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Original poster

Nativity plays

63 replies

Provencerose · 03/08/2021 01:43

I picked up my DD’s school uniform today as she starts school in September and apart from wondering how ‘normal’ her reception year will be, I’m thinking about events where parents are allowed into school. Do you think this will be allowed again or do you think there will be restrictions back in place for things like nativities, productions, fayers, etc?

OP posts:
MercyBooth · 03/08/2021 01:51

I was having an interesting conversation with a supermarket worker i sometimes chat to. Families she knows (including her own) are thinking of sending their DC in in non uniform en masse in September as they said they cant afford to waste money as they dont trust the Government not to shut schools again.

Original poster
Provencerose · 03/08/2021 01:58

@MercyBooth oh surely it won’t come to that level of restrictions again. If we can’t open now with 86% vaccinated, what’s every going to change? Such a depressing thought…

OP posts:
MercyBooth · 03/08/2021 02:10

@Provencerose I dont think it will either but lack of trust + parents with not much money after all this = unwilling to take the risk of wasting money

KatherineOfGaunt · 03/08/2021 03:00

My school had parents in to watch the Year 6 production in the final week. All with masks and sat socially-distanced in the hall with all the outer doors open.

Not all completely practical for winter, but some schools are thinking how these things can be done.

Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting · 03/08/2021 03:03

We filmed our nativity at my school last year. It can be done. Not the same as a live play but better than nothing.

BooseysMom · 03/08/2021 04:04

It was DS's last ever nativity last year and they banned parents from the school and filmed it. They also didn't allow parents to sports day. It made me angry that other schools allowed parents to attend.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 03/08/2021 06:10

Our school filmed any class nativity or production, y6 leaving assembly and put them online. Its not the same as being there but its better than nothing and it also eases the Mum -guilt when you wouldn't have been able to take the time off to come into school anyway, and it meant I could sob at the leavers assembly in private

VashtaNerada · 03/08/2021 06:25

The current plans are for a normal term when we go back. However… numbers were rising in July right up until when schools closed and then they started to fall, so there’s always the possibility that September will trigger another wave. Who knows? As a teacher I’m preparing for a normal year and hoping for the best.

Emmacb82 · 03/08/2021 07:13

I think unfortunately a lot of these decisions will be made by the school itself. My ds had his first year of reception last year and we saw nothing. Yes they filmed a small Christmas thing, and took pictures of sports day but it’s nowhere near the same and it was made worse by other schools managing to have parents in. Just brace yourself for disappointment. I’m really hoping that it will be different from September, they are only little for so long and I so desperately want things to be normal for them. If theatres can be fully opened now, then why not a school play.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 03/08/2021 10:44

They also didn't allow parents to sports day.

We're not going to invite parents to sports day in future. The children all loved it, lots of comments about not 'needing' to win. It was a properly fun and inclusive event, they all came out of it feeling great about themselves, no parents had arguments, no teachers felt stressed. Was ace.

Scarby9 · 03/08/2021 12:04

Yes, @RuleWithAWoodenFoot
I was talking to a HT who said what a perfect occasion Sports Day was this year

Every child taking part, no upset or tantrums, ran like clockwork, all children enjoyed the provided choc ices, all helped clear up and weny home on time.

This HT's view was that they would probably have to have parents back next year, but that this year had given them a glimpse of what Sports day could be like when it was entirely focused on the children.

They did get flak - one mum furious that 60,000 people could go to Wembley for the cup final but the school couldn't arrange for a couple of hundred parents on the school field. That parent's argument eas slightly undermined when she, her husband and older son (all of whom had been to Wembley) went down the Covid a couple of dsys later. Thankfully, mildly, but it meant their child missed Sports Day.

casualnamechange · 03/08/2021 12:13

I’m hoping it’s back to normal.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot how exactly are your school planning to explain that to parents?! “Sorry, it all went much better without you there so we’re not allowing you back.” I wouldn’t want to be in charge of the complaints email at your school…

Yellow85 · 03/08/2021 12:36

My kids school filmed the nativity and I actually preferred it! There were no anxious kids and they were all just so happy. We sat down and all watched it together as a family with my DS pointing out all the funny bits.

User5827372728 · 03/08/2021 12:40

@Yellow85

Yes I loved that too!

