To think the school is BU?

[Nariiad]

DC’s school has staggered start times. Reception and KS1 (including DC) starts at 8.30 and KS2 starts at 9.30. Some parents have complained that they have to wait too long between picking up their younger and older DC. So the school has decided that after half term Reception and KS1 will start at 9am in order to reduce the amount of time that parents have to wait to collect older siblings.

I start work at 9am so I need to drop DC off at 8.30. I’m not happy with the change because it basically means I can’t get to work. And I’m incredibly annoyed that the school has just dropped this on us at a weeks notice with no consultation. If they had said it would change in September then I could have arranged for DC to attend breakfast club at 8am. But breakfast club is full until kids leave in September, and the new start time begins next week. So basically I am fucked, I can’t get to work for 9am and I’m going to lose my job.

AIBU to think that this is absolutely shocking and unfair? I have no idea what to do. There are no breakfast club spaces and no local childminder spaces till September. I was expecting to be able to drop DC off at 8.30 for another 2.5 years until she reaches KS2 age, and now this problem has been dropped in my lap with a weeks notice.

I dropped off at 8.30 then drove to work for 9. Why is that puzzling?

HT has no children herself, so obviously has no idea about family logistics.

My job is not term time only. DP and I juggle holidays and sick days between us. I can’t afford to take unpaid parental leave, even if that was an option. The school has said the earliest drop off time for a 9am start is 8.55. But regardless I don’t feel comfortable with my DC hanging about in the school yard with the gates open next to a busy road, being supervised by another parent who I don’t know well and who hasn’t been DBS checked.

My employer has just said a flat no, I applied for a job starting at 9am and they can’t accommodate a change in working hours, temporary or otherwise.

I don’t know who the head of governors is, but the HT says the governors agreed to this change so I can’t complain to them because they’re complicit in causing this mess. I’ve submitted a written complaint but they’ve just said they will bear it in mind for the future, no sign of backtracking.

That is absolutely ridiculous. I would complain to your local authority. There is no excuse for this nonsense.

What a bizarre set up!

I've NEVER heard of a school starting as late as 9:30!! What's the deal with that?

It's situations like this that show why it is so important to know and be friendly with fellow school parents.
There is often many threads on here about how much people hate "school run mum's" and can't possibly bare to have a conversation with them.
You don't have to be close friends with anyone.
You don't have to spend time together away from school.
But you should all just know each other and be able to help each other out.
@Nariiad do you really not know the parents of your child's friends? Has she never been to a birthday party or a playdate? Have you never spent time after school in the park and just chatted with fellow parents?
Obviously none of this helps your current situation. Really I think it's your work that are being unhelpful.
Are they really that prepared to have to fire you, organise your work being spread out among remaining staff, start a recruitment process to replace you, do all the interviews and get someone new who they have to train up to do the job for the sake of you arriving half an hour later for what could just be a few days while you make arrangements for drop off.
Unless you are something like a bus driver and they need you to drive the 9.05 bus and there literally isn't anyone else I cannot honestly believe they won't be flexible for the sake of 30 minutes.

When they started at 8.30 did they actually start lessons then or was the start time of school 9.30 like the older kids? Just wondering if that’s how school are getting round it ie start time as always been after 9 but you were just dropping them off earlier?
I would complain but in the meantime you need a practical solution such as buddying up with another school parent who could help, splitting it with your partner, or hiring a babysitter- there are agencies such as sitters that you could try until a more permanent solution is found.

I guess school could argue you’ve had 10 days to organise a babysitter. I’m not saying I agree with school, I think this is rubbish but it would be unfortunate to lose your job if without first tying to put in place a temporary solution

@Nariiad I am also surprised you say that all of your local childminders don't work over half term so you haven't been able to contact them. Every child minder I know works over half term holidays. They sometimes had to do a bit of rejigging of the children in their care (due to ratios over ages - having older children during 'school hours' when normally they just have babies etc).

Several kids in DC’s class get dropped off early for breakfast club at 8am and picked up by grandparents or childminders. So I’ve never seen the parents except at birthday parties (there have been 3 parties since September). I don’t know where they go after school, there isn’t a park next to the school and we’ve never been invited on a play date. The catchment is quite wide, some parents live 5 miles away and most drive to school. Personally I drop and run in the morning because I have to get to work, so I’ve never had time to stand at the gate and chat, most other parents do the same. And in the evening there are very rarely any parents there, it’s mostly grandparents or childminders.

