To be angry with DDs school, she hasn't even started yet

I had a visit 24 years ago for my daughter so definitely not new in this area it was a lovely way for my DD to meet her new teacher.

Along with many others, I would assume something happened to the teacher that meant she couldn’t make it. It’s still really poor form for the school not to have kept you informed, especially after you phoned the office and, sadly, doesn’t bode well for future engagement.

I meant to add that I ALWAYS phoned if I’d got stuck in traffic or whatever and would have been absolutely mortified if I’d been later than about 20 mins so I think there’s been a system failure here….

It depends on your area - I did home visits for years (recently retired Reception teacher). The purpose is to meet the child on their own territory so they feel more at ease as they are in a familiar space. Also an opportunity for parents to ask any questions they might have in a less formal setting and with no one else around. Some people find that easier in their own home than in school itself. The children also had loads of opportunities to spend time in the classroom before they started school properly so the hope was that they felt as at ease as possible on the first day.
Most children love that you’ve been to their house and would often talk about it later in the year. I can understand parents not wanting it (it was always the offer of a home visit rather than a requirement) but in reality very few people didn’t sign up for one. It was also a lovely way to build a good relationship with parents right from the start.

Another that would assume something came up-annoying you stayed home and that your ds was disappointed but I don’t think I’d write off a school as a result

Try not to show your frustration in front of DD as she may get the idea that school is bad and makes Mummy cross.

I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that they are being rude. There might have been some kind of mix up somewhere or some other reason why the teacher was held at school.

Did the teacher make the appointment with you directly or did it go through the office?

I would imagine the teacher has been held at ransom by someone unburdening their whole life story to them at great length - hard to get out of these situations politely especially if someone is clearly distressed or in need of help and impossible to make a phone call during the conversation! I say that as someone who has had to sit helplessly while everyone else around them packed up and left at parents’ evening because one appointment was going very much over time because of a sensitive conversation that couldn’t easily be cut short without seeming hugely heartless.

Yes I'd be annoyed and I wouldn't allow the appointment to be rescheduled either.

That’s not stealth boasting just pointing out that there is no need to visit a home and if I did live in more difficult circumstances that this would make me feel really bad.

On the face of it, it is rude, but perhaps reserve judgement until you know why. If there isn’t a good reason, I’d be pretty annoyed though.

I think home visits prior to starting, have been the norm for a while, but I don’t suppose they’re universal.

I wouldn’t want a home visit. Judgy bastards and I live in comparative luxury to many people in this country.

Not fancy - is what every school does in our county as recommended by the local authority.

Yes, it does seem odd. Is this a new thing and what is the purpose of the visit? It seems highly intrusive to me.

My friend's grandson had a home visit from his teacher and a TA yesterday. Ordinary state school
Apparently he hid under the table...

DT’s school did home visits - we declined as DH and are were at work and not practical to take the time off (I was working in Singapore and DH, a doctor, couldn’t cancel his surgeries).

Didn’t cause any issues when they started - we also rejected the staggered start the school proposed.

As others have said, it happened for us here when both my children started reception class (10/12yrs ago). We could decline it if we wanted to. The children had a staggered timetable for the first two weeks, and the teacher and her class assistant would fit in all the visits in between these times.

Sorry you were messed around, OP. It may have been something simple like the teacher left her phone behind, so couldn’t contact the school to let you know.

This is very poor from the school as whatever happened they should have told you, we had home visit for primary for our first child, I think it's quite common especially as they start on half days so teachers had the time. I am out of primary days now but I did think they weren't very accommodating of working parents with all the expectations over the years.

The teacher will possess a mobile phone...

Not sure why teachers now want to visit the home, but not turning up is bad manners, so I wouldn’t accommodate any future visits.🤷‍♀️

Unless in an accident, no excuse for not phoning

Why is their time more important than the OP's?

And why would you disappoint one of your new pupils?

Very normal now

Is be fuming at losing half a days pay for no reason

Bad attitude from the school, missing appointment without notice and then not getting back to you. There may have been some major catastrophe or they may simply be lax. I wouldn't go ballistic, mostly because I wouldn't want DD to be upset, but I would be watching that they communicate better in future.

They might. But why does that excuse them from not giving OP the courtesy of a phone call to apologise and say something has come up?