Getting changed at school - expecting too much?

[Caitily]

My DD has just turned 4, she is due to start school in September. As part of the curriculum they do both swimming and ballet. It states clearly that swimming/ballet kit should be taking with them on the day and they will get changed with help from TA/Teacher.
You can pick them up from the pool on swim day to help them get dried and dressed but if they are going back to school for an after school club or such they will have to get themselves ready with minimal help.
We are practicing really hard with DD at getting herself changed, dried etc. She just did a swim week with her summer camp where she had to get herself ready before/after and they told me she took a fair bit of time and needed some help.
The concern I’m having is the uniform she needs to get changed back into is a blouse with buttons, tights and such. DD is taking nearly 10 minutes to get changed whenever we practice, more when we add getting dried too.
I know DD will be one of the youngest in her year but AIBU to think they are expecting a lot from a 4 year old? Or do we just need to practice more until she has it down?

Its still an option, my husband had a disability that means he simply can’t do buttons, so everytime he buys a new shirt I just cut the buttons off and sew them on the side of the shirt they’d be on when the shirt is done up, I then sew velcro where the buttons used to be, and behind the new placement of the buttons. She could also wear socks on swimming days, that would help.

Why do private schools make things more difficult

What's wrong with a simple white polo shirt esp for 4yr

Rather then buttons - then the cost of having a red stripe

Guessing you can't buy 5 shirts for £5/6 from Asda like we can 🥲

It's in the efes for. Child to learn to dress their selves by self before /after pe

Our school did this in reception twice a week so go in uniform and get changed

Yes it takes as long to get changed as the actual pe lesson

In yr 1 and above they go in pe stuff twice a week so then actually only need 3 sets of uniform

I have gone in and helped as a mum but I had to show them my dbs (have one anyway as I'm a maternity nurse)

But all helpers have to have a dbs

Do uou know any parents who you can ask if they can help your child and theirs if going

I put on our wats app group that I was helping and did any mums want me to help their child - this was when had a party /disco at school ans had to get changed

Think 4/5 out of the 30 said yes please to help for their child

All you can do is really practise buttons over the summer holidays

And maybe socks those days to put on after if struggling with tights

Teachers will help as they can't leave without her and will be on a time limit to get back to school

If she is just going back to school for after school club then she shouldn't need to put the tights back on. So she could put socks or leggings on instead. I would also argue that she could wear whatever is easiest at that point because she's not actually in taught school time. They might allow her to change into PE kit instead if it's more straightforward.

I taught reception for 10 years.

You are doing exactly the right thing by practising with her.
10 minutes is fantastic timing and she will get faster very quickly.

The teachers are used to children who take ages to get changed and will be very pleased that you are working with your dd to make her more independent.

Keep going with the practise. Just because it's difficult and a bit slow now, don't give up. By Christmas, she'll be doing it all in a flash.

I'd out money on her not being the slowest/least able to get herself changed.

You could adapt one shirt for PE and swim days. Sew the buttons on to the right side and then add velcro along the usual button space if that makes sense so that it's easy to do up.

4 year olds take forever to get changed, it's not unusual for it to take 10-15 mins at the start of the year they soon get quicker.

As for drying herself at the end of the day it's not the end of the world if she doesn't do a good job you can sort her out when she gets home just send socks instead of tight.