Reception Home Visit - felt so awkward😂

[Cheekychiq]

Omg just wanted to quickly vent - just had my child’s teacher/TA round for their reception home visit. I had been extremely nervous about this because although I had consented to it, I was really not keen on having it because I just feel like it’s a massive invasion of privacy - don't get me wrong, I know that them doing home visits serves a fantastic purpose and they get to see your child in a more comfortable and familiar setting and can definitely be a great opportunity for some parents to raise concerns that they might not get the chance to do on the school premises but still - I feel like if I had not consented then you automatically get labelled as that uncooperative parent and it might look like you’ve got something to hide 😳

the visit went well and my child was very pleased to see them and super enthusiastic 😂 but it just felt soooo unnatural to me and I just felt soooo uncomfortable throughout. It’s the first time I’ve had a teacher at my home so maybe that’s why and they were very lovely but still 😂😂😭😭 just curious, has anyone ever declined a school home visit (if it was ever offered at your child/ren’s school?) if yes, did you feel like there was any backlash? Or not? Arrrgh feel like I need to really unwind and destress after this because I noticed the TA checking out the house (she didn’t know I could see her) and her eyes were darting left, right and centre) 🥲

ARRRRRGHHHHH😂 I’m sure I’ll recover …vent complete

The home visits help to identify, from the word go, which children might be vulnerable.

im Still on the fence about school home visits tbh

It happened when both my DCs started school over 15 years ago. It was a way of confirming that you were eligible to be at the school, lived where you said you did and a safeguarding check. My DCs school was over subscribed and parents do all sorts of unscrupulous things to get their DCs into the 'best' schools - just you wait until the catchment areas for senior schools becomes a thing!

This is so cute!’

My dd’s infants school did a home visit, by ds’s infants school didn’t (different schools due to change of catchment but both under same LA control).

It definitely is awkward but I assumed it had a child protection angle, making sure that home life seems okay and to see child doesn’t have huge issues. Most experienced professionals can tell quite quickly what a child is like when they seen them in their normal environment- whereas if you invite the kid to a settling in meeting at school, they are often too terrified to behave normally.

All the schools here do them (London) - I don't know if they are checking we really live where we say we do, or whether they want to check out family or cultural or housing or language issues.

They turned up half an hour early at a friend's house and she was taking a quick shower after cleaning the house for them. She had to stick her head out the bathroom window while she stood there dripping, and ask them to give her 10 minutes - now that is an awkward home visit.

Yep had this for my daughter many years ago (she's 20 now). Not only did she hide behind my chair for the whole visit but her younger brother went and did a poo for attention in the bath. So that went well😂

😂😂😂huh

The TA sounds awkward tbf!! When I do it, I always discuss approach with the ta, and generally, the ta will engage with the child first while teacher chats to parent/guardian, then we will swap for a bit, to give me a chance to chat to the child, then swap back a bit in case the parent has thought of anything else to ask me. It's done pretty subtly so that it's not awkward. Sitting there and sweeping the house with eyes is pretty odd.

I have declined our visit purely because of work commitments and I have already gone to the school a few times and so they've seen my Daughter playing and interacting with me and other children.

😂😂😂😂omggg

I've never heard of this. How absolutely horrifying!!

Unless these were legally required I'd decline.

Home is home, school is school. I think it's inappropriate and intrusive.

Had it with both my DCs - normal state primary in London.

Yes this is what must have put me off tbh. Ah well, it’s all done with now whewww

I have allowed health visitors and pre start school visits but once I am done, I am done. My life is my life and I am the boss. Enough visits.

Yes that pretty much sums it up. Home is home. School is school

I felt uncomfortable, had that forced smile, and just wanted it to be over with.

This person is going to be in loco parentis for your child for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.

It's not really a person you don't know. It's your child's teacher. You don't know them yet ,but they are going to be playing a pretty important role in your child's life.

Not exactly a random stranger asking for entry to your home, is it?

I haven't ever heard of this, and I've had four go through primary in England!

True, but it’s more complex than this, it’s not that I don’t want to know them, it’s that I don’t want them in my home 😂

I would absolutely hate it. And I am most definitely not socially awkward.

Yes, and longer ago than that! And still do it now.

I didn’t mind in the slightest - it helped the DC feel excited for school starting reception.

It meant they felt the teachers and staff were friends already (because they showed them their room and introduced the teddy bears). It also meant the staff had some nice personal touches to welcome them.

It feels a bit weird as the adult, but it was helpful for the children, so I just got on with it.

Our school do these. They're great & a lovely opportunity for the kids to get familiar-ish with the teachers. I don't really get the stress!

A person can't help being ill. Did you want her to stagger in regardless?