School home visits?

[Happycat1212]

Is this a thing? My mum asked if I had the home visit yet from dds school (she’s starting in sept) I said no, she was adamant it’s a thing and that sil has already had hers because they “want to see what kind of background the child comes from” 🤔 has anyone else had one?

Yes its a thing but I imagine not as common anymore due to Covid

I used to do home visits when I taught Reception. It's a good way for children to meet their new teacher in a setting where they feel confident and literally at home. It also re-enforces the idea that the teacher is a safe person; otherwise they wouldn't be invited in.

Once children start school, conversations make more sense if, for example, you know that the Lily they are talking about is the pet rabbit that they showed you and not their baby sister.

It's also an opportunity for parents to ask questions or tell you something about their child. There's often little things that people don't want to bring up in a school setting but are happy to mention over a cup of tea in their own home.

I used to carry out home visits in the living room, kitchen or garden - wherever parents took me. Sometimes children wanted to show me their bedroom. They were often pretty excited about that so I'd go if parents were clearly happy with me doing so.

4 kids, toys everywhere

Well, the judging, would be a positive impression then.
The times I've heard professionals express concern have been where the poor dc don't have anything to play with.

There is no way anyone would go anywhere other than where they were shown into (living room, generally)

However, I'd be very surprised if they happen this year.

Well my mum thinks there should be no toys in living rooms or dining rooms and they should all be in the bedrooms! She think it makes the place look messy as we have 2 massive toy boxes full of toys downstairs

@Happycat1212

Well my mum thinks there should be no toys in living rooms or dining rooms and they should all be in the bedrooms! She think it makes the place look messy as we have 2 massive toy boxes full of toys downstairs

In that case be prepared for the possibility the TA may come along with the teacher and want to play with your child whilst the teacher asks you some questions. Your child might well lead the TA upstairs to their bedroom and adamantly insist that everyone visits it.

My child doesn’t have a bedroom of her own so doubt it

My sons school doesn’t do this, I’m glad they don’t as he doesn’t cope having strangers in the flat.

It seems some areas do it and some don't. It isn't a thing here (never had a home visit), but I've had friends in other areas say it is. I would assume it's absolutely not going to happen with COVID. All parent's evenings have been by Zoom. I can't imagine teachers visiting 30 homes, plus teaching their normal classes. That would be really unnecessarily risky for them. I can see that they may offer a Zoom chat.

That’s a good point, I haven’t had a parents evening with any of my older ones, only phone calls. I was wondering how they would even fit in visiting 90 parents, parents aren’t even allowed in the school play ground still where I am we are only allowed to collect them outside on the street, so it seems mad that a teacher would be coming to visit people’s homes.

It’s not mad, really. It’s just whether it’s deemed necessary or not.

Can I just ask do you get some kind of letter and notice to say this is happening ? My son is going to start in September and I’ve never heard of this before. I don’t usually open my door cause of my ex and hiss rubbish so I would have to actually open it🤣 also I would want to tidy up a bit first 😬

I mean mad in comparisons to the fact we aren’t even allowed to have a parents evening at the school, I haven’t even MET my older children’s teachers and we aren’t even allowed on school grounds. It’s obviously not necessary otherwise all schools would do it!

Some schools do this, but DDs didn't. She had several settling-in days in July instead where she went into the school for a few half days then had a week of half days in September before starting full-time.
A friend had a home visit from her DDs teacher.

Some schools have done them for years, other schools have never done them, others still used to do them but don’t now.

It’s not a new thing or an old thing and there is no mandatory government requirement to have them; it’s pure choice of the school.

The only way you’ll know if your school does them is by asking.

Not all schools are the same, though.

@Buzlightyear1

Can I just ask do you get some kind of letter and notice to say this is happening ? My son is going to start in September and I’ve never heard of this before. I don’t usually open my door cause of my ex and hiss rubbish so I would have to actually open it🤣 also I would want to tidy up a bit first 😬

Yes they arrange a time/date not just turn up. Lots of parents work, go out etc so it would be a waste of time to just turn up on the off chance. I thinking is that the child will be most relaxed in familiar surroundings. They are not to judge parents - if that was the case then second/third/subsequent children wouldn't get them as they would have made their judgement on child one. You can decline but I doubt they will be happening this year anyway.

We did for DS but this was the year before covid so things may be different now! She didn't look around the house or bedrooms through! She sat on sofa and chatted and cuddled the dog and let my 1 year old at the time climb all over and cuddle her!

Thank you I really appreciate that. I don’t mind if they do go ahead , I would just like a little notice which it seams you get. It also makes sense that they would I just went into a little pain in🤣 thank you

I've had home visits for all my three. Just a chance to meet the children and for any questions I had.

We didn't have it with my eldest born 2004 but they'd brought it in at their school by the time dd2 started (born 2007.) The Reception had a delayed start by a week or 2 so they did it then. They didn't stay long so probably just zipped from one to the other. Each teacher would do their own class so would have about 30 to get round in the week or fortnight. Can't remember which.
It didn't feel like they were checking me out. They didn't look upstairs or anything. Just a chance for the teacher and TA to start getting to know the child and ask if we had any questions or concerns. Quite nice idea.

I'm 33 and I had one as a child! Hoping we get offered one as would be nice to meet DS's teacher.

DD’s school go into nursery/pre-school if applicable. Not sure if a covid thing or just normal.. we have a parents eve in July where we will meet DD’s teacher, I think we get slots & a look around the school and mingle (as far as covid permits)..

DS had his teacher visit his nursery as there were 5 plus from his room moving to the school. They then had 4 half day visits to the school and the day before term started a 2 hour stay and play!

I've honestly never heard of this before. I'm in NW. Doesn't happen here. The last home visit I had was a HV about 9 years ago.

I think ours visited the nursery as well