Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No sports day at our school because...

106 replies

thumbsucker · 13/05/2010 13:18

I overheard my son's headteacher this morning talking to a parent about the reason they don't have sports day at my son's infant school. Apparently it excludes those who are less able. I say POPPYCOCK and how are we ever going to have any great sports men and women with attitudes like that ffs. thoughts anyone?

OP posts:
MarshaBrady · 14/05/2010 10:25

We all belonged to a 'house' at school. So then if you are bit average you can get loads of enjoyment out of your house winning.

Possibly even in infant school. But definitely in 12+

Do they still do this?

I was v academic and a bit rubbish at sports (except for a very good pitching arm and catching due to brother) but still glad it was a necessity. If only to have fun trying to avoid it with friends...

TheBride · 14/05/2010 10:33

We had to do a minimum of 2 events with as many as you wanted at the other end of the scale.

If you were hopeless you just did the field events as then -

a. no-one watched them
b. it wasnt apparent who was winning as it was just best of 3 attempts.

There were no "trial by track" or anything like that

No rozettes/ certificates or anything like that- you just got points for your house. The only people that got prizes were the boy and girl who got the most points (i.e. the all rounders.)

TheFallenMadonna · 14/05/2010 10:36

I wouldn't judge the "bulk" of state schools by a couple of threads on MN

Heifer · 14/05/2010 10:39

One of my pet hates. Non competitive sports day and even worse No sports Day.

I am so pleased that DDs school has a fully competitive. Even the nursery class (1 before reception) has competitive races. Around 6 in each race, 1,2 and 3 get rosettes. They have around 3 races each, straight sprint, obstacles and 1 skipping/egg spoon race depending on age)...

Love it, the children love it. The learn from a very early age that only 1,2 and 3 get a rosette. If they cry (young ones sometimes do, they get a gentle arm around them and told, you didn't come 1,2 or 3).

By the following year they are fine, all compete and seem to have fun.

All the parents come to watch/support if they get too loud (or aggressively competitive) they get glared at by the headmistress and teachers tis funny to see.

How we expect to produce world class sports stars or even children that can compete or even enjoy sports when we seem so keen to level everyone out as to not upset anyone is beyond me.

Waswondering · 14/05/2010 10:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oldandgreynow · 14/05/2010 10:53

HMM our school made competing optional for the Y5 and 6 girls and the majority (the non sporty ones) didn't want to do it.
I think a private competitive sports day is OK but being forced to compete in public is wrong.

seeker · 14/05/2010 10:58

'I will add this to my "why I must not contemplate state education for my children even though I had a really positive experience myself" list.

This is No 2 on the list.

No 1 is the thread about the child who was not allowed to take a book from the school library because it was a Year 8 book and she was year 7."

So you're going to use hearsay evidence about two bonkers decisions made by individuals to judge the entire state school system??

Would you like me to come up with two bonkers decisions made by individuals at private schools? I could - but I wouldn't be silly enough to assume that they are representative of an entire education system!

BritFish · 14/05/2010 11:07

oldandgreynow:

'what about encouraging the 'less able' to aspire to something like the paralympics?'
what! Our DC should aspire to having a disability!

ummm... what? that suggestion specifies the less able and encouraging them to join in with the fantastic paralympics, or to look on at those sports men and women who are less abled, and achieve so much, as something to aspire to, and you think that suggestion is to encourage your DC's to have a disability??? maybe you read it wrong...

notso · 14/05/2010 11:08

Ds's school has different races but everyone gets a sticker for taking part, there is a child in his class with many special needs, including visual, severe weight problems and mobility,
he took about 15 mins to complete the bouncy hopper race, all his classmates and the spectators were cheering really loudly, and encouraging him to carry on,
he was laughing and smiling and was really pleased when he'd completed the race, his Mum was in tears because he tried so hard. How on earth was that excluding him?

jeee · 14/05/2010 11:11

I raised an eyebrow over that too - paralympians are not 'less able'. They are sportsmen who are disabled.

BigBadMummy · 14/05/2010 11:14

riven that image has cheered me up no end today. Good for your DD, and her friends.

I think this policy is a load of bollocks.

"Lets wrap our DCs up in cotton wool and protect them from EVERYTHING" is hardly going to make them equipped for adult life, is it?

We all have something we can't do. Doesn't mean the whole school has to cancel an event because of this.

fragola · 14/05/2010 11:18

I was crap at sports at school, but I loved sports day. A day off lessons, warm cheese sandwiches, melted penguins and half a cup of over-diluted squash. Fab!

