dd is only child not in school play

[needmorecoffee]

she is in reception. They rehearse in the afternoon apparently and dd does half days.
I reckon they could have made her a snowflake or something for the actual play cos its after school, she is awke by then and its not like she can run amok.

I understand what you are saying but a school play is a little different. Leaving one child out is really thoughtless, this child can be accomodated. A school play usually only occurs once a year. Its an important event for all.

If they've left one child out and that child is disabled, it's a silly thing to do, legally-speaking. Even if it's accidental.

They should have disability inclusion policies that cover this sort of thing and enable them to cross-check who's included to make sure it's fair. At the very least there should have been consultation with the parents and child, and an attempt at it. School plays are definitely important enough that all children need to be considered equally and only discounted if there are properly assessed and discussed reasons, whether part time or otherwise. As a school Governor, I'd have expected to see a complaint about it if we'd left out a child with a disability with no consultation.

Oh NMC that is shite! Go into school and take ladymuck's approach, as amber says they are at the very least ebing extremely thoughtless, or perhaps need to work on communication.

have written it in her home-school communication book. We've got a mahoosive meeting there on tuesday anyhow to demand a communication aid. Stupid SLT keeps saying she needs to 'settle in more'. Do I see them forbidding the other 4 year olds from speaking while they 'settle in'? I do not.

Back in 1997, I was doing teaching placement at a MS primary school. I was with the Reception class, some of those children attended part-time. Like all 4/5 year olds, some of them were a little unpredictable at times, so as the student, I was assigned to assist with two children in particular whom the teacher felt needed additional support.
Christmas play, they (and me) were Sheep. Not a staring role, but they made a costume and took part.
That was over 10 years ago - have schools now changed their policy and now don't make school productions like the nativity fully inclusive?
Plays themselves are often after-school, at least one performance. If they expect other children to attend all performances, then it is not unreasonable to expect your child to attend those as well. They should have certainly discussed it with you, to establish if attending the performances and final dress rehearsal would be an issue. Minor roles do not need to attend other rehearsals... so I don't feel it matters that your DD isn't there most afternoons.

Good to hear that you have put a note about it in your DD's communication book. Hopefully the school will respond positively.

NMC this happened to us last year. DD not in school play (although they did make of point of telling me that "she wasn't the only one" like that was supposed to make me feel better. To make it worse she had done all the rehearsals and they told me a few days beforehand when I had already looked out a costume for her. SO GLAD she's no longer at that school! TBH, think I was more upset than she was but that's not really the point.
Hope you sort something out for your DD!

all the other disabled children (its a full inclusion mainstream) are in the play. I can only assume its cos she's not there in the afternoons.
But I will find out. DD must have heard the other kids talking about it although I'm guessing she doesn't know what a 'play' is cos she has never seen one.

I see Christie's point but, as a parent, I know that in those circumstances I would still have been very angry and hurt. I think the school really should have made an effort to communicate about this. Otherwise, I'd be worried that this wasn't a one-off and my child was going to be left out of other stuff.
I do hope the meeting/note does the trick!

Christie, that still makes it appalling planning, not to organise rehearsals so that all children can be part of the nativity play. In our infants that never happened, though there were always children going half days right up to Christmas and some children had severe SN. They could still wear a costume and be led on stage by their TA and be part of the experience.

It doesn't have to be done this way, it really doesn't. It's about how much the school cares about inclusion.

pushy parent fussport report : dd will be Angel Gabriel in the play and has a line on her VOCA

What a lovely conclusion to this thread

Good for you

they haven't finalised the parts though so I did suggest Mary would be a good one as she doesn't sya nything
bout time one of my girls was 'Mary'.

No way. Angel Gabriel (I have my very own at home ) is the best part ever. The prettiest girl in class was always angel Gabriel. I was Mary once coz I had long curly dark hair. My mother had it cut short then so I was always a shepherd or a sheep or any boy part. Was never angel Gabriel .
How lovely for you and DD

I am so glad that you got it sorted out and she is going to have a part in the school play. Brilliant.

This is great, good for you. There are no excuses for any school to leave anyone out of a school nativity play, it just takes a little organising.

That's brilliant. You will have to post a pic so we can coo.
How did it go when you brought it up--were they defensive?

Am longing to know what DS2 will be doing in his play. They only rehearse for 2 days at their school so whole thing usually quite rough around the edges . God knows what I'll be like - he only had to hold up a globe at his sharing assembly and I was in pieces!

Last year DS1 was Joseph - only he and one other boy volunteered. I was so proud - until I discovered that the play revolved around the innkeeper and Joseph had been relegated to a walk on role . DS1's head dress was pulled down so far on his forehead his eyes were like little slits and I don't think he made eye contact with Mary once! Just sat on the edge of the stage swinging his legs and forgetting to sing...