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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

How would you deal with this?

56 replies

colapips · 10/09/2010 18:05

My ds is at a private co-ed prep school, we found out today the 3 games sessions are: gymnastics, music and movement and dance.

Therefore no team sports, no ball skills and no boy sports.

The year group is 60% boys to 40% girls.

I've approached the head, to be told the boys will love the dancing.

I know my son won't enjoy the dancing, but more to the point he's also not getting taught in the other areas (team skills/ball skills/competitive (winning/losing)) that I think are so important for both sexes.

I don't know what to do now, feel it's drastic to pull him out of school for lack of sports, but what else can I do?

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Greenshadow · 10/09/2010 18:10

How strange - team sports are something most private schools excel at. I would also be very upset about this (as would DS).

How old is your DS - I suppose if they are only reception age it may actually not be that unusual. Mine are that bit older and I can't remember when they started doing 'proper' sports at primary school.

thisisyesterday · 10/09/2010 18:10

why won't he enjoy dancing? i think you need to stop stereotyping your son and allow him to do whatever sports they have on offer.

god, i didn't think people actually still did that whole "omg boys can't do DAAAANCE!" thing

are you scared it will turn him gay?

MrsWobble · 10/09/2010 18:13

perhaps they don't have a playing field or any grounds - the three things you have listed can all be done in a hall.

spanieleyes · 10/09/2010 18:14

Is that just this term? We tend to cover the "indoor" sports in the winter term ( although I teach yr 5/6 and they are hardy enough to venture out in good weather !) and save the outdoor sports-football, rugby,cricket etc for when the weather warms up and the poor little things don't turn blue!

LIZS · 10/09/2010 18:17

Did you not know the sports options when you applied ? Are there any playing fields (one near us only has a hard play area) ?

How old is he ? Boys at ours do dance in rotation with other types of pe but don't really do competitive team sport until year 1/2 and interschool fixtures from end Year 2. Presumably he could join a club out of shcool if it is an issue.

onimolap · 10/09/2010 18:25

How old are the children?

At our DC's prep school, the sport in Lower School (R,1&2) is non-competitive (games, gym for all plus m&m for R) - ballet is a paid extra after nursery. The actual activities in the lessons change over the year.

In Upper School it all changes to competitive sport, and work on balance, co-ordination and ball skills - and just having fun - sets a good foundation for that.

Feenie · 10/09/2010 18:34

We did Dance in Y5 today - we learnt the Haka and the boys (and girls) very much enjoyed performing it and noisily and fiercely as they could.

I had the same class in Year 2 and can remember a very successful dance/poetry unit where they became different animals and loved doing the different movements.

How do you know what your ds's dance units will be?

spanieleyes · 10/09/2010 18:40

I did country dancing last year with my 5/6's. The best dancer by far was our football captain-he was superb ( We also did the Hakka, the boys loved it!)

snickett · 10/09/2010 18:45

How old?

Team games can be a bit frustrating with smaller children.

If this is a reception class then yab a bit u as gymnastics (and to a lesser extent dance) are good as a foundation for other sports.

Yabvu to think that boys don't enjoy dance and gymnastics, your ds may not but he is not representative of all boys and there will always be someone who would rather do a different activity.

Hassled · 10/09/2010 18:47

Assuming you're happy with the rest of the school, it's utterly insane to contemplate pulling him out because of the lack of competitive sports. How on earth can it possibly matter that much? If you care that much, find a local football club.

onimolap · 10/09/2010 18:50

DS had a memorable PSHE lesson (cultural awareness?) when they were taught Irish dancing on St Patrick's Day.

satonthesofa · 10/09/2010 18:58

My son had 'dance' from nursery to Yr3. The sessions aimed at strengthening muscles and developing skills for games such as tag rugby. Which he now plays in yr3- before this time he was too immature physically and also in areas such as listening.Any earlier than this and he would have just been very frustrated.

satonthesofa · 10/09/2010 19:00

He has been in a class of 100 and 80% boys!

pagwatch · 10/09/2010 19:02

you have to say how old and whether it is term specific

DD does rugby at her prep but its a girls school so your DS can't go there

Actually it is tag rugby and they only started in year two. They also focus on individual sporst as team sports are hard until you get a bit bigger. Ball games amongst little ones tend to be about who is biggest and bravest rather than any skill set.

Original poster

colapips · 10/09/2010 19:06

Sorry haven't read all the posts

The school is set in fantastic grounds, with numerous astro pitches, cricket nets, etc.

My older child was at the school 5 years ago on a sports scholarship.

My ds is in Y1.

He's the one who says he doesn't want to dance, he wants to play football and run around. If it was one dance, and one was gymnastics, and one was team sport, I would have no issue, I would be rallying him around on the dance day, saying don't forget such and such is sport.

I will now read all the posts.

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satonthesofa · 10/09/2010 19:10

Does school do after-school clubs, maybe play football then?
As the year progresses maybe the content of the sessions will change and become more skill focussed as the children develop.

mrswoodentop · 10/09/2010 19:10

My 3 ds have all been at private preps(3 different ones...don't ask!)All have done the mix you describe in the pre prep.Team sports are usually started in year 2 /3 for football/kwik cricket and then in year 4 hockey and rugby and cricket.

Original poster

colapips · 10/09/2010 19:11

Additional info - sorry don't mean to drip feed, just answering the questions - I knew the answers and didn't think of posting them sorry!

It's for the 2 years of Yr 1 and Yr 2. Only addition is in the summer term at lunch time there will be swimming.

Previously (including last year in reception) they had the above, but in addition there was ballet compulsory for the girls and optional for the boys (a couple did it) and ball skills for the rest of the boys.

There was also sport after school in activities - football/rugby/golf/karate/squash. Now there is only squash at an additional of £100 per term, which I am paying for.

Outside of school my ds does golf/swimming and gymnastics. Looks like I will have to find a football squad for him I would of presumed he would of being doing this in school.

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Hulababy · 10/09/2010 19:13

Will he npot get to do other sports over the next two terms? At DD's school they change the sport they do each term.

thisisyesterday · 10/09/2010 19:13

well, there are bound to be plenty of things he doesn't "want" to do at school, that's just too bad though isn't it?

ds1 thought he wouldn't like dance, but actually he loved it and several of the boys in his class now have dance lessons.

don't knock it til you've tried it i say. he's only in yr 1

Original poster

colapips · 10/09/2010 19:13

Sorry not squash now karate is the only sport offered as after school activity.

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iloverainbows · 10/09/2010 19:15

My DD has just started year 3 and moved into prep. In the pre-prep they did do ball skills type stuff i.e. hockey skills etc however didn't do competitive sport at all. Now she is in year 3 that has all changed and they are learning hockey in preparation for matches. I would ask at the school and check that it just doesn't all start in year3. TBH I think that would be logical as they are that much bigger, better co-ordinated and grown up.

mrswoodentop · 10/09/2010 19:15

ds1 hated doing the idea of dancing but in the end loved it adn was very proud of his "most improved Scottish Dancer "sticker.

The thing is all these activities are designed to encourage co ordination etc so that when they start more organised games they have the best start possible .

thisisyesterday · 10/09/2010 19:16

have they said WHY they don't do it?

maybe they don't want to encourage over-competitiveness??

Original poster

colapips · 10/09/2010 19:20

They aren't doing it as they are using the female staff, and in the new head's words these are what they are fantastic in. Which reading between the lines means they aren't in the ball sports.

If it was gymnastics, music and movement, and ball skills, I would have absolutely no problem.

Even the gymnastics is just floor work, so not using apparatus, (outside of school my ds is using parraell bars/vaults/horses/asymetrical bars).

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