Ripeberry · 14/05/2010 11:20

The only humiliation is for the parents...when they run the mum or the dad races

TheBride · 14/05/2010 11:41

Don't worry- I've got a list for private education too. Whichever is longest wins (or loses, depending on which way you look at it)

I guess it's more a "factors to be aware of" list. I just dont think that pretending difference in ability doesnt exist does children any favours and I do think that attitude is creeping into the state system more and more (no marking in red pen, dont correct grammar in a science exam etc)

At our school, the ritual humiliation was the music exam (sports day was a fluffy kiten in comparison). The teacher would play a note, you had to sing it back......in front of the whole class. I am basically tone deaf so would just take a shot. Everyone else would p themselves laughing because I would be totally flat and about half an octave out. Usually they would start laughing before I even sang. Even now I dread karaoke- sob!

claw3 · 14/05/2010 11:49

I think what the teacher means by 'less able' is those with disabilities, not just those who are not the fastest runners and cant win.

claw3 · 14/05/2010 11:52

Sorry, didnt read the whole read, see that has already been pointed out!

acebaby · 14/05/2010 11:58

I think that a carefully planned sports day can lead to all children competing at some level. For example - team events with teams comprised of a mixture of abilities. But regardless of that, I think that talented children deserve the chance to shine and those of lower ability (like my own DS1) are not harmed by learning that the world doesn't come to an end if you are not best at everything.

Oblomov · 14/05/2010 12:06

pc gone mad.am not surprised.

claw3 · 14/05/2010 12:13

I dont have a problem with sports day, what i do have a problem with is teachers insisting that disabled children must join in and have a 'go'.

At ds's school its a team effort, but because of his disability he cant pedal, he cant balance a bean bag on his head, he cant stack cups, he cant balance an egg on a spoon, he cant skip etc, etc.

He is disabled, not an idiot, he knows that he cant do these things, he knows that his team mates will all moan and groan when he is put on their team etc. He knows that the other children will tease him and laugh at him for not being able to do these things.

Although i appreciate without practise, he will never be able to do these things, i dont think sports day, in front of the whole school is the time or the place.

amidaiwish · 14/05/2010 12:16

infant sports day at DDs (state) school last year was great. just a few races (nursery and reception together)
they were in heats so the teacher had grouped children roughly by speed, so each race was fairly close. winners got a gold star, silver star, bronze star and the rest happy face stickers. everyone happy. what is the big deal?

some just running but others more complex (pick something up, turn around 2 times etc...) , so the careful children often beat the big fast ones.

i do think at that age (4-5) it requires the teachers to be sensitive and to have a plan like the one above.

amidaiwish · 14/05/2010 12:17

our school also has houses but only from KS2 (yr 3) and there is a big emphasis on it for sports, chess etc.

amidaiwish · 14/05/2010 12:23

TheBride, that music test has made me laugh out loud

AngryPixie · 14/05/2010 12:24

I hate sports day with a deep & burning passion, as a child a teacher and a parent, but that's my hang up & I think it should be an event in every school.

However I think the people who use the 'should we ban maths to protect the less academic children then' argument are missing the point.

If you are crap at maths you do have to do it but not in a public forum (generally other than perhaps being asked a question in class) You are not expected to do an oral mental maths test in front of an audience made up of your entire school/keystage and their parents. Sports day can be humiliating to some children and some sensitivity should be shown in letting children opt in and out of events they wish to compete in.

But, I repeat, it should exist as a fun day and to enable those who love it to shine!

Tidey · 14/05/2010 12:27

I used to get very irritated with DS's school's Sports Day as they would run the races but show absolutely no recognition for who won, none of the staff were paying any attention to the finish line or writing down names of who won or awarding the children with anything. Seemed completely pointless.

Last year was better as they gave out 1st 2nd and 3rd stickers. I'm not saying I'm more in favour of team sports days, so sorry if my last post annoyed anyone but I think it would be better to have something like that than cancel Sports Day altogether. It's just that I know of some schools that think it's a good alternative.

headlessandclueless · 15/05/2010 08:08

um, isnt the paralympics about amazing athletes? coz thats what i saw, when i have seen anything at all to do with them. they might be competing in a wheelchair coz they have legs that wont work in the normal way, but, WOW, amzing athletes is what they are.