Annual trip to theatre

[PastSellByDate]

Now I hasten to add I'm not against this in any way - I think taking kids to the theatre is a great idea.....

Our school [single form] has a policy of taking the entire school to see a play just before or just after Christmas. We're in a big city [not London] with a symphony, ballet company & lots of theatres.

But....

Given the wide range of choice - would you be a bit if for the last 5 years running the school has chosen to take everybody to the Panto at the same theatre?

It's great fun for the kids, everyone has a good time, but am I just a bit that they school (since this is a whole school activity year after year) doesn't try and mix it up a bit more?

Is this AIBU or does this seem a bit 'rote' [we always go to the panto]?

What does your school do?

Thanks for posts everybody.

I haven't complained in any formal way - really just joined in general grumbling with a group of parents at a curriculum meeting which touched on field trips.

Now Ghoul/ Mother I get that a parent suggesting more can be done never goes down in the staff room. But please understand the facts on the ground are that this is the highest paid (on average) group of teachers in this LEA - yet the school is struggling in terms of SATs. Other schools in the area do streets more in terms of 'the arts' than our school and the list of suggestions of things to do in class was in response to two things:

HT sent a letter requesting £15 again for the Panto (we pay - no funding from PTA or school for the trip ever) but explained the educational value of the trip and that it linked back into work at school

A parent at this curriculum meeting about field trips asked, quite innocently I think, what exactly was done in school in relation to something like the Panto and we discovered the answer was absolutely nothing. Thus a group of us evil PITAs went to town with suggestions and examples of what other schools do.

Now I'm not trying to make every minute of the school day a high pressure/ high expectation experience for children. Of course there must be room to blow out the cobwebs, have a laugh, have a bit of fun, etc.... And the Panto is an easy way of pleasing a wide range of ability/ ages...

However - what I'm asking is why is that it for the arts at my school? And I guess - is this right?

Sure I can introduce my DDs to theatre/ dance/ etc... myself (and DH & I do) - but there are many families where if schools don't do this kind of thing - certain DCs will never have the exposure/ opportunity. And I'm sorry - maybe I'm odd - but I feel seeing something like the Nutcracker or a symphony in full flight is an opportunity.

Sure it may be that 80% find it boring - but what about those 20% that are inspired? Someone suggested that their school has theatre companies/ authors/ etc.. come to the school - maybe that is the solution.

I'm just left wondering why it's only Panto at our school...

So the problem is not that it's the panto, it's that it's ONLY the panto.

There are loads of arts groups who visit schools - off the top of my head, we've had authors doing readings, a stand up comic, theatre groups and, best so far, our school did the Shakespeare for Schools this year. Imagine Year 5, on stage at a real theatre, acting out a Shakespeare play from an abridged script.

Would the school not be open to this?

Hi Sitting:

Your post is absolutely what I'm thinking is possible and trust me - a lot of us have suggested it - but the school won't budge.

Nobody has come out and said it - but my impression is that the HT really feels that things like seeing an orchestra or a quartet (in or out of school) is beyond the ability of these poor inner city waifs. It's really not for the likes of them.