School Christmas Activities

[snowday888]

I'm trying to find out what events Secondary, state or private schools have in school time in the run up to Christmas for their pupils. I've got two DD, one in state and one in private and it seems v different. Im not wanting to bash either just try and get an understanding of what other schools do. Do people think its helps foster school spirit too?

Both
Christmas lunch
Christmas jumper day

State
Panto (done by final year students)
Christmas quiz
Whole school country dancing on last afternoon
Dress down for charity day

State Evening
All year dance
Christmas concert

Private
Cinema and shopping trip
Christmas craft fair (really for parents)

Thanks

State grammar:

Christmas lunch
6th form entertainment
Christmas jumper day
Daily Xmas treasure hunt

Evening -
Carol concert
Disco

Thanks @Tinselpipes that's a great range of activities too.

@snowday888 I would say that was quite rare for a state secondary. To have an all year dance it must be quite small? Country dancing is also very niche - can't see my bottom set Year 9 boys engaging unless they could jump up and down to some drill music 🤣

State primary

• Carol concert
• Christmas performance/nativity (one year Nativity, next year a Christmas theme non-nativity one)
• panto
• Christmas dinner one lunchtime
• Christmas party during school hours (we have a Halloween disco)
• jazzy/Christmas jumper day

Last school it was lessons until last lesson. A celebration assembly and absolutely no Christmas jumpers (as so many wouldn't be able to afford them).
There would be a reward trip to the cinema. And an external Carol service that only involved a few pupils

State school have to do more to try to raise money.

That said, DS’s state grammar had a 2 hour carol concert today and that’s it. Oh and a nice dollop of Spatz homework due in on the last day!

Primary and a grammar school

Both Christmas lunch, non uniform /Christmas jumper day.

Both evening Carol service (with choir and orchestras)

Area schools primary Carol convert one eve. Kids choir singing in nursing homes too.

Primary - games day last day with a Christmas party.

Grammar more informally fun activities/food last day dependingnon individual teachers.

One Yr at Primary make Christmas decorations from around the world which is nice.

Oh primary had a fun evening with craft and music for just the kids too!

Just a Christmas lunch here - state. Lots of events when they were in primary, but so far doesn't seem to be a thing in secondary. This was about the same as my (state) school experience so what I expected. Majority of the pupils aren't Christians though, and high percentage have other religions, not sure if this influences things

Oh and in answer to your other question they do lots of other things to generate school spirit, team building events, special lunches etc so not sure Christmas needs to feature in this

DS, (state primary)has

Christmas lunch, with xmas jumper
Christmas play
Christmas class party
Trip to see Christmas display

They don't break up until the 23rd, so the last week is wall to wall Christmas.

Private pre-prep:

Christmas jumper day
Christmas lunch
Daytime carol concert
Christmas games and crafts day
Santa visit
Reindeer (sponsored) run for charity

State catholic school here:

Xmas disco
Xmas dinner at lunch
Xmas jumper day
Panto for kids
Mass for kids and families at local church
Navity for year R and year 1 for parents to attend
Xmas quiz night for parents
Xmas raffle

DD's state school is pretty big, around 200 per year. The school dances etc are not compulsory but are well attended. The whole year dance is only that year, most go.

There seems to be wide range between schools.

We have 3 different schools.

Ds state primary:
Christmas dinner
Christmas party
Christmas fayre
Santa visit in school.
Visit to church
Nativity performance
Christmas jumpers

Dd church primary:

Christmas jumpers
Christmas dinner
Christmas party
Visit to church
Carol service
Family church service.

Dd state secondary:

Christmas lunch
Christmas jumpers.

Ds school pta is heavily involved and majority of events are run and funded by the pta

I’m exhausted just reading these

State primary

Christmas dinner
cinema/ theatre trip depending on age
PTA disco
various carol singing outings
infant nativity
Class parties and mufti
whole school church visit for carols

Independent secondary

Christmas Fayre
Christmas dinner/ mufti
ice skating trip
year 11 panto
pizza evening
compulsory evening carol service

Church primary:

Christmas jumper day
Christmas lunch
Christmas class party
Church Carol concert
Nativity
Christmas fayre
Panto

Plus PTA quiz night for the parents

Independent primary (that was formally a private school and still a selective grammar for the secondary years):

Xmas jumper day
Xmas dinner
Classroom party
Carol concert the whole of ks2 takes part in
Trip to panto
Bring your own toy in
Christmas fair

State Primary-
Xmas fair - bring stuff in x 3
Xmas Jumper day
Panto
Carol concert
Xmas party
Xmas play

DS(14) Private academic CCF Xmas black tie, house Xmas party, Xmas lunch, christmas jumper day
DS(16) State grammar: Christmas jumper day. (And shit teaching)
DD (12) private non-academic Christmas jumper, lunch, Christmas outing, Christmas party.

Independent prep where I work:
Nativity for the little ones.
Christingle church service.
Nativity for older infants.
Christmas jumper day
Christmas making day ( coking etc)
Christmas crafts day
Christmas fayre
Pantomime in the next town.
Christmas party for each year group/ dept.
Christmas lunch

We broke up today. All the staff are shattered.

Local church primary DD attends:
Christmas jumper day
Christmas performance
Christmas lunch
Pantomime that comes to school.
Church service/ concert.

• cooking

Prep school

Christmas bazaar organised by pta with Santa
Class party with entertainer and Santa
Christmas lunch with compulsory Santa hat!
Christmas jumper day
Christmas production
Compulsory carol concert held in church in the evening

Tbh I'm knackered (but kids have loved it) and they've already broken up for the holidays!

State primary: nativity play, Christmas party in school hours where they can wear Christmas clothes, 2 non uniform days encourages to wear Christmas jumpers, Christmas dinner in school, they can bring a bauble to hang on Christmas tree, Christmas fayre run by the PTA with Santa