Reception staggered starts are overkill?! UPDATE

[SMLSML]

I posted recently about how people manage staggered starts for reception... A lot of people said legally that schools have to take them full time if asked. For context my little one starts in September and will do 3 weeks of 2 hour sessions...

She currently goes to preschool full time and after-school club until 5pm. Childcare aside I honestly do think she will find it very disruptive and think we'll spend more time taking her to and from school. 4 other parents agree with me, however this is the response I've had from the headteacher... Is it even worth challenging? I totally get the gradual approach but 3 weeks feels overkill...

Just unsure of what to do and no idea how I'll manage 😩 I honestly don't believe it'll be beneficial for my little one either. Any advice appreciated!

Was in a similar position for DS: we just sucked it up as losing battle and muddled through with working with friends / employers all round being flexible. By the time DD started (2 years later) it had all changed.

Did they respond to your points about being the legality of this?

If not keep complaining.

In the UK parents are legally entitled to request a full-time place for their child from the first day of the autumn term, when their child is of compulsory school age. PUSH. This is overkill for many children and does not reflect reality. By all means allow children who will struggle with settling into school to stagger their starts, but they cannot mandate it for all. Staggered starts should be the exception that you can opt in to and not mandated.

You have the right to have your child full time from day 1. Schools don't pass this on, but it's how it is. Be that parent and insist.

They aren’t going to change it, so your choice is manage it, or find a different school. It’s only 3 weeks.

I would just keep pushing the legality point regarding the full time care. Two hours is ridiculous. If they are legally obliged to take her then they will have to.

How old is your DC @SMLSML as they have no legal obligation until the term after their 5th birthday….0

But compulsory school age is 5 in England, so it is very unlikely that any Reception children are already 5 at the start of the Autumn term?

I would find the link to the legality and say you hoped this could be sorted civilly but you are now escalating to the chair of governors. As schools will be off soon you don't have long to get the complaint in before their turn around times will scupper you for this year anyway.

You aren't going to change it so I think you even have to manage for the 3 weeks or find another school.
3 weeks seems overkill to me. My DS was straight in for full days from day 1. He had a couple of settling sessions before the summer holidays but that was it

Ah okay, she's 5 in Nov so guess I'm not able to push any more then 😫 just so frustrating! She just doesn't need that level of settling, she'll be wondering why she's only there 2 hours 🙃

So wish ours was the same. 3 weeks of 2 hours is madness! I get that some kids need it, in that case they should make it optional

We had the same with our child when they were used to being in full time childcare and I felt the staggered start was actually disruptive to them. It does benefit some children but not all children and so really they should offer the option but provide for all.
You've made your point clear to the head but they won't change it. You're options may be that you can leave your child in nursrey until the point where they start school full time annoying and detrimental but they haven't given much options.

What also really annoyed me about this is that for us they never really announced it until very late in the day. With no real choice of what school your child goes to and then at the mercy of whatever schedule and after school care is available it's a wonder how anyone manages to be employed. Also worth noting that taking so much leave to balance their 3 week schedule meant no other holiday with the child and they lost out. We'd taken a week off when we anticipated school starting to help settle them but when it turned into 3 we were both scrabbling. I feel for you. It's shit

When I started teaching in Early Years 20 odd years ago the starts were typically more staggered, but even then it was never 3 weeks of 2 hour sessions. Usually there's some kind of build up - morning then morning + lunch then full days - most schools, around here anyway, get there within the first week now. I'm not sure how 15X 2 hour sessions is actually helping them get used to things.

I do actually strongly believe a more gradual start is beneficial (though that's excessive even for me) as having been in full time childcare, particularly if it's not the nursery attached to that particular school, does not guarantee a smooth transition. Some of the children who found it hardest to settle are the ones who had done long days at their previous nursery since very young - the school setting and expectations can be very different.

That said, I also worked at one point at a school who decided to scrap it and have them all in full time from day 1. It wasn't the best, but by and large they coped. I'm not sure whether we did though!

