Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

The Headmaster's letter a little while ago pointed out that 28th June is Parents Day... I really don't remeber this taking place last year (or am I finally losing the plot?), Does anyone else remember it (if so - well done- perhaps your brain was less damaged than mine in youth ). What do (did?) we do on such an occasion?

And on a related point - what about telling the new parents (and the hard of memory current ones) about the other High Days of the school calendar. They all came as a great surprise to me and I would have liked details in advance so that I would have known whether to bring a camera/relative/picnic. Yet another set of things I somehow should have known and didn't...

There was one event (guess what- can't remember which one....) at which I was told "we usually have drinks on the lawn in front of the House". Missed all that - damn! But these occasions do offer a rare opportunity to involve relatives and mingle with fellow parents. And Old Blues!

Do you not get sent a calender? I thought parents got a calender or at least a sheet of key dates? Parents day happens every year, It has been moved around a bit and i think there was once a suggestion of putting it on with ob day.

Parent's Day was not held last year as the school calendar was too full. It is normally held each year tho. Parents do normally get a calendar with all the special days in there, but I suppose you have to know what to look out for. The main ones this term are Speech Day when all the parents can watch the school and band 'March Past' the Lord Mayor on the 23rd May, the girls all look lovely in their ceremonials. Parents Day, which is a nice informal day with BBQ's or picnics going on. And of course Beating Retreat on the last day of term when a lot of parents bring picnics to eat in the quad while they watch.

HuggerMugger - was just going to the same as Barnes Mum - it was cancelled last year due to lack of available free dates. It was also a bit of a mess up last year with the Lord Mayor's visit as it had to be on a Friday and presumably lots of working parents missed it.

On Parent's Day our house - that's yours and mine HuggerMugger - have a BBQ and Pimms on the front lawn etc. We have in the past all brought different items for the buffet. In our case we then move on to our daughter's house (next door) and have a picnic - what a greedy family

x

I'm sure that in previous years Parents Day has been on the same date as Speech Day, usually at the beginning of half term. We've been able to watch the march-past, and then go off to our childrens' Houses for BBQs, picnics or whatever (seems to depend on the House), and then take them home for half term! Last year this didn't happen because speech day was moved to a Friday in order to accommodate the Lord Mayor. I might have got this wrong - like Huggermugger, I find my memory is not what it once was!

I'm looking forward to finding out what the new agenda for the day involves. I see from another thread that OBs have been invited to attend a Science Day on the same date, so I'm hoping that having a dedicated Parents Day will offer us the opportunity to see a bit more of the work and activities that our children have been involved in. But I do wonder whether divorcing the event from a scheduled pick-up day will make it more difficult for far-flung parents to attend?

blondie95 wrote:Do you not get sent a calender? I thought parents got a calender or at least a sheet of key dates? Parents day happens every year, It has been moved around a bit and i think there was once a suggestion of putting it on with ob day.

Hi blondie95 - sorry I should have made myself clearer. We do get copies of the CH termly calendar sent to us (I love looking through it to discover what everyone's up to & often wish I could attend things like the Grecians' lectures!) but initially I had no idea what they entailed. Until you've attended a Speech Day you don't know that there's a March Past or that the Lord Mayor and his entourage attend (loved the cars and just who is that man in the Cossack style hat?). You're not aware that parents bring other members of the family and picnic etc. I may be imagining it (here I go again) but I think the info I've been given about Speech Day this year is a lot more detailed than it was last year and that's what prompted me to start this topic.

Momto2 wrote:HuggerMugger - was just going to the same as Barnes Mum - it was cancelled last year due to lack of available free dates. It was also a bit of a mess up last year with the Lord Mayor's visit as it had to be on a Friday and presumably lots of working parents missed it.

On Parent's Day our house - that's yours and mine HuggerMugger - have a BBQ and Pimms on the front lawn etc. We have in the past all brought different items for the buffet. In our case we then move on to our daughter's house (next door) and have a picnic - what a greedy family

x

Ah ha! I knew the Pimms came into it somewhere! OK, I admit it - that's what really prompted me to start this topic - I just want to be able to sit on well manicured lawns (that I haven't had to mow) and drink...

ailurophile wrote: I'm looking forward to finding out what the new agenda for the day involves. I see from another thread that OBs have been invited to attend a Science Day on the same date, so I'm hoping that having a dedicated Parents Day will offer us the opportunity to see a bit more of the work and activities that our children have been involved in. But I do wonder whether divorcing the event from a scheduled pick-up day will make it more difficult for far-flung parents to attend?

Agreed on both counts. I wondered about the Science Day/Parents Day interaction and I like the fact that Old Blues will be around at the same time as parents. It doesn't seem to happen very often. Perhaps we should arrange a forum meet-up/ picnic.... I will be the one wearing a sunflower and carrying a rolled up copy of "Grow Your Own" (vegetables - don't get excited..)

huggermugger wrote: I will be the one wearing a sunflower and carrying a rolled up copy of "Grow Your Own" (vegetables - don't get excited..)