School refusing 4 year old :( anyone else?

[EndangeredSpecies]

At wits' end with DS, nearly 5. Since September it's been constant "school is boring" "I don't want to go", "school is stupid": every single day. He won't put his coat and shoes on, if we put them on he takes them off again, several times I've had to dress him in the school bathroom or the car.
Now it's escalated to the point where he's screaming and crying so the entire school can hear, when I drop him off in the morning. I try to be calm and firm but he had me in tears as well this morning

Teachers say he behaves normally, he calms down when I go.

No problems at home, no changes, no upsets. Has anyone else had this? What did you do about it?

Is he genuinely bored at school? Or is there someone else who could take him for a couple of days to see whether he acts up with them too?

I'd ditch the getting dressed battle and take him in his PJs. There's nothing like your peers laughing at you to make you get dressed in your uniform the next day!
There's not alot you can do but keep doing what you're doing and drop him off firmly each morning.

I would ask for a meeting with the form teacher and the head to try to get to the bottom of it, and to hear their suggestions and experiences.

I think he's bored, yes. He's the kind of child who has specific (but varied) interests and if he's not attracted by an activity he just won't join in. The GPs could take him but only after school, so not really an option

Grumpypants: I have met with the teacher several times. She said not to worry it was just a phase, she had another little girl who used to be physically sick every morning before school, but then got over it. This was two months ago. He still hasn't improved though...

My ds went through this on starting school last September and it was awful so you have my sympathies. There isn't a lot you can do other then keep being firm and taking him. Does he have friends there? Can u invite one home for tea? It's very hard, what broke it for my ds is the teacher told him that if he could try really hard not to cry each morning then he could get a prize, he tried so hard that they let him have the school mascot, a bear for the weekend. He did cry a little a couple of mornings that week but nit as bad but the point was he tried. The whole class clapped him for trying hard and getting the bear and we have never looked back. He was sooo proud and so was I. Could u suggest something like this to the teacher? Praise in little ones goes a long way.

Hiya, know how you feel, my DS was the same when he started nursery. he would scream until his face went bright red and he even vomited once but the nursery teacher told us the same thing that once i leave he was fine and actually enjoyed being there. We think because he is the only child he was bit scared but fine now just got use to it.

oh ok, did they not have any helpful ideas? What about a sticker chart/ reward thing - write up as list of before school things, like putting shoes on, eating breakfast, getting dressed etc (not too many, know how time is short) but he could tick them when done and then at the end of the week get to go to the newsagents for a sweet or sticker/ collectible thing? Then he could take it in for Show and Tell and be mightily praised for being such a grown up boy?