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Original poster

School banning a single year group from nativity

72 replies

letsgoonthebigslide · 01/12/2022 21:32

Im name changing because it's outing.

Our local paper did an article on a school because they are excluding year one parents from going to Nativity.

Theres two plays, nursery and reception do one together and year one and year two do a second one together.

The nursery and reception parents can go to the nursery and reception play.

The year two parents can go to the year one and year two play.

The year one parents have been told they aren't allowed to go to the year one and two play. The reason given is sickness, covid, colds and flu etc. The year one parents feel unhappy about it.

YABU- the school is right

YANBU- the school is wrong

Link to the article
www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/23160308.frustration-parents-banned-bracknell-nativity-play/

OP posts:
TheaBrandt · 01/12/2022 21:39

Sounds quite sensible. They’re only in the choir and they are putting on a carol service at a later date. But I’m a year 6 2020 parent whose child missed everything related to leaving primary and she took it on the chin with good Grace aged 11. Maybe you should take a leaf out of her book.

upfucked · 01/12/2022 21:41

How awful for those yr 1 kids. Doing and performances to yr2 parents but their own parents not seeing them.

Crimsonripple · 01/12/2022 21:47

Wrong and cruel of the school

Georgeskitchen · 01/12/2022 21:48

Yanbu.
Its about time the covid excuse was put to bed. It's still around but with so many vaccinated and boostered it's not like it was at the heights. As for the flu and colds excuse, well its winter and nativity plays are always held at the same time of year, people will get colds and flu, have done for centuries and will continue to do so.
The school need to get a bloody grip!!

MaryShelley1818 · 01/12/2022 21:54

YANBU. That is really unfair, I imagine a lot of those Year One children will be very upset.
Yes, we all missed out on stuff during the Pandemic (I have 2 young children, one born in the middle of it all) but that's over now. No reason for yet more children to have to miss out.

DashboardConfessional · 01/12/2022 21:54

"While nursery and reception parents are able to watch their child’s performance in the school hall, unfortunately, due to a significant number of pupil and staff absences (due to COVID, flu and colds), we have had to make the very difficult decision to only allow Year 2 parents to watch the combined Year 1 and 2 nativity in school."

This comment from the school makes absolutely no sense. What has the mention of the school hall got to do with it?

Iamnotthe1 · 01/12/2022 22:05

Clearly no bias in that article, eh? Imagine quoting irrelevant self-reported covid stats that have no baring at all as to the real picture on the ground.

The nursery performance is attended by one set of parents.

The reception performance is attended by one set of parents.

The KS1 performance has two sets of parents. To limit the spread of any infections, the school has invited only one set of parents.

It's really not that complicated. It seems that this is a measure that has been put in place in order to allow these performances to even happen in the first place as they were at risk of being cancelled.

Honestly, given that there is no requirement to do any of these performances at all, if parents are going to go to such lengths as attempting to shame the school in the media, they should cancel the whole lot. After all, no performances across the board is fair and equal for everyone, right? As well as being a hell of a lot easier for the school.

lanthanum · 01/12/2022 22:19

They've decided one year group's worth of parents is as many as they're happy to have in the hall. You don't want lots of people crammed in when half of them have colds and you don't know whether some of those are covid. (After all, if you're desperate enough to see your child at the back of the choir that you'll take it to the press, you're not going to miss it because you might have covid.)

Our primary does multiple performances so that they can allow everyone to attend, but the hall timetable is a nightmare trying to fit in rehearsals for three different productions with two performances each. Year 3/4 do their performances later in the year to reduce the pressure. (Perhaps this school will do something later on with year 1.)

70billionthnamechange · 02/12/2022 07:26

🤬🤬🤬 f ing covid

DrMarciaFieldstone · 02/12/2022 07:30

Iamnotthe1 · 01/12/2022 22:05

Clearly no bias in that article, eh? Imagine quoting irrelevant self-reported covid stats that have no baring at all as to the real picture on the ground.

The nursery performance is attended by one set of parents.

The reception performance is attended by one set of parents.

The KS1 performance has two sets of parents. To limit the spread of any infections, the school has invited only one set of parents.

It's really not that complicated. It seems that this is a measure that has been put in place in order to allow these performances to even happen in the first place as they were at risk of being cancelled.

Honestly, given that there is no requirement to do any of these performances at all, if parents are going to go to such lengths as attempting to shame the school in the media, they should cancel the whole lot. After all, no performances across the board is fair and equal for everyone, right? As well as being a hell of a lot easier for the school.

