Taster day at prospective school

[Itshouldntbethisway]

Hi Mumsnetters,

Keen to get your view on a diary clash, not sure what to do for the best. My child has been invited to a couple of taster days at a school we would accept for Y7 if offered, we have very few schools to choose from so this offer of a taster day has come as a huge relief. The problem is that it clashes with two work offsites over two days that have been several months in the making, typical! I will speak to my manager tomorrow but will need to have a view of what I can say to him. Either a) I can't go at all, because the taster days are in Surrey and I won't make it there and back to London (City location) in time for both events, so will have to miss them, or b) ask the school if they could kindly shift the days as I have a pre-existing work engagements. This school is very oversubscribed and no doubt it takes a lot of planning to choose the days the applicants can do the taster days. Regarding the work events, the first one is a team building half-day session in the afternoon with dinner afterwards (clashes with the first day of the taster day), the second one is an all-day leadership offsite with dinner afterwards, late finish (clashes with the second day of the taster day). I'll have to drop off and pick up my child both days. Any thoughts/advice would be welcome. Thanks very much!

The school isn’t going to change the taster day for you so if you want him to go then you’ll have to alter your work commitments

Get someone else to take him?

Tasting is for him more than you

Isn't there anyone else who could take him?

Yeh I agree the school won't change the day and I wouldn't ask tbh.

What were you planning to do with our DC if they didn't have the taster days and you had the work events? Can whoever was going to look after/pick up your DC still do it? Or if it is a school you may apply to, your DC can get there independently? Are they currently in year 6?

It does sound a bit as tho you plan to go to the taster days too (!) but I assume that is not the case, simply the drop off and pick up

Edited to correct error

Taster days can be accommodated over a few weeks at the prep here so maybe senior has some flex too? I would try to find someone else to drop off and pick up before asking though.

Who would be looking after your son otherwise on these two evenings? Is there a nanny who could travel to pick him up in Surrey? Or do you know another child who will be going to these taster days and their parent could bring him back? In any event I’m not sure attendance at these taster days would make any difference on whether he would get an offer if the school is very oversubscribed. Presumably everyone who’s applied has been invited?

Thanks everyone for your messages. The babysitter would pick up my daughter when I'm working late, however, I sometimes also send her for a sleepover at a friend's house and would have done that for the second taster day. I'll need to find out if she's willing to go to Surrey from London to drop off and pick up on Thursday. I'll probably miss Wednesday afternoon's team building session as I'm keen to be at the school to collect her on at least one of the days.

@PBC she wouldn't be offered a place without a taster day. It's an opportunity for them to see how well she fits in at the school and how she gets on with other pupils in the class, they have made that pretty clear, so it's an important visit for her, which ultimately I need to prioritise over work.

Obviously didn't read carefully as for some reason thought you said you had a son! Sounds like you can probably make it work.

Are you a single parent?

@LimeSqueezer Yes, I am. Sorry for the late response. My manager has been great, and I've worked something out. I'll attend the Thursday offsite in the afternoon and stay for dinner. I found someone to collect my daughter that afternoon, so all's good.

So glad to hear it all worked out!