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Original poster

How long did your child do part-time at school?

24 replies

Sparklemagic · 08/02/2006 14:41

I'm interested to hear about this because I have a ds who will be one of the youngest, possibly the youngest in his reception year when he starts in September. He does go to pre-school and is doing fine (two sessions a week). But he is still very young, and though I know he will have developed more by September, he still seems so painfully young to be going to school! I would prefer him to start at five really, but have researched this and I know that though we could legally do this, he would miss reception year and be placed straight in year 1 with a group of kids who all know eachother from reception year! Don't want him in that position. I think he'll probably be fine with school part-time: but will the school have a 'rule' about when he must attend fulltime, or will they look at how ready he is to take on more time?

I'd love to hear views/experiences before I talk to the school when we visit!

OP posts:

Lonelymum · 08/02/2006 14:44

They usually have a policy about when the children can start school, how long they go part-time etc, although you are perfectly entitled to delay his entry until the term he is 5 (presumably the summer term?)

LadySherlockofLGJ · 08/02/2006 14:46

What month is your DS ?

singersgirl · 08/02/2006 14:48

DS2 is a 31st August baby and had the option of starting part-time in September 2005 or full-time in January 2006. Since he was part-time for 5 mornings at nursery anyway by last summer term, I thought he might as well do 5 mornings at school with everyone else.

In our LEA all children, even the rising 5s, do half-days only all the first term, so luckily my DS has not missed out at all by being young.

The half-days were perfect for him and he has found this half-term really tiring.

The teachers are quite relaxed, though, if you want to take them home early because they're exhausted.

You could gradually build up your DS's days at nursery, so he does 3 mornings next term and maybe 4 in the term before he starts school - but you may prefer to keep him at home more!

cece · 08/02/2006 14:48

my dd has an April birthday and she was full time from Sept but my friend who lives in another borough has a son who is Feb and he was part time till chreistmas. so I think it depends on the borough policy....

northerner · 08/02/2006 14:49

My ds is 4 in April. He starts school part time in September, however this is their admission policy and not my choice. They do part time intake for birthdays after January.

I work 3 days a week so mot quite sure how I'll get round this tbh.

Surely you can request part time?

coppertop · 08/02/2006 14:49

My ds1 has a summer birthday. His teacher was very flexible about when he would go full-time. The rest of the class were full-time within 2 weeks but ds1 was allowed to build up his hours slowly. The first couple of weeks he attended for mornings only. The following week he did a whole day on the Monday and then mornings only for the rest of the week. When he seemed ready to do more he then did a full day on a Monday and Tuesday, and mornings-only the rest of the week. Eventually he was ready for full-time school in November but we had the option to take it at slowly as ds1 needed.

beckybrastraps · 08/02/2006 14:49

My ds has a July birthday. He went mornings only for the first half term and and then full time. However, the school is very flexible about this. If the child isn't ready to go full time after half term, they are quite happy for them to continue on half days. They get the NC stuff done in the mornings so nobody misses out. It works well. I was also very concerned , but ds adores school and is finding reception a lovely, gentle transition.

sandyballs · 08/02/2006 14:50

My DDs only had 2 weeks of mornings, then a week of morning with lunch, then into full days when they started last September. We did have the option to delay until January but decided against it. You'll be amazed how much he changes between now and Sept.

foxinsocks · 08/02/2006 14:50

your LEA and your school will have its own policy

dd is an August baby and did 2 terms of part time (the Sept term and the Jan term) and then went full time in the Summer term. This was the policy of the school.

serenity · 08/02/2006 14:51

Our school is pretty tough with the reception age kids I think (although the bulk of them have been in the school nursery for the previous year)

DS1 did 2 days (school opened late because glazing work over ran) February birthday

DS2 did a week I think - June birthday

However, my BF's school (same LEA) does a whole half term, and staggers the intake so the older ones start first.

Just remember that reception isn't that scary really. In our school they only 'work' in the mornings. Afternoons are various types of structured play, so tiring but not stressful.

LIZS · 08/02/2006 14:52

Full time straight away - end of August b'day.

Original poster

Sparklemagic · 08/02/2006 15:07

wow, thanks everyone. my ds is an august birthday. It sounds like most of you have had lots of flexibility which is encouraging. Obviously I don't know how he'll be but I don't want to feel forced into things. I would much prefer that children started at reception at 5 but I know things aren't like that anymore. so the next best thing is being able to tailor the hours he does at school to exactly what he needs.
Sandyballs, thanks for your post - I know he'll be so much more grown up in Sept and he is taking big developmental steps lately, just in the way he holds conversations like a grown up! and can amuse himself on his own for longer periods of time than ever before. So I'll try not to pre-judge how he'll be when time comes for school!

