3 weeks of half days for reception children.

[Tohaveandtohold]

So my child is starting reception in sept and we got an email on Friday of their plans for
their transition and the new term. My main issue is they expect them to do 3 weeks of half day so half of the class will do 9-12 the first 2 weeks and then at week 3 they’ll be there for lunch so 9-12:45. The other half of the class will do half day in the afternoon.
I just feel this is out of touch. My child currently goes to nursery 4 days a week doing 8-6 though she’s picked up around 5 anyway and has never been clingy, so I can’t see how 3 weeks of half day will benefit her. Also we both work, luckily I’ll only go to the office 2 days a week so dh will pick up those days and we’re not using up all our annual leave unnecessarily. Can I request she only does half day for a week and that they have to provide her with full time education.
Like I don’t want to be ‘that’ parent at the beginning of her school journey but I feel 3 weeks is just ridiculous and out of touch

My daughter is starting reception in September. First week she is only in 2 mornings, week 2 she is only in 2 afternoons then week 3 she goes full time. I find it very bizarre. Also found out at her parents introduction evening this week that before and after school club for September was already full before we even found out if she got in to the school so I have no idea how I am going to juggle work and school

Just tell the school she will be starting full time from Day 1 and start looking for wrap around care.

Also @DinosInTheKitchen speak to/email the school about the wraparound being full problem. At DD's previous primary (during pandemic too!) they were really helpful about negotiating with the wraparound provider to get provision in, suggesting local childminders and at one point we even had an agreement to drop off early to allow time to get to work!

My daughter was so so excited to go to school like her big brother.
When I picked her up after the first half day or whatever short time it was, she looked so sad and said to me ‘is that it’?
she was expecting more. I don’t see the point of this prolonged transition

My twins don't start at all until the 15th, and then that's only a half day, their first full day is the 18th September! Now before anyone comes at me, I know school isn't childcare, but I also don't have a spare 8 weeks annual leave to take over the holidays 🙃

If you read back through the thread, dependent on your children age, you can insist on full days from the start.

I would also be questioning the school, LA or trust under the DfE attendance guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance

You never know how your child is going to settle. I remember telling a friend I was a little worried about how my summer born, quite clingy boy would be, especially as he had been unsettled at preschool drop offs and he’d only been doing 2 afternoons a week and she on the other hand was quite confident her son would be fine as he’d been in full time nursery since he was 9 months. Not in a smug way, just that she had no worries about him and that hopefully mine would be ok.

As it turned out mine went in happy as anything on his first day and we never had any issues, whereas she had months and months of her poor lad clinging on to her crying, refusing to go in, having to be carried screaming every single day for months.

Send them full time from day one - it’s a legal right to full time education from the start of the September term after the 4th birthday.

Compulsory full-time education starts from the term after the 5th birthday.

DT’s were born in July and started full time school in the September - 4 years and 2 months. We sent them full time from day one although the school operated as a staggered start. However we could have not sent them until the following year when they were five.

From Gov.Uk

School starting age
Most children start school full-time in the September after their fourth birthday. This means they’ll turn 5 during their first school year.
For example, if your child’s fourth birthday is between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 they will usually start school in September 2022.

If you want your child to start laterIf you do not think your child is ready to start school at the usual time, they can start later - as long as they’re in full-time education by the time they reach ‘compulsory school age’.
They can start:

• part time
• part-way through the year
• in the next school year, in the September after they turn 5

Compulsory school age

Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.
For example, if your child reaches compulsory school age on 31 March, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term (summer term that year).

Sorry if this has been said before but you can challenge this.

The Schools Admissions Code states that children are entitled to a full time place the September after their 4th birthday, and these phased starts are in breach of that.

Page 25
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/1001050/Schoolladmissionscodee2021.pdf

@ReadingSoManyThreads compulsory school age is not the same as the age at which children are entitled to a full time education, which is the September after they turn 4. They're entitled to it, it's just not compulsory for them to take it up.

In our school there is a staggered start over 3 days depending on the birth date of the child. Their first session is half day then the next full time. The teachers use these days to decide on classes trying to balance each class with need & maturity etc. It is easier for them to do this with smaller groups coming in than if they all started in one go.
When my children started they were on half days for about 3 weeks.

I have considered it, the issue is all the teachers are doing home visits in that time, and I wouldn’t want them just dumped in some random place.

I’ve managed to sort it with the use of grandparents, annual leave and parental leave (still pending approval though!!) I just couldn’t believe they basically had to go 8 weeks (bar one half day) away from any kind of setting, I find that is more unsettling as my one of my twins is going to be far too used to having either myself, DH, my mum or my sister (basically a familiar face) around, so drop offs for the first week or two will be a nightmare.