Boys not allowed at school ballet class

[chocolateisnecessary]

So - a mum at the school has started a ballet class after school for reception and won't admit boys.
She keeps giving different reasons - it's art not sport, boys don't stick with it, they need to be trained differently etc.
The teachers take the girls to the hall at the end of the day before pick up so he's very aware he's not going. Basically, he's in floods each week.
I spoke to the head who said it's a hire and not school policy so there's nothing she can do.
I think that's wrong, that there should be an equal ops policy that they push through with hires.
Does anyone have any knowledge on this before I go see her again?

So all the people saying it's not an issue and he has to accept there are things he won't be able to do would have no problems with their daughters being told they couldn't do computer club/science/ whatever because girls don't stick with it,they think differently..that'd be ok? Really?
He is being prevented from doing an activity he wants to do and is capable of doing because of his sex.In reception. How is that acceptable?

And OP,I think being "one of those Mums" in this situation would be great!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35130914

There are some excellent "unqualified" teachers out there. But they are more salt those who have been trained in countries or methods where exams are not the norm & in my experience tend to work with more advanced students.

Ballet is incredibly easy to get wrong, forcing turnout is something little children do to copy ballerinas for example & it's incredibly dangerous on the knees.

I agree with the pp about sports coaches. The majority of even volunteer sports coaches have a qualification. Its so important in any physical activity to have a knowledge of what children's bodies are capable of & different stages of development.

Okay, thanks everyone. I've f

Okay, thanks everyone. I've found him a weekend class as he is so desperate to do it but I'm going to raise the equal ops points and safety points with the school as it's really concerning me that they've just let all this through.

I agree with Eliza in that there are many 'unqualified' teachers, but they are generally top professional dancers giving masterclasses, and/or working with advanced & professional level older teenagers and young adults. They will also, I'm sure, have adequate insurance cover and first aid training.

For this person to refuse to teach little boys in their after-school club... words fail me really. Sex discrimination at its worst.

Technically private clubs can be girls only, but the school should have an equal opportunities policy. This should include things like who they hire out rooms to.

I'd write to the governors asking for a boys or a mixed ballet class. Set out how this 'club' was formed and ask for an explanation.

Then find a proper ballet class.

Sometimes un qualified coaches and teachers can operate under a sports club insurance linked to some one with qualification - however as far as I have ever known usually you can only get stand alone coach insurance if you have some basic qualification as a condition.

Why a lot people assuming she is an unqualified teacher?
If OP has decided to take ds to outside class, why does she needs to challenge the school about club with happy children? Isn't that up to attending children's parents?

We are assuming that she is an unqualified teacher because qualified dance teachers have to maintain registration with an accredited organisation such as the RAD, ISTD, BBO, IDTA etc & they have to adhere to their code of conduct which includes sex discrimination. They would also have to have proved competence in teaching both sexes.

And she needs to challenge the school because no maintained school in the UK should be facilitating such blatant sex discrimination.

We are assuming that the person is unqualified because the OP described her as a mum and a choreographer/dancer, and also because a qualified dance teacher would not prevent boys from joining in the class - on the contrary, with an element of 'captive audience' in a setting such as this one, they would go out of their way to encourage the little boys to take part.

But boys at this age(4/5) can be simply difficult though... they aren't as mature as girls. My ds attended ex-cul class since 4. That was class for 4-7.
Some of the mums of older girls left. I felt bad, but I couldn't do anything, except for keep telling him to behave. Now he is one of well behaved one, but he was unbearable when he was younger. I can totally understand the teacher only wants to teach girls at this age.
Maybe trying to exclude him as a boy, is a polite way to say, no, I don't want to teach your ds?

@irvine Given you don't know my son, or the teacher involved in person, I really do think you shouldn't speculate about his personality. Especially when he isn't like that. And there are other mothers of boys equally miffed. I find that incredibly rude and don't think you should project like that. There are several girls in that class whose parents have been called in to discuss their daughters' bad behaviour and she has no trouble teaching them.

Sorry guys, I'm going to stop checking this thread. I've found some of your comments really helpful but @irvine commenting like that about my child has upset me too much. I found that troll like. It's not a thread about his behaviour, about which there isn't even an issue but about equal ops at a school.
I'd hoped for support but when debate generates to a personal stab at a four year old boy... That was too much.

Hope it works out OP. The majority were definately with you in terms of it being awful sex discrimination and it's highly offensive to say that boys are generally worse behaved than girls and give that as a reason not to want to teach them. It's one of the worse cases of hideous gender stereotyping I've heard for a long time. It's offensive to the girls too IMO

I meant no personal attack, but I do feel for the teacher who only wants to teach girls. I just don't see anything wrong with it, even I only have a boy.
Now a days, everybody talks about rights. But what about other person's rights? I do know my view is very minority.
Thanks for calling me a troll.

Irvine, your views on boys are unpleasant and simply wrong. Please don't make sweeping generalisations about boys based on your badly behaved son.

I'm a teacher and girls can be just as much trouble as boys at this age - any age in fact.

There's no way teachers should be allowed to exclude on gender - if they want to exclude on behaviour fair enough but we need to let them have a go first and see what their behaviour is like, not just assume boy = little sod. That's just nasty.

I've taught drama & singing & assisted dance classes for children aged 4-6. In general there are often differences in how they learn & behave - but that can be a good thing. I've had equal amounts of problems from both boys & girls & one of my most talented, focused & well behaved pupils was a boy.

My badly behaved ds simply didn't want to join in. I felt bad enough when teacher tried to get him to join in. Real bad behaviour was not by my ds, but by several other boys. Still is, at my ds' club, and some are 9/10. No girls behave like that at my ds' club.

Thinking back over the years I can name several boys who were challenging, but the names of some nightmare girls are etched on my brain.

From my experience there are lots of lovely gentle funny boys who can participate well in classes and listen and follow instructions. There are also some that are not ready. The same applies to the girls. Some are great fun and some are simply not and are hard work and are sent to classes before they can even sit still for 2 minutes and listen.Thats normal range for both boys and girls IME.

No, of course, girls are all angels. My mistake.

In my view, it is only likely to be the children who are interested in ballet who actually want to join the club. Once they have tried a class or two, it would then be up to the teacher to decide whether or not each child is ready to participate in what is a fairly structured activity.

It would be reasonable for the teacher to limit the number attending, but not by discriminating against boys.