OP posts:

Original poster

Sparklemagic · 08/02/2006 15:08

Lizs, was full time straight away your choice or the schools? Did it go OK?

OP posts:

emily05 · 08/02/2006 15:23

not much more to add - I understand how you feel. we are the same situation - ds is an august birthday. I have increased his nursery to 5 2.5 hours sessions a week (term time). I knew though that he would be ok because he was ready and very eager - I think that this will help come september.

Twiglett · 08/02/2006 15:24

our school has a sept intake for children born up to april and a jan intake for those born after april

it seems to work well

Mercy · 08/02/2006 15:44

dd's school has a minimum settling in period of three weeks. First week, 3 mornings; second week, 5 mornings; third week, 5 mornings plus stay for lunch. Full time after that if the child is ready.

I had to drag her home kicking and screaming after lunch in the third week - at least it wasn't the other way round!

jenkel · 08/02/2006 16:20

My dd will be 4 mid August and will start reception in the September, they have a month of part time and then they go full time. I also think this is too young especially as she will probably be the youngest. She goes to pre-school which is attached to the school 3 mornings a week. We did consider putting her name down at another school where she could go part time but decided against it, her whole pre-school group is going to the school so she will know all the children and it is a 2 min walk from home. I have spoken to the head and she did say that if she appears to be really struggling she could do the whole day the first part of the week and then half days towards the end. Its also a lovely village school and there will only be 13 children in the reception class. So, even though I am very worried we will give it a go.

Gem13 · 08/02/2006 16:36

The LEA here decrees part time until the term they are 5. DS is 5 next July so he will be mornings only until after Easter. Good because he is a young one. Bad because he will miss out on lunch time (8.45 - 12 only) and the afternoon. It's a pain too as it means DD and I will have to take him there and pick him up with 3 hours in between. It might mess up her playschool too.

In my previous life I worked in educational research and although we weren't looking at it, one of the major things our work threw up was that summer born boys don't perform as well as everyone else ... They do catch up but not until they are 8/9.

I'm hoping we're going to be abroad before September and that he won't have to go. It seems that every other country starts them once they are 5 so in the USA and Canada and Australia, he'd be starting Sept. 2007 or even Jan 2008!

Passionflower · 08/02/2006 16:38

jenkl had exactly same as you with DD1(Aug 21 b'day). She survived it fine. Our school is flexible for the first term then they expect everyone to be in a full day routine including cooked lunch. I'm sure your DD will be ok.

LIZS · 08/02/2006 16:43

It was school's (private) . However we could have taken her out at lunchtime if we chose. They do academic stuff in the mornings and then have fun in the afternoons - swimming, pe , toy afternoon, music etc. In the end she didn't want to miss out! First week she'd fall asleep in the car but not since.

petunia · 08/02/2006 19:11

The school DD1 goes to has 2 intakes- September and January. Because DD has a July birthday and we live outside of the schools catchment area, she had to start full time in January whereas the children living in the catchment area (whenever their birthdays were) could start part-time in September. I feel that this was really unfair on DD (her toilet training went completely to pot!) and she missed out in not being able to be part-time for a term and was thrown in at the deep end starting fulltime in January. I noticed, for example, that a lot of the September children could write their names and numbers but DD couldn't.
Unfortunately, we're going to have the same problem with DD2 (January birthday) and baby no.3 (April baby) unless we find we can afford to move in to the catchment area of the school in the next 5 years!

cupcakes · 08/02/2006 19:14

Ds started in Jan when he was 4½.

Original poster

Sparklemagic · 08/02/2006 19:19

thanks everyone, and GEM13, that's really interesting what you say about summer boys not catching up for a long while - thankyou! I'll remember that in the challenges that no doubt lie ahead!

My ds still seems to me to be just coming out of toddler stage and I think it's a shame that in this country they start so early - would be happier if he could start much later as you say! One of my concerns is that obviously teachers want to do their jobs, and ben seen to make progress, so I just hope everyone can kind of leave him alone and not put pressure on him really, in the early years. I just would hate for judgements to be made about him which are just being made TOO EARLY!! I am very much a planner though and as usual am probably looking ahead too much. Note to self - lighten up and cross bridges only when you come to them!

OP posts:

kid · 08/02/2006 19:19

My DS started full-time nursery at 3.5, he wasn't at a pre-school before he started there and he settled in really well. I never had to stay and settle him in, not even on the first day!

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