu.
I have no problem doing heats for group selection but not for excluding certain DC.

It's supposed to be fun.

We had ours during week everyone took part in the events.

Thanks for all the replys. I'll let you know how it goes!

We have a ‘practice’ in advance and children run in boy or girl teams. They are then further divided into faster or slower groups. ( Children are unaware of this). On sports day they all get to compete but because they are in teams according to ability it’s fairer with more chance for the less sporty .

really a 6 year old has got to sit and watch for sports day?! No way I'd be wasting a days holiday to watch my child watch sports day. I can't decide whether I'd complain or ring my child in sick that day and do something fun instead.

This is ridiculous. Sports day should enable them all to compete in something.
There are plenty of clubs and events inside/outside of school for particularly sporty kids to show their skills off in. If you're going to go to the effort of a sports day, make it so that they can all take part. Watching your child watch sports day is bonkers.

They do heats at my childrens school and the finals on the day but they also do a load of other activities where they get points for their team so they don't miss out not doing the races.

If I'd taken the day as annual leave then I'd call him in sick for the day and go on a day out

Ours had heats for the sprint and then fun races as well. Some parents still didn't like that (very competitive school but no one would admit to it).

Then they moved to a proper sports venue. I was aghast when a child who was a great runner lost her race (I think her shoe came off) then lost, then cried so they re-did it so she could win. What sort of lesson was that l?!!

That sounds utterly shit OP, and as you say they should have told parents that not all their kids would be involved. It sounds shit for the kids who didn't pass the 'heats' too. I've really got the rage and not just because I was the kid who was always last!

My sons is next week and I hope they don't try and pull something like this!

It's like they're trying to make sports day even less inclusive

Schools have such trouble getting sports day right. My ds hated sports day. He was the youngest and smallest in his year all through primary. He regarded it as enforced humiliation and it was a day of utter misery for him. By year 6 he just refused point blank to go.
Others want to take part and can't. Some schools don't allow anyone to lose. Some are super competitive. At secondary school, a friend of mine cut her wrist so she wouldn't be forced to take part.

So I have a lot of sympathy for schools. They can't win, no matter what they do.

Not true. My DS hated every second of it. Primary school made it so much worse. By year 6 he refused to go to school on sports day, and the first sports lesson at senior school, he got in a complete state and staff had to intervene.

Good senior school, problems now sorted, but don't imagine all children love it because they don't.

I think this is becoming more common place which is a shame. In our school sport has become the least inclusive element of the curriculum. If you are not in the A teams then at as well not bother. It seems you are allowed to exclude children in school sports but this would be frowned upon in an academic one. In early years it should be about taking part and having fun IMO.

@MintJulia I understand what you're saying, my daughter hated participating in sports as she got older, but as a little girl, on sports day she enjoyed the fun of egg and spoon race etc, mainly because the teachers made it fun and everyone got a little prize for participating.
In fairness, I hated participating in school sports day. I was hopeless.

Agree. I've always hated sport because of my experiences at school. I'm not naturally good at it, so it became something that just humiliated me.
Last year I ventured to a yoga class and I really love it. There's far too much emphasis on the winning/losing/being the best/competing side and not enough on how being physically active (whatever your ability) benefits you as a whole. So the mental health benefits as well as keeping yourself healthy, boosting your energy and helping you sleep. I feel like a more well rounded approach would have totally changed my view.

I’m interested in people commenting on the competitiveness and exclusivity of events like sports day. Is that not the case in most areas of the curriculum. Even at a young age children know which childten in their class are good or bad at Math, they know which kids have got their pen license and which haven’t….even bloody attendance is competitive with some children “achieving” or not.

I’m not disagreeing with these points btw. I just think the rest of school is the same.

I think there's a balance here and they have gone the wrong way. They should be encouraging all kids to participate, even if just in fun races. But having real competition is still valuable. Our infant school had sports day but literally everyone did every activity and there was no competition at all, it was all just for fun. Which somehow makes it a lot less fun... Not everyone relishes competition but a lot of people including a lot of kids, do. I think they should have some fun races and activities that everyone can take part in without having to be competitive, and then some races for the fast or talented ones to really push themselves.