Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

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

Original poster

Do you think Harry potter is a suitable film to show yr3 on last day of term?

69 replies

nowwearefour · 17/12/2012 21:40

I definitely do not but my dd is v young for her year. Thankfully she is aware that it might be being shown. I will go and collect her if this is the choice. She hasn't read the books yet and for a reason- they are brilliant but quite dark and scary and she isn't ready for them quite yet. Anyway they are talking of showing the 4th one which could ruin the first three!
What do others think ?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
HoratiaLovesBabyJesus · 18/12/2012 18:37

A school near me showed HP1 to Reception without so much as warning parents. That was not well received.

I think it would be fair to check with the teacher in a "DD said HP4 but I'm sure she must have meant HP1" smiling way.

AChickenCalledKorma · 18/12/2012 19:02

I have an August-born daughter in Year 3. I'd be happy for them to show the first film - but would be pretty disappointed, because she hasn't read the books yet and I am firmly of the view that books should come before film! If it was the 4th, I'd be very unhappy indeed.

jelliebelly · 18/12/2012 19:07

I don't get the need to read the books first? I love all the HP films but couldn't be bothered with reading the books. Ds (7) has watched up to 4 but frankly I'd be astonished if they would show anything other than the first one for a school treat.

MirandaWest · 18/12/2012 19:13

I just asked DS (in year 4) and DD (in year 2 but an old one in her year) what they thought. DS said 1,2 or 3 would be fine but 4 could be a bit scary. DD has seen the first and second and thought the first would be fine for year 3 to see.

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 18/12/2012 19:20

Its mad to show the 4th film in a sequel to anyone. I'm precious about reading books before films too. I don't feel especially sorry for my children, they love reading and get enormous pleasure and overwhelmingly have preferred books to movies (Mary poppins, bedknobs and broomsticks and arrietty are the only exceptions i can think of). When you watch a film you are observing an interpretation in the way you aren't when you read the book. When you read it is still an interpretation but its one step closer to the original creation. Much of the language is lost in translation and subtleties on the page are often lost on screen. I love a bit of TV, but somethings are better when they are read and once you have seen them acted out the ideas are planted inside you and you can't unsee it again to read the book with fresh eyes.

defineme · 18/12/2012 19:21

I think it's difficult: my 7 yr old dd is scared by a lot of things eg bloody hates the horrible histories stuff they keep showing her in school and has screaming nightmares about it, but I know she's unusual in that so I just had a quiet word and said is it ok if she does colouring or something in the other class whilst it's shown-we neeeded our sleep. She's fine with books so I said I'd read anything with her that she'd missed out on.
I'd have a quiet word if you're worried, but I wouldn't complain.

crunchbag · 18/12/2012 19:21

I wouldn't have a problem with showing HP1,2 or 3 to Y3.
My dd is 7 and in year 3 and has watched them all and is now starting to read the books.

Taffeta · 18/12/2012 19:22

Film 1 - fine

Film 4 - def not fine. This is the scariest film IMO. One word: Diggory.

Hulababy · 18/12/2012 19:24

I am surprised the school is even allowed tbh.
I work in Y2 and we have to get parental permission for every child in the class to show a PG film!

We are big Potter fans here and 10y loves the films, as well as the books. There are many of her friends who, even in Y6, would find the films too much for them.

bigbadbarry · 18/12/2012 19:24

Our school is not allowed to show even a PG without a note home. U's only. Nativity is nice :)

LadyIsabellasHollyWreath · 18/12/2012 19:27

The BBFC works on the basis that a U certificate film will be fine for almost all 4 year olds - below that it's their guardian's call, and likewise a PG certificate film will be fine for almost all 8 year olds apart from the unusually sensitive ones - below that it's your lookout. So strictly speaking the school is pushing their luck showing a PG film to a class where the youngest child is 7yrs 4months but not by a huge amount.

They would of course be way out of line if they showed a 12A.

ByTheWay1 · 18/12/2012 19:36

my dd had nightmares after watching HP1 when she was 6 - the face on the back of the teacher's head is what did it.... she actually wished she had never seen it as you "can't take it away from inside your brain once you have" ..... but once she hit 9 she wanted to see them all and has been fine with them - though I did notice her look away at the face bit of HP1..

Original poster
nowwearefour · 18/12/2012 19:48

well apparently the vote took place today so there might be some sort of announcement tomorrow !

OP posts:
HoratiaLovesBabyJesus · 18/12/2012 19:56

FWIW I was a feeble, precious child well into senior school, and had a complete meltdown watching Spartacus which is a PG.

Too imaginative.

HoratiaLovesBabyJesus · 18/12/2012 19:56

... that is, watching Spartacus in Y9.

Xmas Blush
Pyrrah · 19/12/2012 13:55

Depends on the child.

DD's uncles gave her the boxed set of HP DVDs for xmas last year. She has watched all of them many, many times and enjoys them - her favourite being The Goblet of Fire.

She's not yet 4, but definitely understands the storylines. I wouldn't let her watch 'horror' films, but she and DH watch Dr Who together.

FunnysFuckingFreezing · 19/12/2012 13:57

DS2 is just 7, in Yr2 and has watched most of the Harry Potter films. Not a problem to me

CaseyShraeger · 19/12/2012 14:02

Now come on, Taffeta. Robert Pattinson isn't exactly my cup of tea, but he's not that bad...

Elibean · 19/12/2012 14:53

4th one? Definitely not.

1st one, yes. Though absolutely, if you know your child is sensitive or easily scared, take her out Smile

clam · 19/12/2012 17:49

Same PG rule in our school - is a pain when even films like Wallace & Grommit and Elf, fgs, are PGs.
I showed Nativity to my Y4s today. Wouldn't have dreamt of showing HP, except maybe the first, had it not been a PG.

teacherwith2kids · 19/12/2012 17:57

Wouldn't show a PG film in totality without getting...Parental Guidance (clue is in the name). Would show a short clip as part of a lesson IF it didn't contain the things which made it PG IYSWIM.

DS saw a clip of the HP film with the pensieve in (can't remember the number) in Year 6. A note was sent home saying that they were going to do it, so the opportunity was there to opt out. They didn't see the whole fim, though, just the clip.

clam · 19/12/2012 18:05

teacher I've used that clip before now in Year 6 too. Can't remember which part of literacy it was ideal for though.

mrz · 19/12/2012 18:21

From the British Board of Film Classification

What does PG mean?

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children.

Hulababy · 19/12/2012 18:24

I am not convinced a 3 year old can really follow all the story lines of the HP films - surely??? So much would be out of the realms of their understanding wouldn't it? Not just the whole Voldemort story, but all the rest of it?

BooksandaCuppa · 19/12/2012 18:31

No. Far too scary for, I imagine, half of the year?

Sequels are just a weird thing to show anyway if they don't know that all have seen the previous ones.

Yr 6 Leavers' Trip two years ago at ds's school was the last HP film and several children opted out because it's rated 12 or because they'd not seen the previous ones.