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?

Ah, the primary years… the time where the school assumes parents sit at home waiting for the next bake sale. When dd1 was having issues and we had a meeting with the head he suggested a follow up meeting 4 weeks later. Dh and I came out of work for the meeting. Head turned to dh and said “maybe teenlifemum and I could meet if it’s tricky for you to leave work, I know you’re very busy!” Dh immediately responded “well my wife also works so it’s just as tricky for her!” (Head knew I worked for the nhs as I was a governor in the school!)

Our school did it in Y2 but only once a week, my mom used to go in, I only made it once. I'd say only maybe 20% of the kids had someone there though, they tended to partner up (so my DD and a friend would read a book together to me), then the others would sit in the carpet with the teacher and TA and read together.
Way too excessive for every day but I can see why schools do it. Some children don't read at home. In infants ours did reading karate and they used to post on the dojo app whenever a child had gone up a band. I remember it being quite late in the year (prob may/june) and some children were only just getting their first band. They only had to read 10 times at home to get this band, I felt it was a shame in 9 months to only have read 10 times.

They could just start the school day at 9 and you wouldn’t be able to leave for work until then anyway if you were doing the drop off. I’m sure there are lots of parents who can’t do it so I wouldn’t fret too much.

If she was starting work at 9 she'd be using breakfast club or some other wraparound, presumably.

God that's infuriating.

In infants ours did reading karate and they used to post on the dojo app whenever a child had gone up a band. I remember it being quite late in the year (prob may/june) and some children were only just getting their first band.

That is a shocking lack of confidentiality !

Presumably it's to teach the parents how to read to their kids? So as long as you're doing that at home don't sweat it.

They shouldn't be sharing stuff like that for other parents to sneer at

✨School isn't childcare✨

And?

They're doing this because so many parents won't read with their kids at all otherwise.

If you read with your daughter, she's not losing out. There will be other adults who can help her at school.

Wraparound care at school certainly is, it’s why you can use tax free childcare to pay for it.

You seem to be on the wrong thread. 😘

Our school doesn't do this.
We are only a few weeks in but already seeing a mismatch between the expectations of the school and work. They did parents "evening" our slot was 2pm, tour of the classroom the same day 3-6. Thankfully we have understanding employers and were able to WFH and take a late lunch break followed by finishing early catching up later in the week. My parents wouldn't have been able to do that when I was a child. Mum was a nurse and my dad was in manufacturing. Next is the Halloween disco finishing at 5 and hour earlier than the after school club she's usually in so that's another early finish to make up.

That's not what OP is worrying about though. It's not about the reading, it's about her DC getting upset because Jane's mummy comes every day, and Sarah's mummy comes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then her granny on Thursday etc.

Then just say it's because the DC reads to mummy after school

My wifes school allows their teachers to attend things like this and plays, assemblies etc.

And plenty of parents don't work 9-5, have childminders etc. Invitations state the level of language skill required..

Safeguarding is covered by Garda clearance.

Why would parents who can't do it deny it to those who can. The more adult support the better it is for all children.

Seems strange.
If this was me, I would do a storytime in the morning so my child had already had their story and tell my child that the parents who are at school reading probably didn't manage to do their morning story at home first.

The school clearly communicates what it is with the children and parents, why wouldn't they? It's parents supporting all children reading. Read along with me program is pretty much national here.

The parents don't read to just their own children, they take turns. So every child has an adult read with them and share their book and show their comprehension of the book. Children don't miss out of their parents aren't available.

We literally did 45 minutes and read with 3 children so only 5 parents needed.

Absolutely this.
We make sure we are there for the essentials, nativity plays, parents evenings etc but can’t be hanging about at 830. We read with our kids before bed!

??

If parents were qualified to be teachers, there wouldn't be any need for school...

The assumption that parents are available to play a role in the classroom is ridiculous in this day and age.

Parents can only read to children at home if they can afford books or have a library to borrow them from, if the hours the children are at home coincide with the hours the parent is home, and if the parent isn't snowed under with other responsibilities in the household. School is there to do one job.

The thing is apparently schools get rated on by Ofsted for "parental involvement". So they do events like this knowing full well that very few parents will be able to attend - but it looks good on paper.
They don't expect many parents to attend. When I attended Friday morning reading sessions it was usually around 30 regular parents out of a possible 1000 or so.

@mathanxiety all children get to take home books from school (in England at least) so even if there's no owned books at home children will always have at least one.