Alternatives to 5 day a week school for a 4 year old

[Firecrest19]

Hello,

my 4 year old is due to start (state) primary in north London this September and my partner and I were wondering if anyone has found any alternative options to the traditional 5 day a week model?

we don’t have much extra money, although she’s a late birthday so we would get her free 30 hours for much of the academic year. She can’t stay at her current nursery though and we don’t want her to defer a year so she’d need somewhere that allowed her to keep up academically.

I only work 2 days a week so in theory could home Ed her, although would need an option for the 2 days I work and enough that is social too.

I don’t want to hold her back, but hate how restrictive the UK education system is and 4 seems so young for 5 days…

if anyone has had similar thoughts I’d love to hear your experiences.

What would be your ideal scenario? Are you looking at keeping your daughter somewhere more suitable than 5-day-a-week state Reception class, then sending her into Y1 as usual? Or would you want to home ed in the longer run if possible? Or something different?

I think it makes sense to start by figuring out what you would most want. You might be able to create it, or something close. If you start instead by looking at "what's out there", it might narrow your view too early.

An option is to send her part time until the term after she turns 5. You have a legal right to do this in any state school.

Also, do you want to say more about your career and financial and family situation? For example, are you happy in your job? Are the hours flexible? Are your partner's hours flexible? Would you rather work more hours, fewer hours, or stay the same? Can you afford some paid childcare? Could you afford that if you increased your hours? Is she your only child?

@Rudolftheorange Absolutely this.
I'm a primary teacher and my eldest son didn't start full-time education until he was 5.
August born, nowhere near emotionally ready.
Didn't hold him back I don't think...17 now, applying for Oxbridge and predicated 4 A*s at A-Level.
IMHO the starting age for school is far too young in the UK. Look at other countries such as Denmark and Sweden to name a few...

Yes, I was thinking that, if the OP is happy enough with Reception and only objects to the long hours.

Some schools really dislike having children attend part-time. They can't stop you, but they may try very hard to dissuade you, and if your daughter is sensitive, she may pick up on the fact that the teacher disapproves of what she's doing. But others are fine about it.

It might turn out that the attendance pattern which makes most sense in terms of the curriculum isn't a good fit with your working hours.

As a reception teacher, I think attending reception only a couple of days a week could be really hard for her. The trouble is, so much content is covered in phonics especially, that she will find herself in lessons where she doesn't know all the sounds needed etc. And it could be incredibly demoralising for her and really put her off learning. I don't agree with the the way we have to do this by the way - if it were up to me, there wouldn't be this massive push on phonics on reception and there would be much less formality, but it's the system we have to live and work with. Just wanted to give you that perspective.

Some people do mornings only, but because I was working part time (ironically as a reception teacher somewhere else!) we did Mon-Thurs for a year. Most reception children are so shattered by Friday that I don't think they noticed my child wasn't there and certainly no important teaching was missed. The school were a massive pain about it but absolutely nothing they can do. It's a completely valid legal choice. I don't regret it at all. We have lovely memories of those Fridays.

Thanks so much everyone, this is all really helpful, and food for thought. The schools we looked round were all really snooty about part time (I asked the question on the tours) but 3/4 days a week in reception would definitely be my first choice.

my partner works full time but has some flexibility. I’m a secondary teacher and only work 2 days a week atm. We’ve got a second, younger child who is part in nursery part at home. And we don’t have much financial flexibility to pay for extra childcare.

It’s just the young age and the 5 day a week issue that I have a problem with. She is great on 3 days of nursery but exhausted/ upset/ a bit out of control when it’s 4 or 5.

I love the idea of home schooling later on if either child looks like they might benefit from it, but we’d need a bit more money I think to do this properly as I’d want her to go somewhere regularly like a forest school to meet other children.

with part time reception, is it a case of pushing for part time once they start? Say not going in on a Friday for example? Can doctors notes for things like tiredness help?

When she’s in nursery, what hours does she do? Who would look after her if she only did, say, mornings in Reception? She will be making new friendships, and this could be impeded by only being there part time.
TBH, it all sounds a bit messy and can be very unsettling for such young children. Reception is a foundation year where learning by play is a massive focus, with some focussed learning for maths, reading and writing being introduced.
A much better solution could be to defer her start completely which is possible if she’s a summer born child.
FWIW, my grandson was part time in nursery, born at the end of August, considered deferring but eventually started in reception just after he’d turned 4. To say that he thrived is an understatement.

@Firecrest19 our oldest is a summer born and was very tired child who still had naps. We started reception with her going mornings only, the head recommended she stay for lunch and lunch playtime for socialising. So she did 8.40 until 1pm every day then came home for a nap and playtime. Going every day is good for consistency IMO and making friends.

We did this until after Easter term and she went FT for final term until summer holidays. By then she realised she is the only one going home after lunch and wanted to stay too. And managed better with tiredness.

she is 10 now and academically exceeding so I have no regrets and definitely didn’t harm her.

Also don’t forget if she doesn’t go every day she will miss out on fun days/special days and things like rehearsals for nativity.

