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Original poster

Being forced to go to school summer fayre

43 replies

Mum7777 · 21/06/2019 16:06

I just need to rant. My child's school released them early today as the summer fayre was taking place. If you couldn't collect them they could stay at school watching a film until home time. Thing is the head was stood on the gate and was telling everyone they had to attend the fayre as it was still in school hours and that no one could leave until 3.15pm at the normal end of school time. Can this be right? Should she have been allowed to do this?

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InDubiousBattle · 21/06/2019 16:24

So if a parent came early they could pick their dc up and go to the fair, but you couldn't just pick them up early and go home?

Sirzy · 21/06/2019 16:26

So they said “it’s the school fair today, if you want to come and look around at 2.30 with your child then feel free” (or words to that effect) but you expected to just be able to pick your child up early?

Original poster

Mum7777 · 21/06/2019 16:31

If you were attending the summer fayre you could collect your child at 1.45pm. If you weren't attending you couldn't collect your child til 3.15pm.

The head stood on the gate at 1.45pm stopping anyone who tried to leave and was informing everyone they had to stay until 3.15pm.

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zonkin · 21/06/2019 16:34

This is the perfect post for the new AIBU voting button

BlueMerchant · 21/06/2019 16:36

Same at our school. You can take DC out of class to look around the fair from 2 onwards but you cannot pick them up at 2 to take DC home.
I think if they had children leaving school at various times it would be difficult to keep track of them. Therefore, no child can leave regardless of whether they are with an adult at fair or watching a film.

Original poster

Mum7777 · 21/06/2019 16:38

I just think it is so wrong. We get penalised as parents if we want to take our child out of school for any reason but it's ok for the school to say they can walk around a fayre or watch a film.

OP posts:

Starlight456 · 21/06/2019 16:40

Tbh I am not sure what the issue is ? If you didn’t want to go to school fair they can watch a film

She is correct it is school hours.

timeandtimeagain42 · 21/06/2019 16:43

They sound like two reasonable choices. Collect and go to the fair or leave until the normal time. What's the issue?

Sirzy · 21/06/2019 16:44

Schools can’t just let pupils come and go during the school day! It’s a massive risk if there is a fire if nothing else, they need to know which pupils are on site

You where invited in to go to the summer Fayre. Not to go and pick them up early.

InDubiousBattle · 21/06/2019 16:47

I think it's fine, you can leave early to attend the fair or stay until normal time if you're not. Having kids go in dribs and drabs all afternoon would be a mare for the teachers, as would organising class work.

As someone who has helped organise a couple of these things you can't do right for doing wrong. You just can't make everyone happy.

Dadadadadaa · 21/06/2019 16:57

I don't think the school were being unfair at all, and I don't see what the term time holiday rule has got to do with this situation. So YABU about everything.

Jinglejanglefish · 21/06/2019 17:04

What on earth is the problem? Is a normal school day, just with a the fayre in the afternoon at which parents were invited to accompany their children. Those children whose parents couldn't make it would stay in class until home time. There is absolutely nothing wrong or outrageous about this.

Isatis · 21/06/2019 17:05

Children have to be in school full time, so not only is the head allowed to do this, she has to.

Mind you, it would make much more sense for them to have the school fair on Saturday, then the issue wouldn't arise..

And if they call it a fayre rather than a fair they ABVVU.

Rockbird · 21/06/2019 17:05

Be thankful the fair was in school time and you didn't have to give up a Saturday for it! . All sounds perfectly reasonable to me. YABU

notmylittleangel · 21/06/2019 17:13

Perfectly reasonable of the school.
Obviously they have to run the fayre in school hours to get any support or they would run it on a Saturday.
In my head I think a fair during the school day means a very high proportion of parent who don't give a shit.
Op is proving that point.

OnTheEdgeOfTheNight · 21/06/2019 17:20

I realise this isn't the point, but why would a school not allow children to attend the fayre unless their parent could accompany them? If it's an event during the school day then they should surely expect that not all children can be accompanied.

RedSkyLastNight · 21/06/2019 17:55

So basically the school finished at the usual time but parents were allowed to go in and take part in the afternoon activities with their DC? That's totally fine. The not fine bit imo, would be if DC without a parent couldn't attend the fair on their own. Not clear if that was the case from the OP.

MrsMiggins37 · 21/06/2019 17:57

YABU

It’s no different to workplaces I’ve worked where if you go to the Christmas party you can leave early but if you’re not going you need to stay

Original poster

Mum7777 · 21/06/2019 18:01

The children without parents could not attend.

OP posts:

BillywilliamV · 21/06/2019 18:17

You know what, it’s YOUR primary school, just take an hour or so to support the bloody fair!!

exLtEveDallas · 21/06/2019 18:24

School Fayres are there to make money for the school. If the parent isn't there, then the children can't go because they won't have any money to take part. But rather than make them work (which would feel like a punishment) they let the unaccompanied children watch a film.

I think that's a great idea. The only change I would make would be that the parents who couldn't attend should be able to nominate another parent (a friend) to accompany their children.

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 21/06/2019 18:32

We do this, no biggie

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 21/06/2019 18:35

Also they would have told you in advance. Did you not read the email/newsletter?

Topseyt · 21/06/2019 18:42

I think it was fine. I would have left mine watching the film to be honest, and collected them at home time.

Just be grateful that it wasn't done on a Saturday. Then parents and staff would have had to give up a large chunk of their weekend to this horrid, forced jollity.

I'm glad I no longer have primary school children.

SavoyCabbage · 21/06/2019 18:44

Why didn’t you just either take your child to the fair or leave them at school and not take them to the fair?

Why does there need to be a third option?

The fair is for the children. The head isn’t doing it for her own benefit.

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