proms !!!!

[busymummy3]

My DC is in Y10 and at present school has not succombed to the Prom Culture prefering to do this at Y13 - anyone else in the same position? DC is currently seeing lots of friends in different schools who are now at end of Y11 having their prom and understandbly a little perplexed wondering why their school waits until Y13 to give them a prom . We have suggested a weekend away with friends at the end of Y 11 which would cost probably less than a prom by the time dress.,hair limo etc paid for what does everyone else think?

Needless IMO. How are more important events such as weddings and graduations going to be special if an enormous fuss is made over things like finishing Y11?

My daughter was in the anti-prom brigade but talked into it by a friend to whom the year 11 Prom meant the world. She had a ball and we really enjoyed the whole prep too.

Our school doesn't have a sixth form, so it seems natural to have a leaving party here. If they don't get anything, I can see why you may want to give them a treat, but make sure it's well supervised if it's a weekend away. Too many get into trouble on the apres- GCSE weekends at the seaside.

DD1 had a very low key prom - buffet and dance at an hotel - no teachers at all! She thought it was boring - apart from the antics of the minority who turned up drunk! Most of her school stay on til 6th form and they have another party then. No one seemed that interested in celebrating the end of GCSEs. She had a "weekend away" but on a rather soggy DofE trek!

In contrast DD2s school make a big deal of their prom as most kids leave then. A lot of kids are poor and they pay for it in instalments. The leadership team go and videos of them dancing appear each year on You Tube.

It obviously makes a big difference if most pupils stay on into the 6th form. Of course many schools don't have 6th forms, so if they are marking the leavers in any way, it would have to be at the end of Yr11.
I do think it a bit strange how much 'leavers stuff' ds has asked for though, when I point out to him that probably 1/2 - 2/3 of his year are going into the 6th form!
Don't be conned into thinking it's got to cost £££ though - have a chat with her now and tell her she'll be on a sensible budget from you - if she wants to have lots of extra unnecessary stuff, then she's got 2 years to start saving.

Oh, re the weekend away - I think it depends on the dc. A lot of 16yr old really aren't that mature to be going away with their friends for a weekend (unless it's a tent in a field perhaps....).

Thanks for the replies I was just wondering what other schools do, as I said in my post DC's school do not organise a prom for them in Y11 as the school has a sixth form so they organise a prom for them at the end of Y13 , think the organisation is part of the students activities along with Head Girl/ Boy etc.
DC is at the moment in the last week of Y10 starting Y11 in September , has friends in other schools some with sixth forms but most not , who are having a prom and cannot understand why school cannot 'move with the times' and organise one. We have thought about a weekend away as an alternative and were thinking of something like a Centerparcs type holiday- lots of activities , spa etc (realise Centerparcs a non starter as need to be minimum 18 ).

Any sensible holiday park won't let U18s stay without adults, IME even of 30 yr ago - the age range are potentially just too much trouble. Not saying your dd and friends would be, but statistically.....

I agree. 16 just too young for a sensible site to accept.

I don't this would be as cheap as a Prom either! We paid £60 dress £25 shoes/bag £20 ticket £17 for transport (vintage vehicle split between them) £10 hair but neded a haircut anyway!

I think there is quite a myth over the prom cost tbh. While it can cost a fortune most of the most beautful and embellished dresses we saw actually came from China and were as cheap as my daughters.

I agree with Kez100, it doesnt have to be really expensive. Similar to her also, the school doesnt have a sixth form so everyone leaves at the end of year 11.

I think it was nice for them to all have a lovely 'dress up' evening. What was really good was that as they were all 16 or under there wasnt any drinking on the night and students had been warned that if they rolled up drunk then they would be turned away at the door.

Sadly for all too many in our town there arent weddings and graduations.