Sports fixtures - how much notice?

[BackInTime]

Just wondered if you have DC that in school sports teams, how much notice are you given about fixtures. We sometimes seem to have less than a weeks notice with very little communication about timings which can be difficult when trying to juggle work and other commitments.

Is this norm or is DCs school just disorganised?

We were not give much notice - they were taken to and from the fixture by mini bus so the only affect on us was either gettting them from school later, usually shared lifts with others, or they got a train home.

A week? You're lucky, we often get notified at lunchtime of an after school fixture. From what I can gather the fixtures should be put on a board and it's up to the child to check it and notify parents. It's fine, my son has a phone so he lets me know as soon as he can, I then tell him if I'll be there to pick him up or not.

We have a board in the PE block and it's up to students to check it. We don't send letters to parents and carers.

Ok seems like that it’s the norm at secondary then. The fixtures are put on the PE notice board and DS keeps an eye on this but things seem to appear just a few days before. It’s just difficult when you cannot plan and have to cancel other things like a tutor at short notice and have to pay for cancellation.

It depends. Fixtures are usually in the school calendar, but we often don't know if our boys are selected until the night before

2 days at most and cancellations a few if that hours before, I thought it was quite normal but my DS in Y7 will get himself home if we can't pick up.

Team sheets usually go up Thursday afternoon for Saturday fixtures. Like a PP usually a school minibus takes them for away matches but we have to get DS to school/ pick up.

Sometimes fixtures are on the school calendar, right day but no times.

We have a sports fixture calendar listing venues and match times (to which we have to add on travel time) for the whole year. It gives us time to plan our weekends/warn the school when we have a clash. Unless it is just up the road, the team(s) always go in a minbus/coach from/to the school.

Team lists are posted up at school by Thursday lunchtime for the Saturday fixture (and online). The transport logistics must be a nightmare!

Never so much as a week.

Usually only a day or two at most.

2 DC here with polar opposite experiences.

DC1’s school has all fixtures on school website from start of term and continually updated if changes occur or fixtures are added. This includes home or away, meet times for coach if away and match start times for spectators. They have 4 teams in each age group and he is A or B team so he knows he will always be playing. Very easy!

DC2’s school completely different. Fixtures seem to be organised / cancelled at short notice. Team lists go up on the PE notice board about 5/7 days before the match, and it’s up to the children to spot them and sort out any clashes with play rehearsals/music lessons AND to sort out late transport for themselves if they are returning to school after normal time.

Yes this drives me mad! It's usually less than a week, can be any night of the week and they are expected to drop everything and attend. Surely the fixtures are known in advance and could be communicated a bit earlier??