To think that all children in year R should be able to go to their school disco?

[cocovira]

My 4 year old daughter has just started in year R. Today I got an email from the PTA with information about the school disco, which is in October. Each year group is at a different time so year R’s disco will be from the end of the school day until 4pm. I know from a mum friend that pupil premium children have been able to book their tickets for free all week whereas for everyone else they go on sale at the weekend. This wouldn’t be a problem, but there is a limited number of tickets with a waiting list for those who don’t manage to get a ticket. On the website there is even a live countdown to when booking opens. I don’t think the limited number of tickets is down to the ratio of adult helpers to children as I haven’t received anything about asking for volunteers - I’d happily volunteer if it meant more children could go!

AIBU to think that all children should be welcome to their school disco?

No I’ll do what the fuck I want and say what I want. You are a bunch of stuck up bell ends, who are happy to take away a place of a disadvantaged child for your precious baby!! Cry me a river

Do try and think slightly wider than one frigging disco for 4 year olds.

We adopted my daughter at the age of 9. Her schools will have been in receipt of Pupil Premium Plus for her since social services first became involved with her birth family. Some of that will have been spent on her and on other pupils with PP or PP+ but the majority will have been spent on stuff that benefits them and other pupils in the school (on average).

Your daughter has at least one parent who loves her and is competent at parenting to the point where you will sit and refresh your expensive device to get her a ticket to a disco. My daughter had parents, and then a foster carer, who neglected and abused her and her siblings. My daughter was never put first in anyone's life at any point. My daughter's schools were her refuge. We are the first people - relatives or professionals - to truly put our daughter first in her entire life. She had all her formative years of maltreatment. You don't think that that deserves a bit of the playing field being evened up occasionally? You don't think that has a lifelong impact?

It's fair enough to be ignorant of what PP is, but once you have it explained to you, surely to God you could use your imagine just a little bit? Does it not give you pause for thought that the people on this thread who work in schools are universally in favour of giving PP pupils a leg up? How would it be if this disco was the only opportunity your daughter was going to have in the whole school year to have this kind of fun? You can't imagine it, can you, because you're a 'good enough' parent (as social services refer to it).

Separately, I'm a PTA member and I can tell you that when these type of restrictions are put in place (the capacity limits) it is always for a reason. If you don't like it, I suggest that instead of complaining about it, you contact your PTA and offer to volunteer occasionally, or do anything to help whatsoever. You might find it eye-opening and certainly educational. And frankly, if you don't like it - don't buy a ticket.

It's people like you - and many others on this thread - that make it a soul-destroying thing to do, being involved in a PTA. And somehow all the ones who complain are those who you know for sure are never, ever going to contribute anything to school life beyond their own precious darling.

If I'd come to this thread earlier I'd likely not have had such a harsh response but so far you've had the likely reasons for the capacity restrictions clearly explained to you AND the likely reasons for the way the PP kids' attendance is being handled. Yet somehow you still persist in feeling hard done by.

I'm saying what about the kids that have that tenner or so extra family income per month that prevents them from getting free dsco tickets, free school trips, free dinners, free play schemes £1 entry into attractions etcs.

Those kids are actually worse off.

Shocking, isn't it? I read on another thread how unfair it was that disabled students at university can get money towards a laptop so this disadvantages everyone else. Some people have no clue!

To be fair the OP actually has no idea if there’s actually an issue. The ticket sites have to have a number on them to sell but it might be more than adequate. Easiest thing to do would be to volunteer and ask or just email them and ask directly. No pta would be aiming to leave children out so this could be a total non story.

(but if it is indeed limited then prioritising the children most in need of an affordable party is a lovely place to start. Your child is very, very lucky as you are clearly a loving and engaged parent£

When I was 4 discos had yet to be invented.

Well I'm not actually sure why someone with a disability would come from a less well off family that could buy them a laptop

What should come into it, then?

I agree all children should have a chance, but if for some reason they can't, what's wrong with prioritising pupil premium? What would be a better criteria do you feel?

Do you realise how ignorant you sound Rooroobear You are incapable of thinking things through and result to insults.

You sound pathetic and I hope you do not have children with your dreadful attitude as they will grow up with a nasty attitude.

