How would you deal with this?

[colapips]

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?

Sorry just find it funny that someone is having these issues at Prep school, my kids State infants does tems sports from Reception (Football, Uni hockey, and a mini form of baskeball, and then rounders, cricket and athletics in summer). By Juniors it is all sport, including a football tournament which all have to take part in. Hmmm Preps do offer more sport don't they.

BTW Dance does not = Ballet.

Ds is very intelligent but his teacher noticed issues in class and suggested that he be tested. It is pretty minor but she was concerned that he was capable of more than he was showing in class. All about fulfilling his potential.

Your experience is exactly the same as a friend of mine had with her local school. Highly intelligent dd who was dsylexic. Her intelligence masked the true impact until she got to year 3 and really started to struggle. Only then did the school offer to extra assistance. Ds has had extra support since he turned 5.5 (too young before than to do the test). It is likely that if he were in state school his problem would have remained undiagnosed until yr 3 by which time he would have been significantly behind.

mummytime preps usually do offer more sport than equivalent state schools because they are not tied to the National Curriculum. Their school days may also be a bit longer which helps accommodate this too (ds's is 8.50 to 3.50 and with a shorter lunch break). I think it is unusual to offer cricket at reception level. I don't know any school around here, private or state, that offers that. Ds's school don't start team sports of any kind until yr 2.

Blimey, I feel knackered just reading what some of these kids have to do each day.

Rolla same here even though my ds is one of those who does loads. He has boundless energy and never gets tired. He has plenty of non-organised time too.

Not got much to say re sport, pre preps etc as DS goes local state and is never likely to go to private (unless I win the lottery!)

However - I will say fight for the extra help. I was considered able in school - above average etc with spoon fed education and struggled at college and was diagnosed as dyslexic. Why? The same as your DS with high intelligence (believe it or not ) it was covered but with support I got taught stragegies to cope iyswim.

Can I just add that I disagree with most of the posters here ? the issue isn?t about whether your DS will enjoy dance or not, it?s about getting a sensible balance of activities. To me, this smacks of an HT who isn?t interested in/doesn?t see the value of competitive team sports.

No DC, boy or girl, needs to do music and movement, and dance as 2 of the 3 games options, there should be a broader spread available. One of these should be replaced with a team game using ball skills.

If the school is attempting to find a game which suits both sexes equally, what about basketball or hockey in the winter and rounders/softball or tennis in the summer? Up to the age of about 12 girls and boys can compete on equal terms in all these sports and it would provide for a better variety than what you are currently being offered.