To think that if school starts at 8.50....

[scrimper]

That when I arrive at 8.46am like I did this morning then my children shouldn't be the last ones in, with all the other kids sat on the carpet during the register and me getting dirty looks for being "late"?

The school starts at 8.50 but due to congestion in the playground during some building works (which are now finished) They started opening the doors at 8.40 to avoid parents hanging around and being in the way of more parents coming in. But it was always said that you can arrive anytime between 8.40 and 8.50

I felt really crap coming away this morning. First day back and the girls were made to feel like we were late and had to walk in mid register in front of everybody. If school starts at 8.40 then they need to state this.

YANBU! perhaps ask the teacher for clarification at pick up today?

It's a bit like this at DS's school. They open the doors at 8.30, but class doesn't official start until 8.50. I agree with redexpat that you should ask for clarification from the teacher. She shouldn't be giving you dirty looks if you are on time.

Are you sure you didn't mistake the time? Unless the people at your school are more than usually punctual, it seems very odd that you would be the last ones in at 8.46am. (possibly my DC go to a school where people run later than usual but with 5 minutes to go before school started normally less than half the claass is there).

Yes Redskybynight. I am sure. I checked the clock in the classrooms when I dropped them off. The others are there because this is a regular problem, not just today. Usually I am earlier than I was today, but popped back for some water bottles as a friend told me that the water fountains were not working.

Will clarify with the teacher this afternoon. The rest of the school went back on Friday but we were on holiday (authorised, school had changed the term dates after I booked the holiday before anybody judges - they have had 100% attendance every other school year).

Maybe the school clock read different to yours?

YANBU.

We've had similar issues at DD's primary - doors open at 8:20am, school starts at 8:40. The gates are closed at 8:40 on the dot, if you arrive after then you're supposed to go through the office for a late mark. If the gate is open, you're on time

Several times last year we arrived way before 8:40 to find half the class all sitting on the carpet half way through the register, with lots of tutting and sighing from the teacher.

It used to be doors open at 8:30, registration at 8:40, but there were problems with lots of lateness so they decided to open the doors 10 minutes earlier to give parents a bigger drop off window which has actually really helped, but some teachers seemed to think the doors opening earlier meant registration was earlier

My Dc's old primary was very like this. For the Junior bit they did pretty much move the start time to 8:40, for the infants they tried to start at 8:45 but the official start was 9:00. Not all teachers who moved from the Junior to the Infants quite understood that the early start time was voluntary and that some pupils couldn't be there at 8:45 as they had to walk down having dropped older siblings at the other site.

Ours is doors open at 8.40 but not officially late until 8.50. I started off thinking I could arrive anytime between the two but soon realised all the mums are there outside for the bell at 8.40

We aim to get there for 8.40 at the latest now. They line up in the playground and go in together. It sounds similar, a child going in after 8.40 would feel late even if not officially.

I'd just get there before the bell/doors open!!

Just check time our school the children line up at 8.50 in the play ground, register is supposed to be taken at 9am but ive noticed the teachers sometimes start the register pretty much straight away

Similar at ours but no lining up, doors open at 8.40, register is at 8.50, arriving any time after 8.45 means a rush to get coats off, homework and letters put in trays, water bottles out etc. Most people are waiting when the doors open.

I assume Registration is at 8.50, so it's nice if the children are in and ready for it (just as you don't walk into work on the dot of 9am).

Is it possible that due to the fact they opened the doors at 8:40 and almost all the chn were already there and sat on the carpet at that time the teacher just started the register a few minutes early?

It keeps the chn from wondering off and getting too involved in exploring their new classroom. After which it can become difficult to get their calm, quiet focus back.

Especially likely as it was the first day and everything tends to run slightly early during the first few days while the teacher gets to know how long that particular class takes to get through routine tasks. (You always plan for much longer than you need for eg, putting on coats for playtime, the first few times.)

I'm sorry you felt uncomfortable though. Just check your chn weren't marked in late, check you've not missed any letters changing the times and then just try and move on and not worry about it.

WOW - It's amazing that they all get there on time IMO.

We start at 8.50. Bell goes at 8.45 and only then are parents and children allowed to cross the playground to the classroom doors. Doors open 8.50 with reg 8.55 and lessons start at 9. It's quite nice as it means all the children arrive at the doors together so no one there at 8.50 is late :)

I think its a tricky one because you can also cause problems by dropping your children too early when the teacher is still setting up the classroom and not ready for pupils.

Perhaps they started registration early because the children happened to be there and the dirty looks were in your head? Maybe she was annoyed because everyone had arrived early and were being a nuisance or an incident happened just before you walked in, and her expression had nothing to do with you?

However, it is easily sorted - just politely check what time they want you to arrive.

At my school we were told to start the register at dead on 8.50am on the classroom clock. The doors opened at 8.40 and 95% of the class were in and on the carpet by 8.45am. We were not allowed to let children in once the register had started - they had to go to the office and the HT would give you hell if she found out children had been allowed in when technically late.

Generally it was ok but if a parent's watch was out of sink with the school ones then there was problems and very unhappy parents because their kids got late marks for being 30 seconds after 8.50.

In your case I'd double check your watch with the school clock and if there isn't a problem there, just ask the teacher what the actual start time is this year....just in case there has been a change or they are being much more strict on it.

So what did the teacher say?

Lurking

Any update op?

Not really. School confirmed times are as I thought. I have just left the house earlier than usual since Monday. It's silly as it no longer eases congestion in the playground/pathways, it just means the congestion is earlier than it was before .
oh well!

Don't worry I expect it'll soon slide back to a bit later once the new year highly organised glow wears off