If you don’t live in the U.K., what unimportant thing does your school system obsess over?

[Flynnstone]

In the U.K. policing uniform takes up a disproportionate amount of time. What is the equivalent pointless thing where you’re from?

Same in Scotland with ‘Gaelic Provision’ AKA Private By Stealth. Could have written every word of your post myself, with the exception of the job in government part.

Teacher in Scotland: same! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Imagine negotiating rules not only with your child’s other parents but with 40 other adults! 🫣
Regarding play dates you don’t need to organise anything really and can just let them play but having (in our case) 4-5 kids in your house who do not normally necessarily play together and you do need to be more hands on than in other play dates (also making sure that no one is left out etc). You want it to be a success after all.

I have not encountered people avoiding going to other people’s houses as seen as undesirable or anything along those lines. When a requested play date/play group doesn’t happen it is typically as the parents haven’t gotten round to organising it.

I'm in France too and it always seems crazy to me that I have to provide four different colours of ballpoint pens but 4-colour pens are not allowed. Every year the news run a story about the average weight of a kid's satchel but then she schools enforce stupid rules like this.

Last year's teacher was also overly obsessed with making them sing stupid songs (with obligatory "choir practice" outside, standing up, in a heatwave when temperatures here were above 40°c.

Looking back at the UK as an outsider, I am absolutely enthralled by any threads about lunchboxes and the amount of policing that goes on around them. Packed lunches aren't an option here - kids have lunch at school or go home and I, as a kid of the 80s, went to school with a potted meat sandwich, a bag of crisps and a bar of chocolate so all the checks I read about on here seem absolutely bonkers to me. Another thing that suggests to me that I wouldn't last 10 minutes as an adult in the UK...

what would happen in Denmark if you refused

not in Scotland 😜

Yes!

Well not squares because there using the ‘seyes’ but yes they are taught to write between the lines.
Including the fa t not all letters have the same high (the t is smaller than a L and d is in between the two)

Uniform was almost optional by the time I left S6 😂

Would be horrid if some are left out somehow when everyone else is having these group playdates.

When my oldest (now 25) started elementary school the rules were similar to this, but they were changed over a decade ago in all the schools in our area to be much more relaxed and applicable to both boys and girls.

Not really unimportant!

Indeed, the Stationary Cupboard at work has never moved, and I am glad they took the time to write and print a sign out to warn us

😊
I’m finding it fascinating. I really appreciate all the replies.

It’s the teacher who makes the list so difficult to be left out (and no one would consider/dare not inviting everyone in the group). Though now I’m remembering once my son was forgotten from the list! We just wrote to the teacher and the list was updated: no drama, and solved in minutes.

Most parents want Irish to continue in schools so you’re in the minority with your view.
Polls and surveys have consistently shown this, though there are certainly issues about how it’s taught.

Educated in Scotland and currently teaching in Scotland; I agree.

Basically nothing as playgroups are an offer from school. Most parents will probably see it as mandatory though.

If a family opts out of the scheme the child will be outside the childrens' socializing and playing which few parents want.
The school will keep an eye on the family if it refuses to take part in playgroups.

Every family is encouraged to participate so if a child is left out it is a parental decision.
It is not a thing in Denmark to opt out of other children's homes then invited for the school playgroup. You show up. Few questions asked.

One of the most interesting threads I’ve read on here.

Eh, the poster didn’t say that…

I have a randoseru which is a Japanese backpack.

You don't get measured for them and there is a tradition of grandparents taking their grandchild to buy them. The proper leather ones can be £500+.

As well as being a backpack that should last until you leave school they can be used as an earthquake protection and as a floatation device.

It's bit ott here though isn't it.
I think stuff like 100 attendance award are a bs. I don't know anyone from mine who would get it. Because when kids are sick, they stay home. Pushing through some ilnesse scan have lasting cumulative effect. Do you know what we also don't have? Noro doing rounds. Coincidence? Maybe🤔 Now, summer camp is a different matter with noro.... 😂

DD was only ever invited by one Girl who left in third class. It got better when she was too old for after school club and could arrange it herself. But after several weekends biking round the village getting nowhere she's basically given up. I didn't have the headspace to host (DH did a few times).

Sorry your DD was only invited by one girl :(
There's a boy in DS's class who had only arrived in the country shortly before school started so didn't speak much Finnish yet so was struggling to fit in to the class, something like encouraged playdates might have helped him perhaps. But I made DS invite him to his birthday party which helped a bit at least.

You are brave, Fiderer! Hats off, I would have struggled with the official meeting too.

Another German primary and kindergarten obsession: cold feet will make your child ill. A lot of effort is made to ensure that kids don't get cold feet in winter.