It’s not bias to say something is nonsense. There are no covid restrictions now. It’s not for the school to make up arbitrary nonsense. Siblings all mix, ASC’s mix, friend groups mix; their rules here don’t achieve anything.

ForfuckssakeEXHstopbeingatwat · 02/12/2022 07:33

Surely the easiest solution is to do the Y1-2 play twice? Or have I missed something? Just do it pretty much one after the other so not additional afternoons / evenings in school for staff and leave a 30 min gap.

Robostripes · 02/12/2022 07:34

Madness. Put on two performances is the obvious answer but really, what’s the issue with everyone being packed into the hall - there are no restrictions anymore, restaurants, bars, trains, Christmas party venues all have people packed to the rafters in them so colds will spread, it’s just a pointless measure.

itsjustnotok · 02/12/2022 07:36

There’s lots of people moaning about covid being out to bed but there’s a massive increase in RSV and my work (A&E) have been inundated with patients. I think the school are being reasonable if they have had an issue with it. If the rest of the school are doing it it sounds like more to it. Parents need to realise they don’t run the school.

Brefugee · 02/12/2022 07:36

so how do the year 1 kids get there? and some of them may have siblings in year 2 (would have been in our case) so some parents will get to see the play. That's a bit unfair.

How about the year 1 parents just say "sorry, not bringing them if i have to hang around without watching"?

Brefugee · 02/12/2022 07:37

hat’s the issue with everyone being packed into the hall - there are no restrictions anymore

but there is still covid and this other horrendous virus that is going around?

SquigglePigs · 02/12/2022 07:44

That's ridiculous. Two performances is the obvious solution if they are that worried. Even just allowing one parent per child would allow the youunger ones to be supported.

Also if they're going to insist on this "we're looking at maybe recording it"!! Recording it should not be a maybe if you're banning half the parents!!

This year is the first (and last) nursery nativity we'll attend but at least they recorded one last year.

Robostripes · 02/12/2022 07:47

Brefugee · 02/12/2022 07:37

hat’s the issue with everyone being packed into the hall - there are no restrictions anymore

but there is still covid and this other horrendous virus that is going around?

My point was, it’s a pointless measure if nowhere else has any restrictions. You can ban Y1 parents from coming to the nativity but if those Y1 parents have been on busy trains, in pubs watching the football, at their work Christmas parties etc, then the colds and viruses will be spreading anyway.

Deliaskis · 02/12/2022 07:47

YANBU, school is being ridiculous. Any child who performs should be able to have a parent there. This is one of those decisions that will harm goodwill and respect between parents and school, for almost no reason, given people are mixing everywhere else anyway. It's like.... how can we piss people off in a way that will disadvantage everybody....I know, like this.

Would have been better to not include y1 at all, and have them do something different later in the year. DD's primary uses to do that.... half were in Christmas performances, half in the summer, nobody had a problem with that. And yes to pp point, some y2s will have siblings in y1 so some parents will see it anyway. It's divisive and pointless.

Lack of common sense on the part of the school. Perhaps the y1 parents should just pull their kids out of the performance altogether.

lightisnotwhite · 02/12/2022 07:54

The year 1’s are just the chorus in the background though. I can’t see why well parents can’t watch the dress rehearsal or something though . Ours used to do that as a “siblings show” so the parents with babies and toddlers could attend.

sunflowerdaisyrose · 02/12/2022 08:09

YANBU. Way to tell those who are 'just' the choir that their part in the nativity is so insignificant no one can even come to watch! Terrible decision.

PuttingDownRoots · 02/12/2022 08:18

Did year 1 have audiences when they were in reception or nursery?

Have yr1 do a separate concert.

MajorCarolDanvers · 02/12/2022 08:20

School making up their own health guidance.

Ridiculous

theydontspeakforus · 02/12/2022 08:21

This is a joke. I'd turn up anyway.

Benjaminsniddlegrass · 02/12/2022 08:24

Our school are doing three different performances of the KS1 nativity to enable parents to attend. Seems like a far more sensible approach

LosingTheWill2022 · 02/12/2022 08:27

The school is totally unreasonable and bonkers.
Firstly the idea that the choir (year 1) don't matter and their role is not 'worthy' of being shared with parents. That's a foul attitude. Surely the school should be giving the message that it's not just the 'star' performers that make a production! Choirs, chorus, musicians,technical and backstage matter.
Just put on an extra performance.

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