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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in thinking that most children will not need 11 weeks of half days when they start school?

197 replies

OrmIrian · 31/08/2007 11:30

Because 6 weeks of half days with DD and DS#1 was hard enough to deal with whilst trying to hold down a job. But now I've just noticed that DS#2 will have to do 11 weeks of half days before finally being allowed to go full time - serves me right for not reading all the stuff we were given last term. It used to go on until half term - now it's half way though the second half as well. Why? Really, why? If any child isn't settled after 6 weeks surely that child can be handled differently - not the whole class... And DS is doing afternoons the whole time. They used to alternate the kids between mornings and afternoon.

Oh sh*t!!! I think my company's "family friendliness" may be tested to the limit by this one..

S'OK. I know I ABU. But I am so fed up....

OP posts:
eleusis · 31/08/2007 12:01

CD, we had a home visit when DD started nursery. I think part of the reason for the visits is to make sure you live when you said you live. But, I can't tell you much about them because I didn't show up for mine. I got a message on my home phone offering me two differnt days for a 2:00pm slot. I was work.

Our school is horrible about assuming mums don't have to go to work. And they are terrible about timely and efficient communication. If you don't stand at the school gate, you are offered the slot that no one else signed up for. I feel a strop coming on for the next P-T conference. Oh, bugger, I bet the sign up will be when I'm on hols. Must tip off new nanny to make a bee line for the latest slot on the sign up board.

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 31/08/2007 12:01

i think they should only do a week of half days tbh.

dd2 turns 5 on the 1st sept, she has been reaqdy for school for ages now.

CountessDracula · 31/08/2007 12:02

slot for what?

Peachy · 31/08/2007 12:03

Its totally ridiculous, I remember really struggling (was at college and had to get ds2 to nursery as well).

The reasons that I weas given were the settling in ones- but my own conclusions were linked to the remarkably small number of children who had attended anything like a structured nursery (here, all chidlren attend them at their school 5 mornings a week if they wish- home it mostly playgroup if that). then the SAHM issue, and IIRC there were more than the average number of kids with special needs. However, it IS a good school overall isn't it? DS1 was happier there than here.

WendyWeber · 31/08/2007 12:04

I bet all of you would run screaming from a roomful of 4-5 year olds before they'd been trained

Peachy · 31/08/2007 12:05

Nah, I used to run the rainbows local to ormirian LOL

TigerFeet · 31/08/2007 12:05

Such a severe cut off isn't it LVOC? If your dd had been born a few hours earlier she would have been in school a year now...

Pollyanna · 31/08/2007 12:06

my 2 elder children are at private school and they went back yesterday . dd2 doesn't start until the 12th Sept and she isn't the last intake for her class (state school).

Original poster
OrmIrian · 31/08/2007 12:06

I like it peachy. And my children are very happy there. But (as I whinged on another thread ) it's had a poor Ofsted - we had a letter prewarning us although we haven't seen the actual report yet. So feeling a bit unsettled about it all atm

OP posts:
wheresthehamster · 31/08/2007 12:06

And yet LV she could possibly be in the same class as a child who is having their 4th birthday today. There is such a big difference in coping at that age. I'm all for half days until the term they're 5. Up until a couple of years ago summer born children wouldn't have even started mornings until then. It's a hard one to call.
Schools have their reasons and base it on past experience. I would definitely ask though OP it seems a big jump.

hana · 31/08/2007 12:07

ladyvictoria - I'm pretty sure I read in dd's school prospectus (last year before she started) that if a child turned 5 before the school year started they could actually start doing full days and not faff about doing 1/2 days like the rest of reception. So if school didn't start until the 5th Sept, but there was a birthday on !st,2nd,3rd,4th they were entitled to do full days from the beginning. dd's birthday is 13th, so didn't affect us, but thought it was interesting, and wondered if any parents ever took the offer up

Doodledootoo · 31/08/2007 12:09

Message withdrawn

hana · 31/08/2007 12:09

suppose they do need a cut off, don't they.
dd is at 2 parties this weekend - both birthdays are Aug 31 so youngest in class. dd is 6 in another week or so, so big difference.

eleusis · 31/08/2007 12:09

A slot for things like p-t conferences. There is a board outside the classroom where you write your name on the slot you want. It's a mad house. And if you don't do the drop-off / pick-up you get what's left even if it's at 2:00pm. Excuse me... ummmm I work then?

You may remember I was might pissed off with the nursery teacher in June because the latest avoilable time was 3 something, I begged her to call me at work, then I missed it when she called 30 minutes or so late. I never got the coference. She never called me back after I tried endlessly through e-mail and phone to contact her for the next couple of days. She did however hand my nanny a xerox copy of the end year report and tols her I owed them 50p for it.

cece · 31/08/2007 12:09

The school does not recieve full time funding for children till the term they turn 5 so some areas/schools make Spring/Summer born children go part time as they are not recieving funding for them.

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 31/08/2007 12:10

WMh, not untill after xmas will the feb-august children be starting. we are i na two intake area per year, which i think works well.

hana · 31/08/2007 12:10

there is also the argument that kids start formal school at quite an early age here in the UK. Most of my friend's children in Canada (same age as dd) will only be starting reception this year......whole year later than dd

Peachy · 31/08/2007 12:10

Ormirian, this place ahs stunning ofsted and I wouldn't recommend it! I personally feel that the staff and atmosphere of a school is far more important (is it still the same Head? he was great)

A poor ofsted is probably something they needed tbh- a few years back they ahd a ridiculosuly stunning one, and SATS results due to a particularly bright year and they were struggling with the pushy parent crowd all trying to get palces- when DS1 left they had 2 kids in his place before he'd even gone!! yet another well known school (enmore) was down on applications that year. Maybe it'll balance things out abit!

hana · 31/08/2007 12:11

they wanted 50p for photocopying?! that's outrageous!! even if the school demanded it, ffs, get your purse out (teacher)

Nemo2007 · 31/08/2007 12:11

OMG please tell me it isnt the norm!!
DS doesnt start school until next year, thought the nursery staggered intakes were bad enough..lol

Peachy · 31/08/2007 12:12

just to show variation- ds3 is a late July baby with quite severe SN (gets 1-1 50% as a starter), and I had to fight for a lter start date as its not the norm here!

Amazing isn't it....

wheresthehamster · 31/08/2007 12:13

Yes, misread that LV. At least your school is still being sensible.

eleusis · 31/08/2007 12:14

Aha! The don't get funding for them. Thought it had more to do with budgets (as most things run by government beaurocracy do).

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 31/08/2007 12:16

its a very sensible school, which is why i put dd1 name on a waiting list for a year for a place for her. so pleased i did.

Doodledootoo · 31/08/2007 12:16

Message withdrawn