Where are you, Racingsnake?

[jaded]

Hi Racingsnake! Hope you are well. My daughter is nearly in her last week of reception and I have found the first term the hardest (yes, harder than sleepless nights and toddler tantrums). I really am in two minds about sending her back in term 2. I never realised (I am a bit naive) just how harsh it would be given the age of these very young children.

I have virtually no contact with the teacher, my daughter doesn't come home with paintings, drawings or anything creative. She just wants to write ALL the time. The teacher has not dealt with bullying and some days I don't see the teacher at all (the classroom assistant brings them in and sees them out). After mananging to get my daughter to do half days for most of term one, the teacher started pestering me about when she would start full days. For the last couple of weeks she has done 3 full days a week and it has been awful. She is so tired and cranky on those days, a completely different child; petulant and with a real attitude. She argues with her brother on these days too. Also it feels so strange to leave her for such long periods with a teacher who doesn't want to build up much of a relationship with the parents or children. Even my daughter says the teacher is 'unfriendly' and hasn't made much of a rapport with her. And they expect you to leave your child for a 32 hour week with them?! There has also been bullying which has not been dealt with (would like to email you about this personally) and I had to take the matter to the Head. There is no information about anything - the school play, trips (well thay've only been on two the whole bloody term), the curriculum, what they do in the classroom, it's as if parents have been completely cut out! And at 4.5 years old for god's sake! My daughter says she finds aspects of it boring and doesn't seem excited to go in every moring. The teachers don't think there's a problem because she is able to cope with routines and is good at sounding at letters etc but they don't seem to know much about her (what she likes, what interests her etc.) The nursery staff (at her last school) saw less of her and knew her so well. Am I wrong to think children should be loving school at this age? I dread to think what year one is like if reception is anything to go by. This is an exciting age and there is so much they could be doing with the children!