Staggered start is illegal exclusion

[HapptobeTHATparent]

DD turns 5 on 2nd September. Just received her school starter paperwork and it's a staggered start, so won't actually start full time until 16th September. No home visits so no need for staggered start. 26 children already attend the school nursery full time.

AIBU to accuse the school of illegal exclusion by not allowing DD and the 25 others already attending school (nursery) full time (plus any new starters who wish to start full time straight away), to return to school on the 1st September like the rest of the school.

State maintained school (not academy).

Slightly tounge in cheek, but also hoping for some links to documents I can quote at the school.

😂😂😂 you really are over invested in me aren’t you. Oh well whatever makes you happy.

Oh dear...your comprehension isn't brilliant, is it?

Oh.

You're one of those secondary school teachers who look down on primary schools.

Good luck with your plan, and for future reference there are education boards for these kind of questions - you don't need to post in AIBU talking nonsense. HTH.

Come on OP, if you're really a teacher you know you're being completely OTT. Just approach them nicely and ask if it is possible for her to attend full time from the start, no need to start throwing terms around like things being illegal 🙄. Also a Biology secondary teacher with a child in reception and amazingly I manage to communicate with their school without being a bit of a twit.

Schools are childcare facilities. It is an acknowledged secondary role that the government, under both Labour and the Conservatives have emphasised time and again, not least during Covid when the children of essential workers were given priority for in person schooling because…Schools Are Childcare.

That's the point of the thread though isn't it. It is the school's problem if they are legally obligated to provide a full-time place for children of compulsory school age.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for primary teachers, a million times harder than secondary in my opinion!

Because I wasn't convinced that children were entitled to start from day 1, I thought it could very possibly be a commonly spouted misinformation sound bite that has just been passed on and on... so wanted to check for myself.

You literally typed the words ‘illegal exclusion’ as part of your dummy letter. If you don’t mean illegal exclusion then maybe stop writing those exact words!

Are you the OP on a name change? If not, I wasn't talking to you...

Oh… you are ‘that parent’

When mine started in reception they attended for a half day every 3rd day for the first 3 weeks. It was miserable.

I was fortunate that I worked nights, so I could accommodate this, but those working normal hours really were challenged.

They’re right. Maybe do some research yourself. You’re ignorant.

Literally all you need to do is email them and say "Sorry doesn't work for me, Tarquin is will be starting FT from Day 1" and that's that.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Read the bit above the dummy letter.

I have friends and family who are reception teachers and they all say it’s better for the vast majority of kids to do a staggered start and helps the teacher get to know each child better. They appreciate it’s inconvenient for parents but the children are their priority.

If it’s an issue, just talk to the school like a responsible parent. No need for accusations. Presumably you want a good relationship with the school.

Instead of calling it an illegal exclusion, which is a bit hyperbolic, why not just say it is unnecessary for your child, so you would like her to go full time from the start, @HapptobeTHATparent?

If you start quoting legislation straight off the bat you are likely to start the conversation off on the wrong foot and set an unpleasant tone.

All you need to do is contact them and say that unfortunately due to working commitments, you do need your child to be able to access full-time school from the start of term. If they come back and refuse, that's when you start quoting the legislation.

Yep, still goes on about ‘illegal exclusion’. Like I said it will give them a laugh and you of all people should know that, that is very welcome at this point in the year.

This. Don't be so thick, its probably so your child can settle in well, I think they know more about children than you do. School is very different and probably requires an adjustment period

Yes...but then I wouldn't have got as many responses on a Friday night when there are much more interesting threads. And I've got a link which confirms it is true that children are entitled to start from day 1, so I can now write a perfectly pleasant email to ask, knowing that I can back it up if needed.

So my plan worked. 😁

Following your insane logic, I guess if in the future you wanted to ask the teacher to move Tarquin to sit next to a naicer pupil than Dwayne, you'd ask for a "managed move".

I had no intention of not having a respectful conversation. I have already stated I used a hyperbolic thread title to gain responses, but even if I was serious it's perfectly possible to make that claim respectfully.

And then the dummy letter.

even if I was serious

I even said in the OP it was tongue in cheek!

This. Why can you not just have a polite conversation with them like a normal person??!