To think primary transition days aren’t much help if you work?

Our school does 3 days mornings, 3 days afternoon. I think it’s more disruptive for the kids. The afternoon sessions especially- they spend all morning getting worked up. My second child has done 4 days in the school preschool so for them, reception is just another classroom. They’re already used to the school day. Eldest did 8-6 (I usually collected around 5) so the school days were shorter in comparison. It’s hard after 6 weeks of summer to spend the next 1.5 weeks doing half days.

I had no idea. I have had 4 DCs at primary schools at varying times in 90's 00's and 10's and nobody, not the schools, or other parents have ever enlightened me of that.

school is literally an invention of the industrial revolution to allow adults to work.

In my humble opinion school is not designed to suit children in the slightest in many other respects so let's not suddenly claim it is when it comes to things like this.

if it was about childrens needs there would be a play focused day and it would not be compulsory to the extent that it is !

YANBU. The way they run schools (and nursery) now is bizarre and assumes people either don't work or can take time off. I think it's unusual to have settling in days in August rather than the start of term in September but, either way, they're a PIA and totally useless for all involved. I wouldn't worry about it so much. If your child can't go, they can't go.

Round here the afterschool clubs are often fully booked and many schools have a policy of discouraging using them in reception

I really REALLY hate the 'school is not childcare' comments. Yes it is!

It is ILLEGAL for your child to miss a day in school - so why on earth would any adult have multiple types of childcare set up to cover the many days they can't go in.

This is why lockdown was so traumatic for children and families - because we were shamed for the fact that without school adults couldn't work and children were totally isolated and dependent on stressed adults trying to WFH

people get X amount of days leave in some jobs - they don't live near family etc

We need to accept the reality and the government should REQUIRE all employers to be supportive of this sort of thing and provide days off.

My school used to do this and then stopped as found they settled in quicker if they were there every day

It doesn't matter how 'difficult to manage' it is. It is designed to be of benefit to your child and that should always be your priority

I agree OP

I don't think there is actually any evidence that it helps children.

Many children are in nursery long days anyway before school and cope with that fine, and it isn't a huge transition to school.

Parents need their leave for school holidays. All this means is that the kids starting school are more likely to be in holiday clubs during half terms etc...by which time I found mine were genuinely knackered and often ill, and really did need a break

Agree with OP these transition days are a nightmare for working parents. I was a secondary school teacher and had to rush off at lunchtime to collect my DS from school to take to a nursery for the afternoon. Had to do the same 2 years later with DS2. DH was unable to help as he worked too far away. I really thought that these days were a waste of time and unnecessary in my DS’s case.

Ok I’m going to butt in here on op’s behalf, having worked in a school myself.
First of all, she is a teacher, I’m sure you would all be up in arms if your child’s teacher wasn’t there every time something was happening in school.
Secondly, this is for June/july, I’m sure the op has things sorted for September with a childminder or wrap around care, things that aren’t available as easily in July when the child hasn’t started school.
Having worked in a school myself, you just accept the crappiness that you are unlikely to be able to attend sports day or assemblies or nativities (although I was lucky as there was always an evening performance), so things that ‘come up’ are either covered by dad, or no one. Obviously there is the benefit of school holidays, but let’s stop assuming covering as hoc things is going to happen for everyone.
Op, don’t beat yourself up, I worked full time in a primary so my kids missed the odd thing or I wasnt there (luckily dad often was). I also calmed down a lot of parents guilt when they expressed this to me when dropping their kids off, we can’t all do everything and showing your kids that working hard is a good thing is something not all kids get. My kids are way past all of that now and are unscathed!

Looking at it from the other viewpoint, back in the day my kids’s school lengthened the day from Y1 to accommodate working parents. I worked p/t so was really annoyed my kids had to have a longer day. The key thing is what’s best for the kids, with reasonable accommodations.

Probably in the day care nursery that the OP has arranged up until the child starts school in September so she can work at a school with other peoples children 🙄

Not every job has Al, some are just term time only jobs.

Very rarely and it is at the discretion of management.
You can request unpaid parental leave but this isn’t always granted.

Some schools are great and will work round letting parents take time for sports days, plays, and these kind of first day at school events but not all will.

We used to allow it more when we could cover one another using TAs and staff willing to swap PPa time, but the budgets are now so constrained it’s harder as there is less staff available and far less money to pay for additional cover.

It’s the term after they turn 5 and it’s that they have a right to an education, it’s doesn’t need to be at school. So it’s absolutely fine to stagger it.

It’s an absolute pain and ironically, the parents that struggle because they have work to think about are the ones whose dc have been in childcare from a very young age, often.

And to add to the chorus, if you’re a teacher you cannot take annual leave. It doesn’t matter if you give a full year of notice, it ain’t going to happen.

OP, get your dc to what you can and don’t worry about the rest. It will make zero difference. Especially as it’s before summer!

It’s bad luck that you don’t have flexible annual leave, your DH is away and you don’t have any family or friends that can help out. I think if you can do one or two of the days that will be absolutely fine. My DS missed his step-up day because we had a long-booked holiday at that time. I don’t think it made much difference at all as he’s a reasonably confident child. It’s good to have the option though, it wouldn’t be fair on the other children to stop them just because a few can’t make it.

Looking to the future, it may be worth lining up a back-up babysitter/childminder because once he’s at school these unexpected days are going to happen from time to time.

And how would you cope if your child's teacher or teaching staff just took off what they needed during term time meaning your kids don't get their education or support they should- you should note OP works in a school. They don't get AL and will probably be working to support the children in their school!

Some people need to remember some jobs are not flexible and those jobs are important to society.

Way to try and make the Op feel bad too.

They’re about to start school full-time, some of them have only just turned 4. It’s a massive transition and from here on in, they’ll be at school / college / uni / job for the rest of their lives… you can juggle for a few weeks to help them settle in ffs. It should be a special time where they really need parental support and seen us such, not an inconvenience.

A school can propose a staggered start but it’s not legally enforceable.

Am amazed at the number of parents who aren’t aware of the legal position of being able to start full time from day one and ignore a staggered start. For many children (and parents), a staggered start is not in anyone’s best interests.