- Settings are asking parents to pay to see festive shows
- Cash is used to cover costs, or for fundraising purposes
Schools and nurseries are charging parents to watch their children perform at Christmas productions.
Nursery World has learnt that it is now commonplace for schools to charge parents to watch their child in their Christmas or Nativity play, and some nurseries are starting to follow suit.
While most schools charge just £1 or £2 for a ticket, Nursery Worldhas found that some schools are asking parents to pay up to £5 each. A number of early years settings are also charging parents for tickets to their Christmas performances.
In some instances, schools and nurseries ask for voluntary contributions or only charge parents for refreshments.
Their reasons for charging for tickets include covering the costs of hiring premises and for costumes and props. For some, the Christmas production presents an opportunity for fundraising for resources and trips out for the children.
Charging parents
Castle Keep Pre-school in Coventry is using its 50p ticket charge to fundraise for a new computer for the setting.
Manager of the 50-place setting, Pam Halligan, says it has been charging parents to see their children in Nativity and carol concerts for more than a decade.
‘We ask parents to pay 50p each to see their children perform. Each family can purchase up to four tickets due to limited space. Three or four weeks before the children perform, we send parents a letter asking them how many tickets they would like and telling them there is a charge. Most parents pay. However, if they don’t, we won’t chase them for the money,’ she explains. ‘We use the money for fundraising. This year, any money we receive will go towards a new computer as our last one got broken.’
The pre-school holds two performances, with the older children performing a Nativity play, and the younger children taking part in a carol concert or, depending on the children’s ages and abilities, a family craft session. It also organises a raffle every Christmas, which costs 50p to enter.
This will be the first year St Peters Seedlings Pre-school in Worcester charges parents to see their children perform, due to ‘very tight’ finances.
The pre-school is one of two directed by Clare Dalton under the brand Angel Hands Childcare. She told Nursery World, ‘We came to the decision to charge for tickets as our numbers have been very low, and slow on the uptake, this year, so finances are very tight and we need some extra help to support the experiences we offer at pre-school.
‘We have worked really hard changing our pre-school garden to an open-ended area to play and discover. We need a shed where we can store our equipment, so the proceeds from the ticket sales will raise some much-needed cash.
‘We will also be holding a raffle and cake sale during the event to help us meet our “shed target.” The children and their families are being asked to bring in cakes for us to sell. The parents, carers and family members are being charged £1 per adult; this includes a mince pie and a cup of festive joy – tea or coffee for after the performance to encourage parents to stay, chat and buy cakes and raffle tickets.
‘None of our parents have refused, or even questioned why we have decided to charge; they know we only ask for money when we really need it. We don’t charge top-up on our funding – it is something we have tried to avoid but may not be able to for much longer.’
Not charging
For Christchurch Pre-school in Gravesend – a morning-only pack-away setting run from a church hall – charging is not an option.
Manager Sue Reilly says it doesn’t charge parents to see their children perform because some have little spare cash.
She explains, ‘The children perform for approximately ten minutes, which includes singing songs and taking part in telling the Nativity story. They stand on a makeshift stage and wear costumes that have either been made, donated or purchased. They are used year after year.
‘We don’t charge parents as for some, money is tight. Besides that, it’s about coming together at a lovely time of year to share a special time. It builds relationships with parents and supports our community.’
The Early Years Alliance and National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said it is vital that no parents are left out from seeing their child perform at Christmas.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said, ‘It’s hard to blame providers for these sort of charges when the Government have been quite explicit about what funding is and is not for.
‘It should be clear to anyone that this hardwires inequality into the “free” childcare offers by privileging the children of parents who can afford to pay those extras at the expense of those who can’t.
‘That’s not right at any time of year, but I think how unjust the system is becomes particularly apparent during the festive period. Frankly, there’s a straightforward way to stop this from happening and that is by making sure childcare is properly funded. Until that happens, parents and providers will have no choice but to do what they can to make ends meet.’
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, added, ‘Some nurseries may ask for a voluntary donation towards refreshments, a contribution towards the hiring of a hall if they are unable to host their performance on their own premises, or for a local charity.
‘We know that parents may also be asked to provide costumes or props too. However, it’s vital that no parents are excluded from those first precious performances that their children take part in. Some children can find the experience of performing in front of others stressful and the support of family there may help, while performing in front of family members can be a strong bonding and confidence-building experience.’