How often?

[Chopstick100]

Just wondering how often do you go into groups at your kids school? There is a teacher that keeps pressuring me to come into groups at school, I’ve tried to politely decline but she is extremely pushy, to the point I have dropped my kids off and left and other teachers have stopped me saying aren’t you going to the group 🙁 I have tried to let her know I can’t attend these groups but she doesn’t accept no for an answer. I’ve been talked into going to one but I’m not a social person and I hate groups so don’t want to go, I’m the type to drop my kids and run, and also I have stuff to do so feel a bit annoyed this is taking away some of the only free time I get as my kids don't see their father so i get no days off. I’m not a person that wants to spend loads of time at my kids school. How often do other parents attend groups at their kids school? I also home educate one of my children which she is aware of so it really just isn’t convenient to be coming into these groups.

There must be more to this. What are these groups called? Who plans/organises/supervise them? Are they really twice a week? Is there a specific purpose to them?

The kids whose parents can make it do half an hour learning and half an hour playing , while the others do learning in class for an hour?

I have a 14 year old son, and can say the only times I have been into his Infant/Junior school are parents evening, twice a year to look at books, read with your child day, Christmas plays etc. I have never heard of a group that's run during school time, where parents get to spend learning/playing time with their child - especially twice a week!! I could understand once a month or something similar! I appreciate the teacher would ideally like all parents to do this group at least once with their child, but realistically that's not going to happen. Parents work and have other commitments during the daytime. I think you are going to need to be firm. Tell the teacher, you have another child to homeschool, so you need to go home. Tell her that neither child is at all bothered at attending this group or you being in school and small talk with other parents is not you at all. If she keeps persisting, then you will need to complain to the Headteacher.

Where do you live OP? What sort of school is this? I’ve seen this done in places where English isn’t the first language or parents who would like some help in helping their children with subjects they’re not au fait with. Usually they are positive sessions and well received by everyone.

More to it how? I don’t know what they are called as I’ve never really asked as I’ve always declined, she just explained what happens. She runs all sorts of groups, coffee groups, stay and play for toddlers etc

I was born in England and my children were also born here.

That’s what I think, I don’t mind going occasionally maybe once a month or less but I cannot commit to twice a week or even once a
week.

Twice a week is too much. My dcs school do a similar thing but only twice a year.

So is it not run by the teacher?

When does she actually teach?

My dcs' school holds something like this weekly. It is run by the inclusion team ( a mix of craft activities / Sen help / helping parents understand the curriculum) . It seems to be mainly aimed at struggling families. The children who go are taken out of class for the sessions.

I don't go as a) I work and b) the sessions aren't relevant to me. But there is no pressure to attend anway

This will sound a bit brutal but it’s to answer the incredulous posts by other posters.

It is a support thing. The school are worried about OP and the children. Not so much so that it warrants SS intervention, but as a ‘keep an eye on’ thing. The aim of this is to try to support the family.

That doesn’t mean the OP has to attend but that’s what they’re trying to achieve and is why the teacher is pushy.

Oh. Do all schools offer this as I’ve never heard of it?

If it were me, op, I don’t think I’d have been able to contain my curiosity at being invited to attend a mysterious ‘group’ twice a week. I’d have been asking who the group was aimed at, what it was intended to achieve, why I and my children had been invited, were there any problems the school wanted to flag up…etc.

Why do schools have these groups if they are so upsetting for the children?

No

Nope sorry to disappoint you but it’s not that and many other parents attend the group.

It’s in a separate room.

Why would it disappoint me? 😂

What group is it then? If you know what it is, just say so!

I don’t know what it’s called just told you I never asked more because I’m too busy, it seems to be some kind of parent/child workshop which other parents attend it isn’t just me she’s asked she seems to run a few groups a week

Schools don’t generally have events on for purely social reasons during the school day. Parents who don’t work usually have other commitments, and if not it’s generally only a small amount of free time.

A twice weekly group the teacher is pressuring you to attend is there because you’ve been deemed to need support and I’d agree with that. Whether you take it and whether it’s any good is another matter.

Schools don’t generally have events on for purely social reasons during the school day. Parents who don’t work usually have other commitments, and if not it’s generally only a small amount of free time.

A twice weekly group the teacher is pressuring you to attend is there because you’ve been deemed to need support and I’d agree with that. Whether you take it and whether it’s any good is another matter.

That is literally a support group.

Sorry for double post.

We've had sessions of things like easter or Christmas family crafts, but not often, maybe 2/3 times a year where parents join the kids. I've been to the ones I can and to be honest was surprised that most children had an adult join them, even if it was a grandparent. Not my kind of thing as I'm socially awkward, but went because DS wanted me to. They seem to be phasing out now he's a little older