Any teachers willing to give an honest answer?

[nikos]

Do the kids of mums who help in school (PTA, reading) get the best parts in school plays?

No.

Yes in DD1's school.

My friend is a TA, her son has been cast as Herod :o

In DS's school definitely. Girl in DS's class has been Mary 2 years running, even though she is now only in reception. Year 1 and 2 mums not impressed.

Not in our school, the son of the secretary did.

Just because kids whose parents help out get the 'best' parts - does not mean they got the 'best' parts because their parents help out.

Some parts are best given to confident children. Often the most confident children are the ones with the most confident parents.

Some parts are best given to kids with SEN who don't often get a chance to shine.

etc, etc.

There is a lot of thought about who to give what part to - and none of it involves what their parents are like.

Nope not in our school.

who cares? help out more and your child might get a better part next year!

God no.

Not in the school I work in!

The children who get the speaking parts are usually the ones confident enough to speak up loudly on stage, willing and able to learn and remember the lines, and trying to avoid the children who had the speaking parts last year (mixed age classes)!

Nope! Kids get picked (for main parts) if

• they will behave in rehearsals and on the day
• they have a clear voice/will speak out
• they can be relied upon to learn the lines

That's it!

I know a teacher who picked the cast on the expectations of who would buy her the best Christmas gift [chmm]

Absolutely not!

I have done loads and loads for the school. 1.5 days just this week even though I begged not to as I'm too busy moving house.

Thus far, six years in, neither child has ever had a speaking part, gone on a selective trip, been labelled gifted and talented, been chosen for choir/sports team/school council....

I don't think so, in our school only Y2s (infant school) get speaking parts and the other years sing in different groups. So of about 40 kids about 20 have small parts, and the bigger parts are played by children who want to do it, are confidnt enough, have good voices and can project them, can/will learn their lines ...

The children with PTA /volunteer mums are ones who tend to volunteer to play a part at our school.

I'm never normally bothered by this sort of thing, but middle ds is a very confident chap. Went forward for an audition and I know he was good. Yet he got 4 lines to say ( he has a very clear speaking voice). The main parts all went to kids whose parents are Involved in school.

Since when has Mary been the best part in any recent school play? In ours Mary tends to have no lines whereas the animals in the barn are the star parts ;)

Given the amount of time and energy they put into them, there are not many teachers I know who would want a performance/play/production to be anything but successful so you are not going to choose some shy won't say a word and hides in the corner child to have a main part just because her Mum happens to be chair of the PTFA. You give the parts to the children who have the most chance of carrying them off successfully.

If you're that bothered nikos perhaps you should get more involved in your dc's school.

Nope. The children with the loudest voices get the parts in our plays.

Just because you "know" he was good doesn't mean that there weren't others better.

Never come across the theory that helping in class/PTA/governor gives parts in the play except on here.

IwishIwasmoresparkly - well said!

Haven't got time to get involved. Only those mums who don't work canAlso dh works away so can't do evening things with PTA.

Mary tends to have no lines - and therefore be given to kids with SEN who need a confidence boost.

Don't envy kids with 'good' parts - you have no idea why they have been given them.