Reading time with parents at school drop off - is this usual?

[Gotosleep91]

Just been on a tour ready for making applications for DD to start reception next September.

The Head said one of the 'really great' things was that from 8.40 - 9 the parents sit with their child in the classroom and spend 20 minutes reading with them. Every day in reception/year 1 and then twice a week after that.

I immediately felt sad. As both me and her Dad work outside of the home there's no way we'll be able to do this with her, and on top of that she absolutely loves reading with us! I think she'll be so sad to see us leave while other children read with their parents.

I'm sure other parents won't be able to do this either, and obviously I'm happy for the kids whose parents can stay. I guess it just feels a bit out of touch? ...or maybe I'm out of touch!?

Anyway if you have primary aged children do they do this?

My daughter's primary used to do parents reading on a Friday morning. Many parents didn't/couldn't go.
I often ended up with a little group of children that I would read to.
As children start to make friends they will quite often sit with a friends parent and listen to them read.
I'm sure it will be fine.

Thanks @Needmorelego hopefully there'll be other kind parents like you!

I just felt a huge pang of mum guilt when she said that and I'm not particularly prone to mum guilt!

It’s a lovely idea but I don’t think there will be many parents who would be able to do that every day! Most either work or have younger siblings. I’m not sure it’s a great idea for those children who struggle to settle in either as it’s longer for those parents to then have to walk away and say good bye. At our school they have one morning a term where we can go in the class and look at the children’s work. I think every single day is a bit ott.

I wouldn’t be so sure that other parents won’t be doing it @Emmacb82 to be honest. I often read that on here but I think there are a fair few parents who work part or flexi time, then you have grandparents, parents who WFH … I think if not many parents did it then they probably wouldn’t offer it.

Not meaning to be discouraging there, just realistic.

Oh I don’t doubt that there will be some that will, I just meant that op won’t be the only one who won’t be able to stay that’s all.

Bit ridiculous. Most parents will need to get to work…

No one is going to do that every day surely? Work, younger siblings etc. render that impossible for most. Even if you could eg a SAHP without younger ones then you still probably don’t want to do it every single day because you have stuff you’d rather be doing. I imagine the reality is most people do it every so often, between once a week and once a month, so it works out that there are a couple of parents in every day?!

My local school also has volunteers from my work (church) who go in for those whose parents aren't able

My DS school does it once a term (although it hasnt happened yet this term). I'd say out of 30 only about 10 parents stay....and it was mainly working parents who took the time off like me. and 90% of the time the same parents.

Ours does it for mother's day, fathers day and world book day. That's it. Not everybody goes, for the reasons already mentioned on here.
Every day seems like overkill but as pp suggested, I'm sure they wouldn't do it if nobody went.

DSs school do this but it's once a week, the class was split into 4 and you went in on your day. There wouldn't be enough room in class otherwise. I took his little sister in too and she'd play while I read, kids who didn't have a parent or grandparent there read with the teacher or sometimes joined in with a friend and their grown up. I'd be surprised if the expectation was you'd go in every day.

Our primary did this sort of thing once a term - usually at the end of day Friday. I worked but either took my lunch break later or booked the afternoon off - Only around half the parents would attend due to work, family or sibling commitments! Not sure they could get a very good attendance for a morning session!

Yes this was common practice before covid but not reinstated afterwards. Except when it is world book week.
It' wasn't every day and of course not compulsory and I always thought it was lovely

The reality is that the school will do this because it works which means it’s in an area where most children do have a parent or grandparent who can accommodate this. Usually the child who is left out does notice and does get upset. It’s something to manage expectations about now and see what you can put into place to try to juggle things or look at another school.

I did this at DD’s school from reception up to the end of Year 2. I rarely read with her though - they preferred us to read with other children. There were three of us volunteering per day and we had a set day per week from about 8:15 to 9:00 Monday to Friday and the school had us all DBS checked. I enjoyed it as you really got to see their confidence growing.

When my DD was in primary they had one morning a week that was a sing along and parents could stay which as they got older turned into maths worksheets. DS had story time one afternoon a week just before home time in R and Yr1.

Daily is definitely not manageable. Are there other schools that are feasible because I think that's a deal breaker - even if I was a SAHM!

It sounds more like some parents read to a few kids in small groups, depending on which adults are there .There's bound to be a couple of SAH parents or flexible workers who will be doing it most days, then others more sporadically.
I think it's more about being read to and making friends than necessarily bonding directly with their own parent. Make it 'story time', and the kids won't mind who's parent they are being read to by!

The Head said one of the 'really great' things was that from 8.40 - 9 the parents sit with their child in the classroom and spend 20 minutes reading with them. Every day in reception/year 1 and then twice a week after that.

If this was on a tour, then presumably someone asked "What about the children where the parents can't do that?"

It is unrealistic for so many parents for so many reasons.
Work being the obvious one, babies and toddlers being another, and are you supposed to just choose which is your favourite child if you have one in Reception and Yr1 ?

Some families might be able to make special arrangements for one off events (as a pp said - World Book Day, or attending the school play or sports day) but daily seems highly unlikely many would be able to do that.

My DD is in reception and last Friday parents were invited to join class 30 mins before finish and read with their child. They'd put biscuits/juice out and about 10 parents (26 kids in the class) were there but that's less than half. The children who didn't have a parent attend were kept occupied by TA's and joined in with biscuits etc. It was really lovely - luckily I work remotely and flexibly so I could attend however 6 months ago I didn't and wouldn't have, so I completely understand, but please don't worry - it's a nice idea but schools know the reality of working parents.

Nope wouldn't have happened here because we both work and our DDs went to breakfast club, also what are you meant to do if you have a younger child too?! Trying to read in a classroom while keeping an eye on a toddler wound ridiculous

That sounds like it would be a logistical nightmare for lots of parents.

Yes, I used to do this with all my children when dropping them off in yr 1 and 2 at primary school.

It's not compulsory.

Our school has a head who is incredibly considerate of working parents and schedules very, very little in the school
day for parents (just sports, nativity, harvest festival, leavers). We also had only a 2 half day settling in period then straight to full time too.

Friends opted for a different school that had a 4 week transition period and has a billion stay and play type things, reading etc.

Choose carefully @Gotosleep91

Our school has very similar Ofsted and outcomes and I know which works best for us. DD goes to wraparound care 4 days a week, we just can’t be there.

Sounds an unusual thing these days with less SAHMs than you Might have got 20years ago.
I had a school tour last week and they were incredibly aware of parents working hours and spoke about childcare before and after school etc. maybe it depends on the area the school is in?