My friends son did a 4 day week in reception - he had Wednesdays off. He went full time in the summer term as he turned 5 in the March. My son is august and coped ok with full time as it was mostly play in reception (we are in wales though and the learning at that age and up to year 2 is through play in foundation phase)

I strongly suggest agreeing PT with the head in advance and not start taking her out once a week. The school won’t be happy and you want them on your side. We agreed PT with the head teacher - we wanted 3 full days initially but her proposal of doing 5 mornings plus lunch made more sense and worked well (see previous post)

As another Reception teacher I completely agree with this. I’d rather it wouldn’t be an issue but because of the way we’re told to teach certain things, only doing a few days a week is very likely to have a really negative impact on your child’s learning and then potentially their self esteem etc!

This would be a much better scenario than missing days. A lot of the restrictive content is often taught in the mornings so she wouldn’t miss out on this and then get behind but she also has the benefit of part time!

Yep agree with this

What are your reasons for not wanting to her to do the normal school routine? You mention she's summer born but you don't mention why you want to have a different routine, what benefit are you looking to achieve for them?

My view would be that changing her now to a different setting then changing her again in a year would be very unsettling.

I agree with the teachers in this case to consider a plan with the school.

That said, my late July dd started school with her cohort and is doing well. She's learning at her own pace, really enjoys all the activities, and her friendship group, parties, and school trips. I was worried at first but after the first month at school it was clear that keeping her back wouldn't have been the right thing to do. We help her with phonics etc at home so she doesn't fall too behind, but she's doing everything she should be for reception year.

She's also in an infant school so only goes up to 7yrs. It didn't feel like such a big move with no 10/11yr olds thrashing about the playground.

I think children change a lot between 4-6 and whatever you choose to do, consistency is key.

So for a state schools (that's faith state schools, academies, free schools or LA schools) you simply write and tell them what you will be doing. You don't need any evidence or special reasons. The school admissions code means it is the law. The school likely won't know that but you can measure them that they use code X, so it doesn't impact their attendance data. Look up the school admissions code if you want the legal reference to quote.

It's worth also knowing that if she is summerborn (April to August) then you can apply to start her a year later in Reception and then she stays in nursery for an additional year. This is a bit more complicated than starting part time. Join the summer born admissions group on Facebook for more info.

A few teachers have said they wouldn't advise part time. I strongly disagree.As an ex reception teacher there is almost nothing academic in Reception that you couldn't teach 1:1 at home as a capable parent who is willing to watch a bit of teacher YouTube in the evening. Teaching is incredibly hard work but that's because of the admin and being in charge of 30 kids! The content isn't rocket science. If you're worried about phonics then do some at home in 10 minute bursts over the weekend when they aren't tired. Honestly I think part time was one of the best decisions I made for my child. If he had been a summer born I would definitely have deferred for a year.

I know a few children who did part time forest school in reception until they turned 5. Also a few in N London who went to schools that did flexi school so were off most of Friday

Although you have this option I believe it was dropped as policy because children who attended part time did not progress as fast as thise going ft. She is also likely to be the only one with this type of arrangment.

Yes, they very likely would be the only one. In terms of academic progress I think it really depends on the home environment and also short term versus long term outcomes. I was also doing it entirely for well-being reasons. We have very early formal schooling in England and among the worst childhood poor mental health and well-being, so that would factor heavily in my decision. With the benefit of hindsight, it was definitely the right choice.

See, this is the approach I'd take personally and did take for my own child who is now in reception and absolutely thriving. I know OP you said you don't want to go down that route though. My DC cope with reception absolutely fine at 5 with no more than some initial teething anxiety. At parents evening we were recently told she is reading two book bands above expected so she's doing great 'academically' (if you can say that about a 5yo!) and more importantly she is happy and settled at school with lots of friends.

What do you mean "dropped as a policy?" Children don't have to attend school until the term after they turn 5 and it is VERY common for under-5s to attend part time. She certainly won't be the only child doing so.

Thank you everyone SO much for all of this, especially the primary teachers and those who have done PT.

our reasons for PT or starting school at 5 are entirely wellbeing. I’ve worked as a teacher for nearly two decades and while I love teaching and learning, I worry the uk education system is too inflexible and begins too young. Our daughter is one of those children who is very high energy but then absolutely crashes - with nursery anything over 3 days and we have a very different (sad) child at home whereas on 2-3 days she’s bouncy and engaged. My worry with school is that the 5 days will be too much.

Also, I’m at home with her brother for half of the week, and while I totally take on board the importance of not missing things at school, I know at the moment she feels she misses things at home (when she’s at nursery). I suppose I feel that - as a young 4 year old - things like days at the zoo or the Tate or a forest school drop in with me and her brother would be a valuable alternative to a fifth (very tired) day at school.

we’re already doing phonics with her and she can read and write a bit so although I appreciate we would have to be on it with not missing crucial building blocks at school, I think we’d have a good chance of keeping her feeling good about the academics.

it’s tricky though! I wish school was a 3 day a week learning / 2 day a week optional. I teach secondary now and I think my teenagers would do better on this too.

For anyone who deferred entry: how did this go? She’s an April birthday, so I worry if she started reception two terms late, or started a year late, she’d feel behind or be obviously always a lot older than her peers?

As an added thing, we actually have to move areas in the next year or two, so wherever she spends the reception year will be a stepping stone between nursery and the primary she eventually ends up attending.

Do the schools have to say yes to PT?