You are still entitled to it. (With a bit of help from ChatGPT to ref the legal stuff) see :

In the UK (specifically England), parents are legally entitled to request a full-time place for their child from the first day of the autumn term, even if their child has not yet reached compulsory school age.
Here's a breakdown of what the Admissions Code says and the relevant rules:
Compulsory School Age:

• A child reaches compulsory school age on 31 December, 31 March, or 31 August following their fifth birthday, whichever comes first.
• They must be in full-time education from the start of the next term after they reach compulsory school age. For example, if a child turns five in June, they reach compulsory school age on August 31st and must start full-time education from the beginning of the autumn term that year.

Children Starting Before Compulsory School Age:

• Children can start reception class in the September following their fourth birthday. While this is the "usual" time, they are not legally required to be in education until they reach compulsory school age.
• The School Admissions Code makes it clear that parents have the right to request:

**A full-time place from the first day of the autumn term in the school year in which their child reaches age five (i.e., the school year they turn five, even if their birthday is later in that year).

• Deferred entry: Parents can request that their child's entry to school is deferred until later in the school year, but not beyond the point at which the child reaches compulsory school age, and not beyond the beginning of the summer term of that school year.
• Part-time attendance: For children who are below compulsory school age, once a school place has been accepted, parents can agree with the school a pattern of part-time attendance until the child reaches compulsory school age.

Key Points from the Admissions Code:

• Paragraph 2.17 of the School Admissions Code (2021) specifically states: "Admission authorities must provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. Parents can request that their child attends part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age. Parents can also request that their child’s entry to school is deferred until later in the school year."
• This means that even if a child is "summer-born" (born between April 1st and August 31st), and therefore won't reach compulsory school age until the following September, their parents still have the right to request a full-time place from the beginning of the reception year in which they turn five.

In summary, while children are not obligated to be in full-time education until they reach compulsory school age, parents are legally entitled to request a full-time place for their child from the first day of the autumn term when their child is of the age to start reception class (the September following their fourth birthday).

I think some form of staggered start is sensible but yours is ridiculous, I agree. Ours was much more feasible - a few half days the end of the first week and the first day the second week then into full time hours.

That’s ridiculous and disruptive. If this was actually about the kids then the school could offer full days with the option to have shorter days for the kids that were finding it harder to settle. There is no disadvantage for the school to offer longer days for those kids that are happy to start full days. I suspect this is more about what is easiest for the teachers.

You need to quote the Schools Admissions Code to the Head Teacher:

"2.17 Admission authorities must provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. The authority must make it clear in their arrangements that where they have offered a child a place at a school: a) b) that child is entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday; the child’s parents can defer the date their child is admitted to the school until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which it was made; and c) where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age. "

They can't insist that they do something which takes away your legal rights.

Ultimately, it is the admission authority who is responsible, so you may need to go to the Local Authority and complain.

I'm speaking as a teacher who has taught reception - that's completely excessive. It is better for everyone to have a small amount of staggered start. It means we have a better opportunity to actually speak properly to every child and get more of a sense of them in that first week. The children are going from a ratio of 1 to 7 or 8, to 1 to 15. Some children find it very overwhelming. The staff don't know them in the same way. Your child might not need any transition, but it's about balancing best outcomes for everyone, staff and children included. But a couple of half days with half class, and then in full time is enough.

Can you keep her in the preschool/nursery and say you are not sending her to school?

if she is at the school preschool you could talk to them about taking her for the usual extended hours she does.

Or a local childminder might be able to help out. One that has links to the school?

Three weeks of two hours?! That's insane. I thought ours was bad enough with two weeks of random half days and days off - definitely disruptive for a child used to full time nursery.

Unfortunately you likely won't change their mind now - it's late in the term, they'll have all their timetables in place for September, and probably no-one will be available in the school to look after your children. Ours said they couldn't take them for any longer as the teacher and LSA were out doing house visits (which was true).

You could ask to keep him at his old nursery for a few days/half days? Ours offered - they can take them until 5 and know how difficult these staggered starts are for working parents - and I know at least one child in his nursery class did a few days at nursery in September.

No, compulsory school age is different to the age of school entitlement. The age of school entitlement is the standard starting age - the September after they turn 4.

For 3 weeks of 2 hour days I would absolutely not be letting it go. That’s absolutely absurd.