Is my child's school taking the piss?

[complexo]

It is an estate school and my daughter is at reception.
After 1 week half term, they will do the summer fayre on a Thursday and Early Years children have to be collected at 1pm and return to school at 2 for the event. Friday is inset day?
All the other schools do their summer fayre either from 3 pm or on saturday...
I am not happy but AIBU?
I work so for me this is not ideal, but I know that school is not supposed to be childcare as I heard once.

I have never ever heard of a school doing that for a school fair....how bizarre

Our school summer fair's are always on a saturday and the xmas fajr is usually on a fri about 6pm!

My DD is in reception and for winter fair they ended early at around 2 on the thursday and friday and parents came and took kids to fair and then left. It worked for our school.

Our fayres are either after school or 12-3 on a Saturday. Lots of teachers helping on stalls too. Would be bit mmmm at your situation complexo.

Do the children have to return to school or can they take the afternoon off?
If they must return I would guess they have had summer fairs before that have not had many attending and think this is a good way to get more people there. I does sound like a lot of faffing about.

It sounds odd to me. Don't they have an after school club for working parents? I would imagine the parents who use the club will all be .

Sounds odd and inconsiderate - why do the little ones have to be taken away and then brought back?

This kind of thing drives me nuts! It never ceases to amaze me how schools seem to have no regard for working parents. This is despite the fact that many school staff are often working parents themselves. The degree to which is drives me nuts depends on the amount of notice given. In the past I have had a days notice for early pick ups! But other events where alot of notice is given doesn't bother me so much.
The 'we are not here to provide childcare' arguement also irritates me. I completely agree BUT by default childcare is provided and withdrawing that at short notice is very difficult for working parents.
Don't get me wrong I think my childens schools do a fantastic job and I support them in their efforts to fundraise etc but, I agree - doing it in school time does take the piss.

Drives me nuts, too. What is the implication? That working parents should have a paid nanny or childminder on standby, just ready to pick up where school leaves off?

Overall, I think my dd's school is great, but the level of parental input expected does bother me. And though parental involvement is obviously A Good Thing, it does exacerbate inequalities and that needs consideration.

They told us about this before the half term and the children DO not have to attend the summer fair but they are insisting that parents go and support school. What annoys me most is like we now have 1 hour gap to fill. I live close to the school but I have to go pick up, do something for about 1 hour and go back to school. If the weather was good we could always go to playground, but if it is raining like today I have no other option than come back home and leave again. I would be happier if the fair started at 1 tbh.
And is inset day on Friday but I know I can't complain about that...

That does seem bizarre. Ours are in school time, you collect your DC from their classrooms at the start of afternoon school. If parents can't make it one or two of the teachers takes their DC round in a little group.

Last time I checked school was only compulsory for children, so they can 'insist' all they like but if the child doesn't HAVE to be there I would say ''thank you very much for making our long weekend even longer, as we have had to take time off too collect dd early, we are off 'somewhere' for some quality time, good luck with the fair'', I'm sure you won't be the only ones, maybe they will think more about working parents next time.

I would also pick up and leave, taking the pee!!

Our pre school do this.

It sounds like an odd arrangement to me and never one i've come across. Our Summer Fair is always on a Saturday and Winter one is held after school.

Are the children having lunch in school? In which case why can't the Summer Fair be set up whilst that's happening. That way they don't need a 1 hour gap.

I'm afraid that unless i lived very close i'd be tempted to just take my child and go and do something else for the afternoon!

Yes they will have lunch there at least and they better do coz I pay for meals termly and it is already paid.

On a similar note, my DDS' school has had 4 events (including sport relief, Jubilee and topic day) within 8 weeks that 'require' parents' attendance within school hours. it makes it really hard if you working and are not able to go along and support your child

on one hand it is great to involve parents, but it is v tough on the children whose parents cannot be involved due to work commitments.

Our school used to have to hold events after school because basically it was just the teachers helping, as the parent support was so low. Couldn't say I blamed the staff, as their view was, why should they give up a weekend if the parents couldn't be bothered.

Could it be similar at your school OP? Have you been asked to help/ offered? I know you work, but if you're that fussed, you could suggest Saturday and ask other parents to help you run it. That's what we did. We've got parents involved and motivated. We now ask the staff if they'd like to join in. Most do, but we don't insist.

smee has got a point, ours is on the weekend and stalls are run by volunteers from each class. We do have lots of notice though, no one is forced to come, though the pressure from the children is tangiable!

I always do go, volunteer, make cakes etc, the children do really enjoy it but sometimes I do wonder if it might be just as easy to give 15 quid and not fill my house with more tat

at 3duracelbunnies.

I don't mind it be on a school day, I have enough things to do on a Saturday...I just wish it started at 1pm straight after they want us to pick up or at 3 when school finishes. Is the 1 hour gap that bothers me...but I guess the teachers need time to setting up.