LemonCake79 · 03/08/2021 13:11

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

They also didn't allow parents to sports day.

We're not going to invite parents to sports day in future. The children all loved it, lots of comments about not 'needing' to win. It was a properly fun and inclusive event, they all came out of it feeling great about themselves, no parents had arguments, no teachers felt stressed. Was ace.

I can see my DC's school saying similar.

I don't really see how you can treat a key stakeholder group as an annoyance but that is how parents are viewed at many schools so I do wonder how quickly they will want to throw open their doors again.

I can definitely see things like the no lining up and kids being sent straight in with a TA, virtual office, homework online etc being here to stay.

VashtaNerada · 03/08/2021 13:40

I think lots of schools preferred sports day without parents! However, I do say to my colleagues that it’s important to remember the vast majority of parents are brilliant. We can be guilty of letting the few difficult parents colour our view of all of them. As a teacher and a parent it really annoys me!

ComtesseDeSpair · 03/08/2021 13:41

Considering I spent both nights of the last weekend dancing up against damp strangers in an airless nightclub, and then sitting in a packed out theatre to watch Shakespeare, I can’t imagine many places, including schools, plan to continue with social distancing except voluntarily for those who still want it.

Katie517 · 03/08/2021 15:54

If you can’t watch this year you can pretty much rule out every year, covid is here to stay and the vaccinations are the best it’s going to get realistically! I really can’t see what will make this winter any worse than every other winter we have to come. There are no legal restrictions at the moment so if things stay as they are I imagine it will be fine.

PotteringAlong · 03/08/2021 15:57

I hope they don’t allow parents to the nativity play again and just film it! I actually got to watch nativity plays, and assemblies, and singing concerts etc wtc this year for the first time ever. My children weren’t unhappy because no one could go and see them. All good!

Changechangychange · 03/08/2021 16:48

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

They also didn't allow parents to sports day.

We're not going to invite parents to sports day in future. The children all loved it, lots of comments about not 'needing' to win. It was a properly fun and inclusive event, they all came out of it feeling great about themselves, no parents had arguments, no teachers felt stressed. Was ace.

Wow your pupils’ parents sound nuts! Who on earth would get into an argument about primary school sports day? Who even cares at that age?
Legoninjago1 · 03/08/2021 17:15

@Katie517

If you can’t watch this year you can pretty much rule out every year, covid is here to stay and the vaccinations are the best it’s going to get realistically! I really can’t see what will make this winter any worse than every other winter we have to come. There are no legal restrictions at the moment so if things stay as they are I imagine it will be fine.
Agree.
newnortherner111 · 03/08/2021 20:06

Better to decide at the beginning of term to have the nativity streamed or with a limited audience now, then have it cancelled after a lot of time and preparation. Easier to manage children's expectations, and for some not having a large audience might actually be beneficial.

Original poster
Provencerose · 03/08/2021 21:15

I think the sports day decisions were school based as the DfE sent and email to schools saying it wasn’t government guidance to restrict parents and groups of 30 could be spaced around the field. In my area it was mainly the private schools that went ahead, academies have been really restrictive and some (including our school) have stopped visits for new parents to the school, where some have almost had business as usual.

All very frustrating, it’s moments like this that we won’t get back…Sad

OP posts:
Darbs76 · 03/08/2021 21:22

Probably not if they are right that things will get worse in the Autumn / winter.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 03/08/2021 21:39

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

They also didn't allow parents to sports day.

We're not going to invite parents to sports day in future. The children all loved it, lots of comments about not 'needing' to win. It was a properly fun and inclusive event, they all came out of it feeling great about themselves, no parents had arguments, no teachers felt stressed. Was ace.

At my dc school parents weren't allowed to spectate. They ended up have a few smaller sports days than the whole school altogether (keeping bubbles separated), it meant the dc didn't get bored waiting for all the rest of the schools races and actually got to participate more because they had more time. They also included water guns and bubble machines into some races which the children loved. There was plenty of photos and videos uploaded to dojo for parents to see, the children clearly enjoyed it better, just felt sorry for the poor teacher who had to take and upload a thousand photos. I wouldn't be offended if our school decided to keep sports day behind closed doors going forward.
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