To ask how your primary school is dealing with staggered starts?

[Desperado40]

I am not sure if I am missing something, but can I ask how your schools are planning to deal with staggered start and end times for different year groups? I understand the idea is to avoid crowds gathering at the same time, but with siblings at almost opposite year spectrum, I will have 25 minutes between drop off for one and the other. I am not sure what I am supposed to do with the younger child, if not wait around the school area to drop her off 25 min later. I am not even going to mention the impact on my work (that’s for another thread). AIBU?

Staggered times with 10 minute intervals. Siblings can be dropped off together at the earliest time and collected at the latest time.

Ours is being done by surname - infinitely more sensible than year group as if schools insist on different times by year group they’ll just end up with loads of parents hanging around for ages - exactly what they’re trying to avoid.

Yes it’s a bit more logistically challenging for teachers (I am one, in a school using surnames also) but not that bad.

At my children's primary, there are two classes in each year group and a separate entrance for each year group. The two classes in each year group have start times staggered by 15 minutes. Obviously my children have different start and finish times, but at least they're only a quarter of an hour different!

DS2 is doing 8.10-4.30 daily. Unfortunately I’m dropping DD off at the bus at 7.50 - 20 minutes away as bd she’s too young to be left early.

Ours is allowing siblings to be dropped off together at the time of the earliest drop off

Same for us. Not sure how it will work in practice, though. There's half an hour between my two, so it sounds like DD will be pulled out half an hour early each day, if I've to get her at the same time as DS.

Infant school - three staggered time slots 10 minutes apart morning and afternoon, allotted according to your surname. Different entrances and a one-way system.

It worked in June so can’t see why it wouldn’t work again.

At our school all siblings are dropped at the earliest drop off and collected at the latest a pick up allocated to the siblings.

Ours are having siblings come in and out at the same time, the older sibling will be dropped off and picked up the same time as the youngest sibling

Ds (9) - 8.40 in, 2.40 out.
Dd (3) - 8.50 in, 2.40 out.

No idea how I/ our cm can be in 2 places at once. I'm thinking I'll need to ask if ds can be let out without being met and walk around to the nursery.

I'm very jealous of those with 9:30+ starts! Lie in

Nursery has its own entrance and will stick to normal comings and going.

Infant Entrance:
Y2 - 8:30 - 3:15
Y1 - 8:45 - 3:30
R - 9:00 - 3:00

KS2 and KS3 Entrance
Y3 and 4 - 8:10 - 4:15
Y5 and 6 - 8:20 - 4:30
Y7 and 8 - 8:30 - 4:45

2 drop off times and 2 pick up times. Luckily the school has 4 different doors they can use and YR have their own building with its own entrance/exit. Siblings can arrive and leave at the same time as the oldest child.

So we went back today, big primary school, 700 kids, no staggered start or end times and honestly it was a bit of a clusterfuck.

Big crowds outside each classroom/section entry, no distancing between families or kids. The only modification being that parents had to wear masks once through the school gates.

Speaking to some of the other parents there were several kids going into DDs class with colds so I'm wondering how long till we start getting the closure calls.

Not convinced this will last long to be honest.

The school I work in is doing staggered starts and 3 different entrances. Siblings can be dropped off together and picked up together - parents just need to say in advance which way round they would like to drop off and pick up.
My hours have changed which is fab in the mornings as it means I cna drop my DCs off at their secondary school - no staggered start but many, many entrances - and then have a calm drive across town. I may even have time to drive home and walk up to work.
HOWEVER I now don't finish until 3.30, my DD now finishes at 3.05 and DS at 3.15. The way traffic is in our town the earliest I could get to them would be 4pm meaning DD waiting nearly an hour. They can get a bus but it is crowded at the best of times.......
I may suggest they stay at school and do their homework.
Both have ASCs - it's a 3 mile walk home and DD has dodgy joints and DS is a liability on a bike.
In normal times they get the bus home.

We don't have staggered starts, except when the classes start at different times. Yrs 1-4 though one entrance, 5&6 through the smaller side entrance. There's only one staircase though so all the kids have to go up in the same place anyway. They've put arrows so there's a one side up and one side down and only one child on each step. Haven't a clue if they stick to it though!