To want to drop and run at school?

[Cuppaand2biscuits]

My dd is 6 years old, in year one. The school got a new head teacher in September who implemented a new morning routine that I just can't get on with.
Old morning routine = Assemble in playgroup, bell gets rung, all children into lines, teacher leads into.classroom. Parents welcome to follow if children requests or they wish to speak with teacher.

New morning routine = Everyone assemble in classroom. Some mornings we have to choose a book and read with our children for 5/10 minutes other days it's 'Wakefield Up Shake Up' where we have to dance along to a bouncy routine! Then the tambourine rings and we kiss goodbye and leave.
Obviously I don't object to the interaction with my child but there's 30 pupils in the class, each with an adult and lots with a younger sibling or 2. It's too many people, it's too hot when we're dressed for the cold. It's a bloody faff!
Anyone else successfully challenged this sort of shit?

I wouldn't participate, doesn't suit my image

You say that "the head implemented a new routine" - did s/he do this without consultation? If so, then I would write to your child's class teacher and simply say that this routine doesn't fit in with yours, that you undertake to deliver the child every morning in time for registration and will leave her at the classroom door for this purpose. Encourage all your fellow parents to write similar letters and the policy will be re-thought by half term. This is "New Headteacher Logic" - "I must do something to make an impact; this looks like something; I shall do it" - all, of course, without thinking through the consequences.

What an ingenious way to get rid of those helicopter parents who insist on doing the bag for little jimmy, putting his coat on the hook for him and finding his name and putting it in the pot thus ensuring that Jimmy never learns to be resilient or independent, misses most of PE because he can't undress himself and goes through three or four stationery sets because he doesn't know how to put it away or look after it. If this was my class, I would run before I got roped into the activities - well done that teacher for thinking of it

Ain't nobody got time for that!!!!

I still think it's targeted at getting parents to exercise, or exercise with their kids as a matter of course. The size of a lot of the parents at my children's school would suggest this is a good idea. A lot of obesity, children scoffing chocolate biscuits on the way to school, fat children. And I'm not judging but just stating a fact and as all you hear about these days is tackling childhood obesity this could be a cunning new programme for saving NHS ££££.

What an ingenious way to get rid of those helicopter parents

Hadn't thought of it that way. For the ones still shaking it in term 3, introduce compulsory singing.

Are there fire regulations to consider?
This sounds completely ridiculous.

Like Liz70's and other Scottish parents' schools, my DCs' elementary school didn't allow parents past the various entry points at all. You would drop off your child, and if necessary for younger children bring them to the appropriate lining up point (school building was along a street, no enclosed playground) and make sure they took their place in line. They had allotted places in alphabetical order though the 'line leader' position was changed weekly so each child would get a chance to go first some time. There were usually some parents standing around chatting but most dropped and left - most parents had to get to work. There were always teachers or TAs supervising each line or often two lines, up to about age 7/8, and a teacher at the door where the older classes filed in.

The bell would sound and the students would troop in unaccompanied by parents. The youngest were expected to manage their coats and jackets and winter boots, etc. and they did. It worked really well. Any emotional transitions that had to be managed took place outside the building. This was the routine from the first day even for the 3 yos in their preschool class.

At the end of the day, parents gathered or parked close to the school and waited for the youngest classes while a teacher or TA manned each door. The youngest students were released from the lobby only to parents or caregivers/designated older siblings. Older students could leave on their own though there was always a teacher to gather up students whose lift hadn't turned up. It worked really well.

Once the school day started all the doors were locked and anyone entering had to be buzzed in to the school office.

The beauty of it was that once the children were inside the building it was a 100% school environment, and the transition to sitting in class took only minutes after coats were taken off and lunch put in lockers. Plus it was not chaotic, no teachers had to deal with parents trying to buttonhole them in the classroom, and no teacher had to shoo parents or toddlers etc out the door in order to get the day started.

It sounds really divisive. All the children with parents or carers who can't be there must feel left out? As a working mum it would have made me feel bad and most working mums have times when they feel a bit guilty anyway.

The social aspect of the school was incredibly strong. This was accomplished by involving parents in actual work to support it through many fundraising activities, through the parents' association putting out a school directory so you could get in touch with others, through elections to the (advisory) school board, and through chatting outside the school. There were 'room parent' volunteers who assisted with social events and logistics in the classroom (Halloween party, photo day, class trips). There was also a very strong school sports tradition that meant parents did a good deal of carpooling and/or watching games and matches in various sports together. You don't have to spend time inside the building to have a solid social framework.

