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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

Number of Christmas shows

17 replies

dammitjannette · 09/12/2010 13:41

DS is 7 and in the junior section of his primary school.

The infants and juniors do separate plays.

The junior play, which includes all the junior children (about 120 of them) is held over 4 nights and one afternoon performance.

It is held in the evening 7-9pm.

I think this is a little excessive and very tiring for the younger ones who are out at night four days in a row to stand and sing by the side of the stage.

The school sell tickets for the play at £4 each (upto 4 tickets per child) so it's not like they need 4 performances as if they had limited it to 2 per child (as in the infant school) they surely could have done half the numbers.

What do you think?

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Goingspare · 09/12/2010 13:45

That does seem a lot to me. Our KS2 carol concert was performed 3 times yesterday, but was only about 40 mins long. DD2 (year 6) was sick to death of it.

It would be different if they were volunteers in a community panto, but for 'conscripts' I think it's too much.

May be the norm for all I know though.

santadefiesgravity · 09/12/2010 13:47

7pm - 9pm is late for lower juniors. Dd would cope with it and has done later when in professional stuff but they are very well lokked after and checked on for that.

At her school reception do one afternoon show, Yr 1 & 2 one afternoon and one evening finishing at 7.30pm and juniors 2 evening concerts finishing at 8pm.

Original poster

dammitjannette · 09/12/2010 13:58

The Head likes big elaborate performances which impress parents and which take months to produce. Literally. The children with parts have been practising for the 1 hour 45 minute show since October!

I do think it should be optional in the evenings. The younger children are in the 'choir' so just hanging around so do not have crucial role.

Fair enough in school time to compel involvement but out of school and at this age?

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OldAndUngraceful · 09/12/2010 19:16

Absolutely excessive and not at all in children's best interest

mrz · 09/12/2010 19:27

We are doing an EYFS performance
and KS1/2 are doing two performances one for KS1 parents the other for KS2 both are free.

IllinoisSun · 09/12/2010 19:41

We used to do this...

This year we decided for the first time for the year 3's join the infant production (we have renamed the play to the lower school performance).

It has worked out so much better for the little year 3's and it means they have an extra chance for 'bigger' roles.

I do think that 4 nights is too much-especially this time of year!

JoBettany · 09/12/2010 19:49

That does sound a lot. Last year, when my DS was in P.3 he had two evening performances and two during the school day.

He was exhausted but really enjoyed it. Four evening performances would have been too much.

Original poster

dammitjannette · 09/12/2010 22:03

Do schools usually charge for this sort of thing?

OP posts:

roadkillbunny · 09/12/2010 22:09

The run of our school play ended tonight, they had an afternoon performance and two evening ones, starting at 6pm and dd has been home and in bed for 8pm, an hour past her normal bed time.
The production includes the who school except reception who do there own day time nativity as the evening shows are too much to ask of 4 and just 5 year olds. dd is in Y1 so this is her first one and she has coped well although DH tells me her and her class looked a little out of it this evening! Due to the later nights caused by the play school is operating a late registration tomorrow for KS1 and 2 giving everyone until 9.30am to get in before being marked late (rather then the normal 8.50am) so those children who need a little bit extra sleep due to the show can get it, we may very well take advantage as we all slept in this morning due to the show the night before and a friend ended up taking dd in as by 8.20am dd was ready but neither me or ds was dressed!

NonnoMum · 09/12/2010 22:11

Is it a private school?

Joolyjoolyjoo · 09/12/2010 22:12

Sounds a bit excessive to me. My dd (7) and her sister are in the school nativity, which will be shown on 2 afternoons. I think that's enough, although last year they did do one matinee and 2 evening performances, not sure why they've changed it back this year

Original poster

dammitjannette · 09/12/2010 23:24

No, it's a normal state school with a very pushy Ofsted 'outstanding' head.

Apparently, the children were telling me that if you are in the choir, you sit at the sides of the stage and have to look at the back wall throughout the performance. You can't turn your head and look at what is going on on stage or you get told off.

For an hour and a half!

The head is bonkers. Whose benefit is this for?

DS did not go tonight. He had a rehearsal this afternoon and said he sat there with lights shining in his eyes all the way through. He's not going any other night unless he wants to.

There's no consultation about this. Kids are just told they have to come and be in the show. If you don't audition, you get put in the choir.

I also think it's a big commitment for parents at this time of the year, running back and forth to school.

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bumpybecky · 09/12/2010 23:31

out till 9pm for four nights in a row?! none of mine would cope with that and the eldest is in year 8!

our lower school (years r to 4) has one performance in the Church, 10am weekday morning, church will be heaving with all seats taken and lots of parents standing at the back, free of charge

our middle school (years 5-8) has two evening performances ending at about 9pm, but that was for volunteers not conscripts, £4 per adult £2 per child

piprabbit · 09/12/2010 23:39

Our school has 5 KS1 shows and 5 KS2 shows scheduled.

Day 1 morning. KS1 dress rehearsal (siblings can watch).
Day 1 afternoon. KS2 dress rehearsal (siblings can watch).

Day 2 afternoon. KS1 show
Day 2 evening. KS2 show

Day 3 afternoon. KS2 show
Day 3 evening. KS1 show

Day 4 afternoon. KS1 show
Day 4 evening. KS2 show.

Day 5 afternoon. KS2 show
Day 5 evening. KS1 show.

Plus they perform their shows for each other too.

Shows are about 1hr 15mins.

At least it means that each child only does 2 evening shows.

Thank heavens I'm not a teacher trying to organise it all.

Clary · 10/12/2010 00:17

Gosh that's a lot OP.

Our (biggish) junior school does one play for yrs 3-4-5 (yr 6 do leavers' show) and they split the school in two, so this year 90 in one show, 120 in the other; one in the afternoon and next evening, the other vice versa. (We went to both shows as DD was in one and DS2 in the other!)

Seems to be fine in terms of seating all those who want to go, tho it is only 2 tix (free) per family for the evening ones (we horse-traded to get someone's for this pm so everyone could watch DS2 )

So anyway, 4 shows for 120 kids is a lot, surely. £4 a ticket is a bit much too. Also 2 hrs is Looooong - ours is less than an hour and everyone got to speak/sing/do a twirl.

Original poster

dammitjannette · 10/12/2010 00:33

Piprabbit - yes, it is good of teachers to organise these things but when did it all become so serious and professional? There is no need for them to take on so much.

A short Christmas play - maybe over a couple of nights - end of.

If the children were compelled to play some sport morning, noon, and night for a week, including coming in evening matches until 9, I think parents would have something to say.

OP posts:

piprabbit · 10/12/2010 00:54

I think our schools problem is the tiny size of the hall. KS1 has 135 children in it - at times all are present in the hall. Plus (estimates wildly) 5 staff helping out with words/music/lights/children peeing etc. That's 140 people in the hall with no audience.

Hall probably has a capacity of about 200 people.

We get 2 tickets per family (270 tickets). 60 adults per show takes the hall to capacity and means that we need about 5 shows to give every child a chance to be watched by both parents.

It's not all professional, it's the only way of sharing the event with all parents. Otherwise we would have to have some kind of lottery system where some parents were specifically excluded each year (or make it 1 parent per child only, which would also be sad).

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