Xmas Concerts.....how ridiculous

[Whizzz]

OK - DSs school concert is on a weekday in the morning. DH works, I'm a TA in another school & so can't get time off. We usually get round this as they do an evening performace also, which we go to instead. This year the evening performace is by ticket (free) only BUT only 1 ticket per child!!
So at best if we both want to go & see DS we have to go separately on our own??!!

Comments please oh wise MNetters, before I rattle off an email to the school!

I am guessing there is a good reason for this rule - pain in the neck for you though. Maybe phone and explain your situation (you wont be the only ones) and ask them what thewy can do to help.

Could a friend who has been to the morning show get you a ticket for the evening so you and dh can go?

I think they've probably done the best they can in a bad situation (i.e limited seats).

I'm not sure complaining will help, as they are probably already aware that it's not a popular decision.

good idea from mrsmaidamess!

The trouble is what has happened in the past with the evening shows is dispite them saying that its just for parents who can't attend in the day, people turn up to see the show again and/or bring 15 relatives with them - so the hall is stupidly packed to bursting.

How stupid! I would get the one evening ticket and both just go - are the seriously going to refuse one of you entry?

Many schools don't have evening concerts at all, esp for primary age children.

What also slightly annoys me is they don't give you any idea of how long it will last, so even if you can take time off - you don't really know if its one hour or two so you don't know whether you need an hour off work or the whole morning

Can youa sk them how long it will last? We have done that before as DH needed to know in order to arrange an appointment with a clinet. School were more than happy to leat us know.

Our primary don't have an evening adn the day one is entry by ticket only - £1.
The tickets aare nearly sold out, so some parents won't get a ticket. Hoe can that be right?

Its silly as they combine 2 or more year groups (its a big school) - hence you get a huge amount of parents all wanting to see the show. The school just can't cope as the hall isn't big enough for everyone. I don't understand why they don't just do one show per year group, then they wouldn't have to try & squeeze everyone in

My kids school don't like babies, toddlers, preschoolers, siblings who have seen the school xmas production attending and you only get two tickets per family, and it's a two night, 2 + hours mega production. I think Whizzz's idea would be much more family friendly!!

My kids school don't like babies, toddlers, preschoolers, siblings who have already seen the school xmas production attending and you only get two tickets per family, and it's a two night, 2 + hours mega production. I think Whizzz's idea would be much more family friendly!!

If you do separate plays for each year group, then parents with children in more than one year complain that they have to go twice or more.

And they all have to rehearse in the hall, (have you any idea how much practice it takes to get 60 7 years olds to just get on and off the stage, face the audience & speak clearly?) which means you can't use the hall for anything else, so if it rains children can't do games and the violin & woodwind teachers can't use the piano, and lunch is delayed because the dinner ladies can't get in to put the tables out. Also it can be difficult to schedule so many performances, especially if the hall is let out to clubs in the evening.

I think tickets is an excellent idea. Even if that inconveniences/annoys some people.

The dcs' school had to introduce a stringent ticket system after some people turned up with FOUR grandparents in tow. When dd was at playschool there was an occasion where one little girl had in the audience mum and dad, four grandparents and two aunts and an uncle. They occupied practically half the seats and the playschool ladies were NOT happy.

I must admit one ticket only for the evening seems a bit tough. Perhaps you could enquire nicely in person at the school. Often school secretaries are more disposed to be accommodating if you tug your forelock and sound "ever so 'umble".

Would your school not let you have time off if you explained what it was for ?

Whizzz... a performance per year group???? So the staff have to give up 4 evenings (or more)? At this time of year?
If you work in a school yourself, then surely they should understand that you must go to your own child's performance. They'd presumably be quick to raise eyebrows at any parents of their own pupils who didn't turn up to a show.

ours is doing a whole school play this year, 1 evening and 1 afternoon performance.
1 ticket for each performace per family, and a note attached to say that if you want to swap tickets with other families to get 2 for the same performance then feel free to do so.

My DH would be ecstatic if there were only one ticket per family.