Being in school for 7.30 - Normal to ask children to be in that early to rehearse?

[QuintessentialShadows]

Ds1 has a part in a school performance, he auditioned last week and has a part. He tells me he is to be in for 7.30 to rehearse before school. Is it normal to come in early for rehearsals, rather than stay on after school? Or is it the easiest way to ensure rehearsal does not collide with after school clubs, etc?

Blimey, that's a big ask.

He is lucky that we live 17 minutes walk from school....

Is it one day a week?

I think some sports go on before school at some secondaries thinking about it though.

I dont know, it is first rehearsal tomorrow, so I am sure he will know more then.

I dont like getting up so early. He is perfectly capable of getting himself up and go, but I like to give him a hug and wave him bye bye. Preferably eat breakfast with him!

Is he ok at getting out of bed? DS1 (14) is awful.

He is fine getting out of bed. Such a change to Y6 when I had to drag him up, it was a nightmare.

It's probably to stop clashes with other after-school activities or clubs outside of school. DSs 1 and 2 have just taken part in their school show which involved quite a lot of after-school rehearsal and which clashed with an after-school activity for DS2 but for DS1 clashed with, on varying days, GCSE Music workshops, important English revision classes, his out-of-school drum lesson (had to postpone Grade 7) and the orthodontist. I never knew whether we were coming or going! Before-school rehearsals would have been a dream for us.

I guess I should be grateful, especially as he has just a 17 minute walk door to door.

Never been asked to be early, but 50% plus of school come by contract bus, so it would be a big ask.

Mind you we've had a ridiculous number of after school pick ups caused by GCSE things, which must be very hard for some families.

Not normal to be at school 7.30am

My rehearsals started at 7.30 regularly throughout high school. I left the house at 6.15 most days, got there 7.20, rehearsed 7.30-8.30 and school started at 8.35. This was choir twice a week and orchestra twice a week. I had one morning off; I think there was also wind band and brass groups on some of the mornings.

There were other things at lunchtimes and after schools - school productions, chamber choirs, strings groups, etc etc, as well as out of school stuff and music/theory lessons themselves, so having them before school as a regular thing meant that the main groups that needed big attendance could still happen without loads of people saying they had something else on.

Makes me wonder who can join in if parents rely on school transport and are unable to provide transport themselves? Cannot imagine a school with a big rural catchment area doing this as transport could be extremely difficult to organise. Selection by the nearest to school?

Depends on the school, some start activities earlier, others finish later, some a bit of both. Certainly wouldn't be unusual for sport, dance or music ime.

Its usual here. DS is going in tomorrow at 7.4 to rehearse for the Christmas Production.

Howeever we live in a big city. It wouldn't be practical in a rural school.

No idea if it's done for plays (neither DS has ever wanted to be in one), but there are early morning sessions for sports (definitely for swimming squad, and I think for others).

Subject to your local geography/transport links, I think it's a good idea if you want to cast the best actors (because sod's law dictates they'll have a completely conflicting timetable of existing lunchtime/afterschool activities),

DD's recent school performance entailed rehearsal at 7am for a few.

DS1 in 7.30am for rugby and 7.40am for cricket nets.

We have loads on before school - I think it's becoming more normal. Not an issue for us - in a city so small catchment.

Clubs, rehearsals and other training happening from 7.30am every single day in our school. Fortunately DD only wants to do 2 of them so it isn't too early a start each day...

Our school starts at 8:10 for Form Time so doesn't seem all that early to me. If your school starts later, I can see why it is a big ask.