Primary sports day

[Hungryfrogs23]

Can I ask how these work at your school?
We are a 2 form entry primary (approx 420 children) and we do KS1 in the morning and KS2 in the afternoon.
Parents sign in at the gate.
Last year the parents were allowed to stay for a picnic lunch with their children. This year school have changed this and said parents and children have to stay separate all day, and at lunch the kids are taken back in and parents aren't allowed to mix with them at all.
Lots of parents unhappy, as especially with young kids, it will be very upsetting for lots of them to see their families across the running track all morning and then be expected to go back to school for the afternoon without even saying hi or getting a hug.
School has cited safeguarding/logistical reasons why they made the decision. Hence why I am curious how other schools manage it, as currently I can see both sides of the argument.

Ours have lunch with the parents. Staff are on duty as normal and one member of staff monitors the gate to make sure all is safe.

@Harebrain
Do you sign them out to parents or anything or just let them go?

We have similar, KS1 in the morning, picnic lunch and KS2 in the afternoon. KS1 finish sports about 11.30, go inside, get changed, toilet etc whilst parents wait on the field. Gates are locked, anyone wanting to leave has to go through Reception. Children then go back outside and sit in classes. Parents come and collect, those children without parents stay with staff, KS2 children come out and find their parents. Chaos for 30 minutes! But no one can leave the school grounds so everyone is safe! Then children go back inside, KS2 get changed whilst KS1 get sorted. KS2 go out and have sports day. kS1 stay in classes but go onto field and watch, parents watch too. Then all the children go back inside, get changed etc. Parents wait at collection points as usual, gates are opened and children handed over safely!
A huge sigh of relief is heaved!

We (three form Junior school ~380 pupils) hire a local athletics stadium for the day. It has a grass area enclosed by the track, and the track is surrounded by a lowish (waist height) fence. All the events take place within the fence, and the parents are allowed to wander around outside the fence. There is also a stand for spectators where they can go. Parents quite often hug over the fence, especially when kids are doing the long jump which is outside the track but still inside the fence.

At lunchtime, parents are allowed onto the grass area inside the track and school staff are at the exit to make sure no one leaves with children. Children eat with their classes but parents are allowed to join them. A few (with permission from teachers) go to sit with their parents and a sibling's class. After lunch, parents leave the field, kids are registered, then parents can come back and collect. Teachers tick off a class list as kids are collected. Then any children who are not collected are taken back to school to be collected at normal time.

@Hungryfrogs23 no, there’s no signing in or out, just a member of staff patrolling the gate into/out of school. We’ve been doing this for years and have never had an incident.

At my children’s school (said “children” are now adults) they did KS1 first thing and KS2 after with a half hour gap. Held at a nearby playing field and the children were always kept very separate from the parents.

Last school I worked at just never invited parents or carers to watch due to lack of space. Current school has KS1 followed by KS2, parents are invited to watch but are kept the other side of the track from the children. Parents access the field without coming through the building. No signing in or out as never IN the building or allowed near children.

Small school so whole event is over before lunch.

My favourite was the very small primary (100 pupils) where sports day was held at the village cricket club - events for whole school in the morning followed by family picnic lunch then walk back to school. When I saw a Dad walk across with a couple of pints of beer I discovered the club steward opened the bar at lunchtime. Only 8 years ago!