Page 9 | To think primary transition days aren’t much help if you work?

Transitiondays · 2025-04-27T06:45:29+00:00

Arghh. Three primary transition days, two with pick ups at midday and one full day but obviously finishing around three. I’m guessing this is standard but very difficult to manage!

NewsdeskJC · 27/04/2025 08:25

My dd went to nursery 8-4.30 from the age of 10 months
I have a picture of her fast asleep after her half day. Absolutely exhausted.

Longma · 27/04/2025 08:24

orangina01 · 27/04/2025 08:14

I think, to be honest, you'll have to do what the rest of the working parent population does and either arrange childcare or use annual leave. There's usually plenty of notice of the planned days for your child, so booking annual leave now is the name of the game. Welcome to working with a primary age child, it can be a logistical juggle but planning ahead is key. School is designed to manage what's best to teach a child, and I wouldn't expect my children's school to do anything different. It's fun for people with twins in different reception classes!

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Annual leave isn’t an option if you work in a school, as the Op does.

Marleygolden · 27/04/2025 08:24

I wouldn’t stress about it. Transition days were not common thirty years ago, and we all somehow managed to cope. Kids won’t be forming deep bonds with each other in the space of 2-3 days and a little discomfort on entering a new place is totally normal (and will be as they go through life).

Elektra1 · 27/04/2025 08:23

It’s not for parental convenience, it’s to ease the kids in to a very different new routine.

Sirzy · 27/04/2025 08:23

Can you swap PPA time with another staff member to cover some?

ProfessionalWhimsicalSkidaddler · 27/04/2025 08:23

I’ve never heard of them happening in July. It gets worse. They do this for high school here and I’m fairly certain they made their way over from the primary together. The county had the same days for all so somehow it worked but small kids won’t remember that long apart will they?

Booboobagins · 27/04/2025 08:23

I agree they weren't very helpful for my kids either esp as they'd been at nursery on full days beforehand....

Original poster

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 08:22

I have explained quite a few times now that annual leave isn’t an option in my job, ironically because I am a teacher!

OP posts:

orangina01 · 27/04/2025 08:20

orangina01 · 27/04/2025 08:14

I think, to be honest, you'll have to do what the rest of the working parent population does and either arrange childcare or use annual leave. There's usually plenty of notice of the planned days for your child, so booking annual leave now is the name of the game. Welcome to working with a primary age child, it can be a logistical juggle but planning ahead is key. School is designed to manage what's best to teach a child, and I wouldn't expect my children's school to do anything different. It's fun for people with twins in different reception classes!

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Sorry you've said it's July so slightly more difficult to arrange annual leave but hopefully your line manager will understand. At my workplace we all pitch in to help for situations related to our children and days for concerts, etc.

unconditionalpurelove · 27/04/2025 08:20

I have worked in schools and so I know how inflexible it can be in terms of getting any time off for things like this as the idea is you get the holidays off and are paid to work the term time hours. Life isn't always that simple though is it?
I wouldn't worry if your dc can't do all the days, as long as they can do some that's fine.

Original poster

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 08:19

I am a bit worried @notsureyetcertain because the ones he can do are the two at the end if you like. So he’ll have missed three by that point. I will ask work but I’m not hopeful; they are famously difficult about things like this. I’m sure it won’t make any difference long term but like most people with PFB I am anxious to make things as smooth as possible for him starting his schooling journey.

OP posts:

doodleschnoodle · 27/04/2025 08:19

Longma · 27/04/2025 08:17

I think the OP is referring to the transition days during the summer term rather than the staggered starts many schools have for new reception starters.

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Yes she is, the transitional days at our school were in the summer term before the holidays too (the ones nursery took the kids too). Our school was full time from the start thank goodness!

andHelenknowsimmiserablenow · 27/04/2025 08:18

This is just the start of it, OP, soon there will be inset days you haven't planned for, pressure to attend mid school day events, early closing on random days before term ends. Having to use annual leave that you want to save for the actual school holidays. The guilt and stress of not having the flexibility other people seem to have is exhausting.
Teachers and other school staff don't have the flexibility to leave their jobs in the middle of the day to do these things, and yet schools still seem to work on the expectation that there is a SAHP (or very flexible jobs) in every household.

