Primary school - what to expect at the school gates and beyond

[ellecf]

Just a bit of a light thread to hear what to expect from being a primary school parent from a social perspective. I’ve heard it’s a whole new social era, which we have already experienced at the local preschool on a smaller scale (which has been wonderful since relocating!). What should we expect? Is it social? Are there dramas? Any stories from your experience?!

Watch Motherland. It’s scarily accurate lol

It’s literally walking your child in, while they scream and cling to you and have to be peeled off by a teacher. Then collecting them and they are tired and hungry and you go home.

I only occasionally talk to anyone and only really people I know (neighbours or dc’s friends parents or grandparents). Put two dc through two different primary schools and never experienced any drama or cliques. Only time I’ve ever witnessed anything remotely dramatic was one Monday after a boozy school fundraiser, one of the mums gave another mum a bollocking because she doesn’t like that she swears so much when she drinks. 🤣 That was kinda hilarious and as dramatic as it’s ever been.

I wouldn’t say it’s particularly social, though people do know each other, I think more so because they all live in the village and are neighbours. No cliques really, no drama, really not at all a whole new world. But then I have my friends outside of mum friends so I’ve never really sought that out. My friends are from work and neighbours and uni friends we’ve known 20 years. I communicate with dc’s friends parents to arrange play dates and lifts, but I wouldn’t consider us friends really.

I will add to the above is that the only time I have experienced ‘drama’ was when they got to Y6 and secondary school and got phones. It wasn’t at all school gates related. But there was definitely some bullying (by the usual suspects) and some suicide threats on group chats and parents (some of the crazy ones, usually the parents of the usual suspects) getting involved and harassing other children, which led to police having to get involved. But this was in secondary school and not at all related to any parents I really knew well from primary.

Join the class Whatsapp so you don't miss party invitations. Don't get into cliques. If you sense another mum or two are your type of people, however, those could become great friendships, and invaluable for mutual last-minute childcare / pickups, and just general emotional support.

Don't get too casual or chatty in the Whatsapp. I made an error in Reception and made an honestly light-hearted joke about a pumpkin entered into the pumpkin competition. Became a massive, melodramatic drama with a really offended mum. DD in Y6 now - it's still referred to as 'Pumpkingate'.