Sports Day

The government really are slippery little sheepshearers  aren’t they?

Schools are struggling to stay open because regular testing is still a thing and as soon as someone tests positive a whole bubble is down, even if that person is vaccinated and symptomless. Good schools are desperately trying to fit the important rituals into children’s lives. School trips, clubs, plays and sports days are being delivered in new and ever more time consuming ways for the teacher. In real life, people are paid to film and edit a play over about six months. Teacher are currently doing that, for free, in their evenings to have it ready for parents in 6 days. Many schools, especially those in multi academy trusts, where the headteacher just isn’t in the school to see how much these things mean to the kids, are opting to do none of these things. They would prefer to keep maths and English lessons going, so that the schools under their leadership stay at the top of the league tables to justify their large salary. The children probably aren’t happier or well rounded but you can’t have everything (except you probably could if it weren’t for personal greed). Schools that are doing them still have to abide by the rules set out by public health in their area.

Over the past few days there has been an outpouring of emotion from parents on social media about Sports Days. There are all sorts of emotions. That’s going to happen. We’ve all kept our emotions in check, second to fear for so long that now they seem to be tumbling out like stuff from the cupboard you’ve just been shoving things into . No one actually opened the door but it’s now so full of junk the doors burst open on their own. There is a lot of pride and thankfulness. Schools that are sending children home with Sports Day stickers and memories of finally coming second in the egg and spoon race are being praised but there is also sadness. Parents wanted to be there to witness these life events. Honestly, though, as a parent who saw all of my children’s sports days it is one event you can do without. There’s not that much fun in squinting at a whole load of small people, all dressed the same, in the distance to spot your own and only noticing them because they come last, fall over or their PE shorts fall down (you really shouldn’t have insisted they’d grow into them). Your children might be more agile than mine were, so it could be the event you love, I’m not judging. Then there’s anger. People are furious. It does seem ridiculous that football stadiums can be full of drunk yobs, singing and spitting at each other when schools can’t invite all the parents to sports day.

The government have started to take some of the flack for that anger. Rightly so. Consistency is what’s lacking and what we should all be angry about. Don’t let people in from India when you know they are carrying a new variant if you have still curtailed the freedoms of your own population. That’s something to be angry about. Don’t allow football matches to go ahead when one of the players tests positive if whole year groups have to close when one teacher tests positive. It’s these inconsistencies that, rightly, make us cross.

Sometimes, there is misplaced anger and parents get cross with the school. For schools that are trying to still provide fun, interesting things, this is hard. It feels like a slap in the face. Usually, they are following public health guidance or making decisions that will keep their whole school open until the end of term.

The government, the twisty little toenail eaters, have asked Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson to talk to the press. “Sports days can and should go ahead.” The spokesman said, adding in a quiet whisper, “providing all measures of social distancing, staying in bubbles and limiting spectators are maintained.” 

See, nothing has changed. Schools still need to try to keep going until the end of term. The children who  do a sports day will do so within their bubbles, parents won’t be able to watch and it won’t be the same but it will be something.