To find school rule silly?

[Skymum36]

So DD is in year 1. Last year in reception we were allowed to take the children to their class as it was right next to the gate in the playground. However, from year 1 onwards, the classrooms go further into the school and we are supposed to drop them in the playground so that they can walk theirselves to the classrooms. I think it was introduced during Covid as parents with older siblings have said it’s only been a thing the last couple of years, however they have apparently kept it on to ‘promote independence’.
I would have no issue with this, except from the fact that DD and numerous other children seem to get really anxious about going in by theirselves and there are tears every morning, yet the head teacher/teachers will not let parents past the gate to make sure that they are ok. Another students mum told me that it was affecting her son’s morning to the point he didn’t want to go to school because it made him anxious in the morning. I find myself struggling at the gate every day now trying to convince DD to walk in but she just gets upset and refuses and asks me to take her, I then have to wait for a teacher to spot me struggling so that they will walk her in. There has been quite a few heated debates between parents and teachers from where they literally point blank will not let parents past (yet it’s fine on pick up?).
The thing is I know it isn’t that big of a deal to some, but the majority of them are still only 5 years old. DD is quite an anxious child, and I just feel like this little rule sets her up for the day wrong when it wouldn’t change a thing to just be able to walk them in.
Is it a rule in anyone else’s school? AIBU to think it just seems a bit unneeded?

That was standard at both primaries DS attended from Reception onwards, pre-Covid.

If it’s a common practice then I suppose it’s fair enough. Just hadn’t heard of it before and none of the other schools in this area do it (that I’ve been told anyways).

Surely that’s what all schools do. Certainly my experience.

At my daughters' schools we just drop them in their line in the playground.

When ds started primary school (way before Covid) the cloakroom being full of “helpful” parents taking their children in made it so much harder to get him in because it was so crowded. Thankfully his school only allowed it for the first week and then sensibly made parents say goodbye at the door and the staff helped them.

for the vast majority of children a quick goodbye at the gate it much better than lingering goodbyes! It sounds like the drama the parents are causing is what is causing issues here.

Our school they are dropped at the gate and from day one they line up in the yard and then they walk into the classroom themselves when the bell goes. It makes for a much calmer environment and so much easier to ensure all children are where they are supposed to be instead of someone slipping back out in the mayhem.

Yes ours do that too. Oldest (September born) never had an issue with it. Youngest struggled first couple days (summer born) but we looked for one of her friends on the driveway and they walk in together, and now she is very proud of herself. It's important for us to let children take these small safe steps to independence, with the support of their classmates and school staff.

I wouldn't be happy about that. A compromise would be for teachers to stand at the gate to greet them as they enter.

I would be complaining higher up if I was you.

Pretty standard pre and post covid. Staff need to get them in, settled and ready for the day, not have parents wandering around, with some bound to want to draw staff into conversation etc. Drop and run.

Can she walk in with a friend? Meet at the gate.

This, well go to the playground and they all run around until the bell goes and line up.
At a small village school so 19 in class and can imagine the chaos at even that small number of each child being taken to class!

I just walked in with mine. They didn't stop me

ETA it wasn't every day. Maybe twice a term. Which is why they let me I suspect.

I must of got the wrong end of the stick as any other parents I’ve spoken to in this area had said the opposite (mum of the anxious son was a primary school teacher before children) and said it was a completely new concept to her as well!

I suppose it’s just me being a bit sensitive, just hate seeing her so upset every morning 😕

It sounds like that's what they are doing. There is always 1 or 2 teachers on the gate to take messages such as child is being picked up by a different person, child has an appointment etc

This is quite common I think? It's the same as our school. We drop off at gate and they go into playground and then line up with their class when the bell goes and go into. At pick-up we wait in playground. Parents going in and out at such a busy time would feel a lot more chaotic I think, although I think DD1 would prefer it (or the idea of it anyway!)

This is really normal in all schools.

The main thing is to work on her resilience and help her realise it's just really normal and OK to walk into school by herself.

And yes our headteacher is at the gate and greets kids going in, is accessible for parents to talk to, etc.

Ours have doors to each class from the playground so we drop them at the door, or we can watch from across the playground if we want to. Parents are banned from going indoors though - pre covid there was a ridiculous situation where parents were expected to go in with KS1 and eyfs children to help them hang their coats and change their books , which just caused absolute carnage with young siblings etc.

I’m all for independence, but this seems like unnecessary upset - I’d expect the headteacher to actually listen to and act on feedback, or provide a suitable workaround - eg a staff member to walk with them. If as I suspect they don’t have the spare staff for that then they need to let you do it, or actually work with the children on achieving independence in small steps - like you dropping off in the playground but further and further from the door over a few weeks. What else are you supposed to do, peel a crying child off you at the gate and just make a run for it?!

At ours we could go in. They started discouraging it in Y2. All pre-covid.

From Y3 they'd let the anxious ones in ahead of the crowd as "helpers".

It’s normal from Y1 in DC’s school too. It does foster independence and resilience, even though there’s a few tears from a lot at first. IMO that happens no matter what age you introduce the change at.

We take ours to the door and always wave them off with a kiss and a quick hello good morning to the teachers. It's nice to see them in and know they're going in happy and ready for the day. I wouldn't be happy about this.

It’s a safety issue —that the parents in our school routinely try to disregard— help her to gain the confidence to walk in and find a friend.

I have never heard parents going to the class room.

We all drop and go, never seen anyone upset bar those with SEN\school anxiety

I do morning duty at the gate every morning and it really is so much more organized and calm. It is very unfair on children who need a soft start in the mornings to have adults milling around and all the extra bodies in the room with the noise etc.
Especially if a teacher is distracted by someone grabbing them for a word and cannot support the transition into school.

At our school we drop at the classroom for all year groups. Although, it is a big primary with 650 kids.