Teachers of reception class, responsibilities?

[Catcrazy008]

My 4 year old has attended a bump up morning today for her starting school in September.
I spoke to her teachers before that if my child does not drink sufficiently it causes her health problems and that she is on medication for this.
Today when dropping her at school I mentioned that she has her drinks bottle and would they please check she drinks. I also mentioned to my daughter here is your bottle, please drink some.
Very hot day today, picked up daughter at lunchtime, her drink had not been touched in 3 hrs.
I am not there to watch her but seems teachers are not interested?!

You need to speak to the Head. You don’t know that they didn’t suggest your DD had a drink. If she doesn’t, they can’t make her. And they aren’t nurses. They have responsibility for 30 children.

Could she have finished the water and had it refilled? Have you completed medical forms for her?

Is this the first time your child has been into school and you've chatted to the teachers about it?

I think you need to have another word with the teacher but I would also be talking to your dad about needing to drink more often.

Dd not dad

Are you sure she hadn’t topped it up? At the primary school my dc attend there is a water fountain outside each classroom & children are allowed to refill them at morning break, lunch break & at about 2pm. Ds4(4) went to a taster day last week & the teacher took them out in small groups & showed them how to use it (when they actually start in September it’s supervised by either a y6, TA or the teachers).

Are you sure that they didn't all have a drink from a tumbler at break time as a class activity along with a snack? Many people wouldn't remember to send in a bottle for a taster day with all the excitement & nerves.

They will have the best intentions but usually best case scenario you have one teacher and fingers crossed a ta for around 30 children and not nice grown up children but tiny tots who are all a bit needy and a bit clingy, a bit excited especially on one of their first days. I would mention it to the teacher again in September and I would also work with your daughter over the summer to make her ass self sufficient as possible as all teachers I know do medical things but the more the child can do the better. I don't know why people are saying so quickly go to the head especially if a they haven't actually started yet and b not talked to teacher

If you told the school what you put here then I don't think they have enough info. Asking them to encourage her to drink is very non-specific. I know a couple of children who have to drink for health reasons and they are have to drink a set amount at school per day and that works as teacher can immediately see if they haven't had the right amount. I think you just need to get your daughter a bit more independent and have a meeting with the teacher about how to manage this.

I agree with PPs, it sounds like you just said make sure she drinks, and didn't give any context. Teachers may have forgotten about her needs since you last saw them.

Speak to them when she is next in and stress the medical need for her to drink.

Ours get milk at break at about 10am. So, if she had drink with breakfast, milk a few hours later, and then was to have a drink with lunch - do her health conditions mean she needs more than that?

Having been a reception teacher, I fully admit that I can't keep on top of ensuring that 30 4/5 year olds have enough to drink each day.

Having said that, if there is a medical issue and she really does need to drink, then a system should be put in place for that to ensure that it happens. It would probably help to submit a medical report and then the school will have to put something in place.

I work with a year 5 boy who refuses to drink regularly. His mother is always telling us to make sure he drinks. I can’t do more than remind him every hour. I do wonder sometimes what parents think we are doing all day that we have time to manage such precise instructions. Teachers aren’t parents!

You've got a very long 7 years in front of you.......

The teacher could have a tick sheet for different times of day each day for her to tick off when she drinks. You need to be specific though, with how much and how often she needs to drink, just saying 'please make sure she drinks' isn't really sufficient.

I would put a medical need in writing so that it is on file. Your dd won't always have the same teacher, e.g. there will be others covering when the teacher is released for PPA, so relying on a verbal message is not the best way to ensure your dd is encouraged to drink.

Do they have a landing pad there for you?

H

On a practical level is there a line with a picture or something that you can put on your dd's water bottle so both her and the school know how much she needs to have?

As your child is now at school I would suggest the wisest thing to do is get her to take responsibility. If her illness is serious enough then a doctor's note would help you make your case to the school. If she needs to drink for medical reasons then surely it's like taking medication or something and something has to be put in place.

You can't expect the teacher to remember to remind her though, it's not reasonable and will lead to issues. There needs to be a system in place.

Why doesn't your four year old drink when she needs to? If she can't manage to do that, you need to go down the route of formally recording her additional needs.

I was a nursery teacher in a former life and had a child that would have seizures with the right combo of dehydration and lack of sleep. She was under a doctor, but because me and my staff knew that, we ensured she drank enough. However, we only knew that because her mother was very specific - were you specific? Because otherwise, if it was just ‘please make sure x drinks wnough’ I probably wouldn’t have monitored her anymore than any of the others.

I’d also question whether she had just refilled her bottle, especially in the heat and if she has access throughout the day. To me, she’s been really thirsty, drank it all and refilled, but maybe she could tell you either way?

Yes, if it is serious and essential, then it needs to be treated as a child who needs routine medication at school, and a system can be put in place. But you need to get that on the school files to ensure that happens.

Ooh, also, when it was very hot we would set up a little drinks stand in nursery, jugs of water and beakers. Could they have done that?

Out of interest what medication is she on? Does the school administer that?

The teacher could have a tick sheet for different times of day each day for her to tick off

That would be reasonable for a childminder or nanny. It's ludicrous to expect a teacher to do this. It will only lead to problems. It is not their job.

A school must have a system in place for administering medication. Presumably a school nurse or first aider. Could reminding the child a few times a day fall to them? To be honest I don't know but a formal agreement needs to be set up with the school until she is old enough. Please don't rely on the teacher, it's not fair.