Independent School- Parent attendance for kids activities

[HoneyB2025]

My DD is currently in a state school and I find that it could be inconvenient to attend school plays or school activities that parent attendance is encouraged. I work in the financial sector and sometimes do not have the luxury to attend these things during working hours. These school plays or activities are usually scheduled in the middle of the day like from 1-3pm or even in the morning like 9am when most offices start work.

So my question for independent school parents, are these kind of school activities usually scheduled at reasonable times when the school has taking into account working parent schedules or this would be similar to State schools?

Ime either. Sometimes after school or early evening, sometimes during the school day especially for younger pupils,

Similar to state school IME. I used to do a good line in being an enthusiastic adult for my friend's kids if their parents couldn't get away from work for stuff like concerts, assemblies and class plays if the activity coincided with my day off (I work compressed hours).

I used to cheerlead for the kids friends too and have scored a number of 18th birthday invitations recently as a result which made me very emotional as for some of the kids involved I'm a pretty tenuous connection but obviously still a trusted adult.

I have two in prep school (preschool and yr1) and almost all of their events are during the school day. We have quite a lot of parent events:

• Termly show - different days
• Sharing their lesson with parents
• Gym show (in after school slot) - termly
• Drama show (in after school slot) - termly
• Stem fair
• Christmas carols around Christmas tree on final day of Christmas term
• Sports day is a whole day affair from reception up

We also have random finish times at the end of term - 11.30am / 1pm

HTH

I had DC in both sectors and there was very little difference . I was never able to go to assemblies which happened in the mornings. I could occasionally attend nativity plays or similar as they were planned well in advance and I could take holiday. Parent evenings started and finished a little earlier in the state sector and DH wasn't able to attend but would get to some of the event if I could book later slots which applied at private schools. We had more weekend sport in the private school years so that was more convenient for working people.

In junior school most of the activities that include children (nativity, concerts, sports day) are during school hours, but events aimed at parents only (curriculum meetings, uniform sale) will be after hours.

I don’t have children in senior school yet, but most (but not all) of the plays, concerts, etc. seem to be after hours.

what our school is great at, though is communication- I know well in advance when key activities will be and am usually able to schedule it in

Prep school everything is 08.30 to 09.00 or 18.00 onwards. Private secondary weekends. It’s great. Don’t miss any events. Previously at state school in middle of work day and couldn’t attend.

We are private and based on my friends in state vs us the only difference seems to be is that we get a calendar at start of term with agreed dates on it, which the states around here don’t seem to have that and it’s often a week or so out they are told making it harder to organise to be there. Oh and our parent teacher interviews can be virtual or go later into the evenings… but stuff to do with the kids like concerts or plays or special assemblies are during the day.

Prep school

Class assemblies (1x per term) - 8.30
School play / carol service / music recital - 4pm or 6pm if older
Sports day - 3/4 hrs one Friday morning or afternoon
Prize day - random time, a couple of hours but seems to take all day
Events aimed at parents only - evening

Oh yes and random lunchtime finishes at the end of term

There are lots of parents in the financial sector here but they often have a wife/husband (mostly a wife of course) who doesn’t work or does something much more flexible. Or if both working inflexible hours they may have a nanny/housekeeper who attends if they can’t.

Still during the school day with school production in the evening.
Very few parents didn’t attend in my experience (well mums- loads of dads didn’t go)

It’s exactly the same - if not worse.

I nearly had a mental breakdown in July at summer term finished as I had two in there who were doing things at the same time and I didn’t have a magic machine that could split me in two.

Christmas we get invited in for mince pies and coffee, there are days when we can go and sit in our kids class on tiny chairs - this isn’t parents evening - if I don’t go my child thinks I hate her. The best one was when we were invited in to read a story to the class 😬

There is a prep school near me where until fairly recently, parents (well mums) were expected to sign up to a weekly rota to do nit checks on the whole class. I kid you not.

Usually nativities / performances at the primary are first thing in the morning at DC’s private school (primary) and in the afternoon / evening at DC’s grammar. But yes we also get a lot of craft mornings and special events to attend during the week. I usually just pick the most important and book time off as required (in hours) as annual leave & block out my diary. But DC and their schools are aware I need advance notice and can’t just turn up last minute for things.

Always at the start of the day or after work-end time here - so 8.30am for class plays/assembly/harvest festival etc, and anything that is "grown up" so parents evenings, or anything just parent related like meetings are usually 7pm onwards. Prep school concerts/plays usually at 6pm and kids stay at school for supper beforehand. All very parent friendly. Sports day, Speech Day and bonfire night all on Saturdays despite being a day school. Everything is worked around making it easy for parents. Both my children came from state schools (moved at Y3) and now Y5 and 8, and the difference is mind blowing how it's designed to make parents' lives easier. No plays at 11.30am or parent meetings at 2pm.

One in state and one in private. Similar to be honest and neither too onerous. Things tend to be at start or end of the day and DH and I tag-team it usually rather than both try to attend. DS' school is in town not too far from DH's work and DD's school is close to home where I tend to work so usually it makes sense for us to take a common sense approach.

OMG- that is one of the worst parent participation stories I’ve ever heard.