I don’t think my employer is being unhelpful. I’m a carer and they hired me to work from 9am because they need a certain number of staff on duty, and now I can’t get there for 9. They can call someone to cover my entire shift if DC is off sick, but they can’t get someone to come in just to cover 30 minutes. It isn’t going to be just a few days until I can arrange childcare, everyone is saying they are full until the 11 year olds leave school in the summer and vacate their places for September.

Yes they start lessons at 8.30 and finish at 3. The older kids start lessons at 9.30 and finish at 4.

When they announced the change last Friday the first thing I did was ask the childminders who were picking up from school at the same time as me - they said no we don’t have any spaces. Then I asked the school who else picks up from there but they didn’t reply because holidays. So I called childminders I found on Google but no joy in finding someone, some weren’t answering their listed phone number. 10 days over the holidays isn’t enough to find a childcare space, especially as we were booked to go away to Butlins on the Saturday morning. If I wanted a space for September I’d be making enquiries about April! The school is totally unrealistic.

@Nariiad ok I am not really sure what you can do with both school and work not being helpful.
However - even if you don't physically see other parents I highly recommend joining any online groups connected with the school.
Facebook, WhatsApp etc.
My daughter's old primary has the PTA run Facebook group and most classes or year groups have individual WhatsApp.
Some other schools have Facebook groups for individual year groups.
Try and get hold of phone numbers/emails of fellow parents.
I know you said you don't want to leave your child with a 'random' parent who hasn't got a DBS certificate but realistically the chance of a fellow school parent being a danger to your child will be very small.

It's such a bizarre thing. I've never heard of a school starting and finishing so late!

@Nariiad you don't really need a childminder for half an hour. Just a fellow parent.
I did it for a few children in my daughters class when their parent had to dash off. It was usually either a quick text message of "Can I drop Joe off at yours and you take him in because I need to catch the early bus?" (To which I would reply "sure no problem") or sometimes if we were already in the playground or just outside the school it would be "Can you see him for me please cause I've got to dash" (again I would say "sure no problem").
I never asked for payment. It was of no hassle to me. I never felt used. I just did it because I am nice and it was helpful to my fellow school parents.
(I would always text the parents once the kids were in to let them know)

Moan to your local paper and kick up a fuss.

From what the op says, it reads like she's going to need cover til July. It's OK asking another parent to help out on occasion but this is a permanent commitment.
The school is beyond unreasonable. The had forest want you to contact the governors sp I'd be on to them straightaway. I can't understand how they let this be passed. There must be more going on behind the scenes because they must have known that some parents would not have been able to accommodate a change like this.
I'd be writing to everyone, governors, councillors, LEA and MP. And if she doesn't get you into that breakfast club, I'd make the HTs life a bloody misery.
Good luck, op. I hope you get sorted. And, by the way, we love you carers. My mum managed to stay in her home because of you. ❤

What a strange school

I thought all schools did 9-3/3:15

What have you done about finding a childminder? Have you posted on the class whatsapp group and local facebook?

There may be a parent who does childminding?

Thank you OP for explaining that you do have a reason to start at the time concerned (unlike many who are forced into a set time).

I suggest if you feel able, you name the school. I'm sure one of the papers will pick it up.

Staggered start at 8.30 and 9am would be reasonable.

I know you said your OH's job was inflexible, but has he asked? You've now requested a change in work hours and been denied. It's his turn to ask.

Complain to the head teacher. You are not the only parent who finds this difficult or impossible to manage due to work or other obligations. A week’s notice is unreasonable. School isn’t childcare, but parents can’t change arrangements on a dime.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll I was ABAF, have no children, and am divorced. It’s obvious how inconvenient for parents with children of different ages at the school. Hanging around the school yard in inclement weather or the car is a miserable time waster. Walking home in the dark due to late dismissal is dangerous.

You are an AWESOME person and I wish more folk were like you

@Grumpyat40 aww thanks ❤️