Longma · 27/04/2025 08:17

doodleschnoodle · 27/04/2025 07:52

A school near us does like two weeks of half days for kids just starting school, which must be a nightmare for working parents.

Our nursery took the kids to, stayed with and then took back to nursery for transitional activities that happened on days they were in.

I think the OP is referring to the transition days during the summer term rather than the staggered starts many schools have for new reception starters.

notsureyetcertain · 27/04/2025 08:17

So these are days the child can attend in June/july as a prep for September? And you can take dc to one and dh to a second., then if there’s no grandparents or anyone who can help on the other days just do the two. Are you worried you look bad? Or that your child is having a disadvantage by not attending them all? It really won’t make much difference in the long run

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 27/04/2025 08:17

Laserwho · 27/04/2025 07:53

School isn't childcare, and shouldn't be. Your child's care is still your responsibility. What are you going to do when your school rings you are 11am saying come pick up your child as they are ill? What are you planning to do for teacher training days ? What about snow days. You need to be planning for this. School is not childcare and stuns me that people think it is

No its not childcare but finding childcare to work around these adhoc things is very difficult. Parents are allowed to complain about it. Given the increasing pressure for women to work and in more intense jobs , childcare needs to improve to facilitate it.

Original poster

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 08:15

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This is a very cruelly worded post and done so deliberately. Annual leave isn’t an option in my job. My child is the opposite of an inconvenience to me, hence why I work part time, but unfortunately we may have hit a wall here.

OP posts:

doodleschnoodle · 27/04/2025 08:15

A lot of people in bad moods at 8am on a Sunday it seems!

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 27/04/2025 08:15

Fuzzypinetree · 27/04/2025 08:09

It's meant to help them get settled in without it being too overwhelming at first. Is there anyone else who can help with pickups? Perhaps another mum and they can do a playdate after, if necessary?

We are abroad. DC2 is about to start nursery. She's got a month of 9.30am to 12.30, then we'll slowly increase to incorporate lunch and increasingly longer times. She's got a full-time spot - 7.30 am to 5pm, although I'll most likely get her at 2pm most days. It's normal here, and I've been told to expect settling in to the last 6 to 8 weeks.

Edited

How do people manage that with work?

Original poster

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 08:14

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 27/04/2025 08:11

Your OP wasn't clear. Most people will assume you meant September and you've only just now said it's July. So don't get annoyed at posters

I have been perfectly polite. I have corrected some misinformation and I have explained (repeatedly, patiently) that in September I will have childcare in place which isn’t available to me now. There is nothing ‘annoyed’ in that response, unless you really don’t like being corrected.

OP posts:

orangina01 · 27/04/2025 08:14

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 07:51

No, I am saying my child probably can’t do them. I will try, but it’s going to be very difficult to manage.

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I think, to be honest, you'll have to do what the rest of the working parent population does and either arrange childcare or use annual leave. There's usually plenty of notice of the planned days for your child, so booking annual leave now is the name of the game. Welcome to working with a primary age child, it can be a logistical juggle but planning ahead is key. School is designed to manage what's best to teach a child, and I wouldn't expect my children's school to do anything different. It's fun for people with twins in different reception classes!

Tbrh · 27/04/2025 08:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Coffeeishot · 27/04/2025 08:12

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 07:51

No, I am saying my child probably can’t do them. I will try, but it’s going to be very difficult to manage.

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It is you that "can't:" do them I understand you are working, but you are going to need to organise things around school for the next 12ish years this is your first hurdle.

Parker231 · 27/04/2025 08:12

Transitiondays · 27/04/2025 07:49

It’s not a Y6 child, as then I wouldn’t need to be managing work. It’s a child going into reception.

You don’t have to do a staggered start. They are legally entitled to start full time from day one. We did this - a staggered start was impractical and also not benefit to DC’s.

WannabeMathematician · 27/04/2025 08:12

I think that if these days are in the summer term I wouldn’t bother if it can’t be done. It’ll be 6+ weeks before your child starts again either way a staggered start in September. And yes I do think that that school is child care in this case. This isn’t in the academic year you child turns 5 it’s before.