I can be supportive about children who are flagged as being vulnerable at home for the school holidays and be in complete agreement that working parents financial situation should be much higher for childcare.

We have an incredibly aggressive child at my school. We can’t exclude them because school is their safe place from home! How sad is that? My heart broke when I learnt this happens. Imagine home not being your safe haven.

Oh no….im crying into my pillow. All these “mums” feeling so upset that my child may not go to a school disco above a child that has less opportunity than yours! How will I carry on

Then that's the sort of kid that social services need to remove is it.

Of course all the children should be able to attend the disco! If they don’t have the capacity to hold it for everyone , they shouldn’t do it at all.
If there’s a cost, then fine to subsidise kids receiving pupil premium but all should be able to go. I say as a parent of children who received pupil premium at primary school.

Because a partially sighted pupil will still be at a significant disadvantage to a sighted one, regardless of family income.

What's that to do with a laptop?

Fair enough. But there’ll always have to be a cutoff somewhere.
I’ll bet people being tipped into a higher tax bracket by earning a few quid above the cutoff feel aggrieved by it too.

Yes. I agree. But they don’t. They decide that they attend school and they have paid for holiday clubs and that means they are safe enough. This child is one example of that.

Some people on this thread consider it an advantage. It’s life saving for some. The holiday club is filled up by PP children at my school. I can guarantee the children I know should definitely be there.

Massive mistake by the school giving pp kids an advantage like this as it makes them stand out and that’s unfair.

Our school hosted an event and pp kids were taken to have first choices- by name called out the class. Younger years didn’t really understand but ks2 especially years 5 and 6 really kicked off as did the parents who did not feel it was equal for pp to take priority which is happening in your school- it’s wrong. Fair enough it’s free for pp but that’s not the issue, giving them the advantage is.

I would speak with the school before the countdown so if you miss out and you don’t get a ticket, speaking to the school doesn’t look like you’ve reacted to that rather than the system is just wrong.

Yeah I've spent my whole life working my guts out as a single parent only for my kids to have never been eligible for anything whereas I'd I'd sat on my arse all day they would've got loads of stuff for free.

Yet counting it up I had less money than if id paid for all the stuff they got for free.

As for the disc thing. Even if the PP kids got the tickets free why should they get first priority to actually obtain them

I'm confused OP. I don't want to be unfair to you.

Are you just objecting to the disco not being open to all? If so, obviously you have a point (though also it's not the biggest deal ever and I would try not to worry about it too much).

Or are you ACTUALLY saying that, if all children can't go, you would rather they used a different system of prioritising kids, rather than prioritising disadvantaged children? You don't feel those children might benefit from some positive experiences of school even more than other children will?

If the former, fair play. If the latter I have absolutely no sympathy for you whatsoever.

Why not contact the PTA and ask if there are actually enough spaces at the disco for all the children in Reception? And if not, is there anything you can do to help increase capacity? There have been suggestions as to why numbers might be capped or it may be to encourage people to buy tickets quickly. It does seem unfair if there isn't space for all the children but not I don't think it's wrong to give PP children tickets first.

Yes. One tiny advantage. I very much doubt you’d swap your child’s situation for theirs. Let’s face it, you think you should be able to advantage your child by sitting by the computer at the very moment tickets are released, which plenty of people can’t do. Fair would probably be a lottery.

You’d hate my local school - it runs whole day fun trips that only PP kids or SEN kids get to go on.

In these situations where numbers are capped sometimes kids miss out and it seems reasonable to me to prioritise the less advantaged kids.

Flipping PTA's = I'm quite sure they could arrange it for their to be enough space for all kids - or have two if its such a big year group. Push back OP, organise an alt disco, village or church halls can be hired super cheaply, most have music speakers that you. can plug your phone into, then all you need is hot dogs and an entertainer or as its reception someone confident enough to run old school party games.

You’re assuming all kids whose school receives pupil premium are on benefits. Military families receive PP, even though we aren’t low earners or in receipt of any benefits. The money goes to the school it’s not given to the kids or left in a pot for them specifically to use

Bull they will have more children in the school hall over lunchtime and when they do assemblies which is usually the whole school.