I'm also in Scotland and am amazed by this - not just the singing and dancing (which is actually laugh out loud funny to picture) but by having all those adults in the school!

When my son started school parents were allowed into the playground for the first day or so, to take pictures, say their goodbyes, and see them getting into line at the door. After that, parents had to stay behind a line marked on the ground a few metres inside the gate, and well away from the building.

Like others, I was only in my son's classroom on parent/teacher evenings or if I had arranged to go in for a chat with the teacher. Any time I went to the school for any purpose, to take my son for an appointment or to see a teacher, I reported to the office which was at the entrance and waited there until my son appeared or the teacher came to get me.

As for the singing and dancing! Just no! I wouldn't do it, and my son has Asperger's and would run screaming from the building!

Massive safeguarding issue, and it is a fire safety issue as well. If the alarm goes off, the teacher is the one who knows the drill, knows how many children have to be got out, and is the adult the children will look to for guidance. Imagine the chaos if an alarm went off when the classroom was filled with 60 children and adults!

I'm also in Scotland and am amazed by this Don't worry it's one of those English fads that'll disappear as fast as it arrived.

What kind of school is this? I have never heard anything like it. If more parents objected to it they would stop it. Children don't need this or parents.

Do they actually teach the kids anything? I would speak to the governors and find out if your child is actually learning anything.

Back in the day a friends school used to have the kids singing "tub thumping" instead of a regular hymn or song in assembly!

It's bullshit. Get it stopped

I wouldn't be doing the wake up shake up shite
Perhaps you could raise a Heath and safety concern that small kids are getting squashed and trampled by too many adults prancing in a room designed for 30 kids.
Omfg I just couldn't do a crazy dance to drop off.

See I knew I should have moved to Scotland
Wake and shake has been here for the last 4 years never have I been so glad my DD's are at secondary school now

Or take it to the other extreme and be so enthusiastic as a parent group the teacher has to ban you. Let's do an extra vigorous wakey shakey- Altogether now "I put my bum right in, I pull my bum right out, in, out, in, out, shake it all about"!

Why feel pressured? Do you have anything specific to do otherwise? I would jump at the chance of doing that at my girls school and would love to get involved.. Would be a right laugh and to see my girls enjoying it too. Kids arnt young for long and wouldn't it be nice for your child to remember mummy getting stuck in and making a fool of herself with everyone else. I think it's a really good idea x

Fuck that! We are not allowed past the gate. 8.45 a teacher is in the yard and we are allowed to leave. 8.55 the bell goes. And the line up and go in. On my days off I can shove them through the gate at 8.45 and be curled up on the sofa with hot chocolate and crumpets by 9. If anyone tried to make me to dance shit when I could be in pjs having a relaxing, child free breakfast I could not be held responsible for my actions.

I have a phobia of tambourines.
FTS.

Seems mad to me. Parents often have other commitments (like jobs) that mean the can't mess around a drop off.

Yes, some parents might like to spend some time with their children, but trying to enforce it is unfair to those parents who can't.

Also at this age children should be starting to build independence. I'm not really sure this routine is good for them either.

Huge safeguarding issues surely? Who is dropping off Johnny or Jenny ??? And which working parents have time for this? Safeguarding is ofsted heaven, not sure how this can be 'policed' safely for each child regardless of cohort/local area.

We had this for the whole of reception year, get in early to do an 'activity', called 'Morning Challenge'! Was told it was optional at first but when I started leaving quicker than other parents (to get to work on time) I got told it was being noticed by the teachers/staff. I said they should be thankful that I could stay at all & such comments/pressure wasn't put upon parents who used the breakfast club.
I carried on as I was & left as soon as activity was complete.
They did say they wanted it to continue up through all years, but thankfully they haven't followed it through!
Just do what suits you, you don't HAVE to x

That's ridiculous. If I was off work it's something I would love to do however just not possible with my self and husband working. There's been several school time activities parents are invited to that I haven't been able to attend, my daughter has picked up the fact other parents go. It's very difficult for children to understand that time off work isn't that easy. I get a big guilt tri with these kind of requests.

Why is this an issue for you? It's not compulsory. Just drop off and go - who has the time to hang around. Thank goodness for breakfast clubs and never having to do school gates!

Im generally not a massive swearer....However I have 3 words....fuck that shit!! YA definitely NBU!!