to ask what will be happening with school starters?

[washinglinefauxpas]

My eldest will start school in reception class in September and is very excited about it.

All induction evenings / introductory stuff for kids were cancelled due to covid 19 obviously, but as she was at the attached preschool it's not a big deal. We picked up an introductory pack from the school office with the basic information on school uniform etc.

Given the government statements, and no communication suggesting anything different I've been working on the assumption that school will be pretty 'normal' in September (maybe with staggered start times etc, but assuming full time). However, a friend with similar aged DC in a different area has heard from her school that they will be doing a slow induction (1 day per week, building up over the course of 5 or 6 weeks etc) due to Covid and getting used to the new restrictions (and also I think as a safety net in case things get worse again).

I know every school will need to do things differently so some variation is normal, but it seemed hugely different from what I'm expecting and I'm wondering if I've been massively naive. My DC's future school was nowhere near getting all the kids back in before summer holidays started (only reception and year 6 were back), so it seems like a huge undertaking for them to have all the kids back in September.

Has anyone else with DC due to start reception in September had any communication from their school on this giving any idea how it's going to work, or any teachers have any insight? I know it would always be subject to change, but obviously with it being the holidays, I'm not sure when to expect to hear from them if things do change. Thanks in advance!

My youngest dd start in September she is going in for 2 and a half hours a day from the 14th of September until the 30th and have no idea what happens then

Oops sorry, didn't mean to enable voting!

My youngest starts in September. I’m dreading it really as we have only had a zoom walk around the class. My youngest for some reason thinks the teacher is going to turn in to a wolf ( she is four in October)

No communication about it being staggered or reduced days but I’ll be pissed off of it is as I’ll be paying private fees.

I’m going to email them Monday morning to double check now

@whohasnickedmyvodka I'm wondering whether ours might be a similarly staggered start and they just haven't told us yet. Communication before was understandably a bit patchy. Hmmm...maybe I'd better plan on the worst case scenario, seems safer at the moment!

However, a friend with similar aged DC in a different area has heard from her school that they will be doing a slow induction

Lots of schools do slow inductions anyway, they're just now blaming it on covid. It's very unique to the schools, so there's no way of knowing.

Schools have to offer full time immediately by the way, but many schools ignore that, knowing that parents won't rock the boat at the start.

@sirfredfredgeorge it could well be true that it's a convenient excuse. I know it's causing massive issues for them as their DC will be going from full time preschool to part time school, which will be a bit weird for the child and massively difficult logistically for the parents.

Ours are planning children who already went to the school nursery are going full time from 2nd Sept and then the new starters the week after.
My ds is doing half days the first week because of settling issues.

Not even the schools really know until the new guidelines announcement on 11th August. We all find out at the same time. Then have to scramble to come up with something that fits the guidelines.

I have a DD starting reception too. She is desperate to go to school but has only been at pre-school two days a week recently. I’d be much happier with part time for a bit for her, for a while host of reasons.

My ds is starting school. He starts full time all being well on 21st September, from 1st September until then we have a home visit, 3 stay and plays and a week of half days.

My ds is doing 1/2 days for the first week and then normal hours from then on but that's the usual standard for the school (have older DS there already). Only difference is that Reception usually start a week after rest of the school go back bit the whole school are starting a week later than originally scheduled so Reception are starting the same day.

Mine have said it's going to be a week of half day sessions and then full time from 14th sept.

@VinoOlive

My ds is starting school. He starts full time all being well on 21st September, from 1st September until then we have a home visit, 3 stay and plays and a week of half days.

Surprised you're having Stay and Plays. Most schools aren't having any visitors, including parents, on site at all.

Surprised school haven't actually told you. Is it not on their website?

My DDs school are doing 2 weeks where each child and family are going in to meet the staff individually. Then it's 2 hour sessions daily for 2 weeks before starting full time on October 5th

We've been told that ds4 will do 3 days 9 until twelve, 5 days 9 until 2 then straight into full time. They are bringing them back slightly faster than usual to try and make up for the kids being off nursery

Pre- covid when my dc started in reception it was morning or afternoon only anyway to ease them into school life. This lasted for a few weeks before they were in full time.

Our school is going full time, normal hours from the first day of term which is 3rd September. Seems to be the minority but in my opinion if schools are doing half days or 2 hours until end of September that's quite a lot of education missed and disruption to parents who work.

Mine starts too and school are planning a full start with staggered arrival and pick up times.
My friend in the south school is taking new starters on 14th for half days initially

Our ds starts school September, he was also in the nursery setting attached to the school, normally would have had settling in sessions before summer break. We had a pack off the school and an email from the head, that due to them not having been able to do the usual settling in sessions, they will start 3rd September 9-11.30am, 7th will be 9-1 (so stay for dinner there) and then from the 10th goes to full time. Nothing in the email or pack about how school will be regarding any social distancing measures, but thats probably because they're only 4/5 they aren't expected to be able to as such, also probably because alot could change before now and then.
We live in Wales so any rules here may be different to you if you're elsewhere and probably varies school to school anyway.

Our local is doing reception only from 3rd then all in on the 7th Sept. I don’t actually think numerous settling days are nessecary for all children - although some will obviously need it. The school will be able to accommodate individuals as the weeks go on so I shouldn’t worry about it. Maybe just see how it goes for the first week or so?

I must be naive as I've been assuming it would be more or less normal scheduling, as our school is doing that (currently anyway 😅).

This thread is making me very nervous - what are working parents going to do if things change at the last minute?! I've already reconfigured my hours to fit more or less around school and obviously given notice to nursery, how are those of you doing 2 hours a day etc managing that with work?