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Preschool education

Get advice from other Mumsnetters to find the best nursery for your child on our Preschool forum.

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Original poster

Is it normal for Nursery teacher to do a home visit?

21 replies

mosschops30 · 06/07/2008 15:57

ds starts nursery (attached to a primary school, but not the one he's attending).
They are doing a home visit for every parent and child

This strikes me as somewhat bizarre, never had it with dd.
I am starting to think they just want to be nosey and get an idea of the background of their children, which IMHO is pretty wrong.

I dont care, we live in a nice house in a good area, Im just pissed off I'll have to clean

So is this normal?

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shatteredmumsrus · 06/07/2008 15:59

Yes both my sons had home visits. Assuming it is everyone and not just you being visited. They are coming to see you not if you have dusted! I know you will dust anyway tho ha ha

AlexanderPandasmum · 06/07/2008 16:00

Yes it is quite normal IME. I am a teacher and my school does it. I have heard of most other schools doing it too.

I think the idea is to chat to the parent(s) and find out what the child is like in their home environment, rather than to snoop!

BettySpaghetti · 06/07/2008 16:02

They do home visits prior to the children starting reception at the primary school DD goes to.

As its an oversubscribed, much sought after school I think they do home visits to check that people do in fact live where they say they live IYSWIM.

Could this be the case with the nursery? Is it v. popular and dependent on catchment areas?

Original poster

mosschops30 · 06/07/2008 16:02

Yes every child has a home visit.

Im sorry but I dont buy that 'seeing a child in the home environment' bullshit. What a lot of rubbish.
Its an opportunity for them to make an assumption on each child before they even arrive.
Actually i think its pretty insulting.

It never happened with dd, and I had never heard of it before, they certainly dont do it at the primary school ds is going to.

Lol yes I will be dusting, hoovering and cleaning the toilet

OP posts:

Original poster

mosschops30 · 06/07/2008 16:03

no not oversubscribed, or in a particularly affluent area (only chose it cos its the 2nd choice for the childminder) we dont live in the catchment but no such thing for nursery anyway

OP posts:

colditz · 06/07/2008 16:08

They want to see if you have books and whether your Tv is in a corner or flat against the wall.

You think I'm joking, but I'm really not. YOu're instinct it right - they are coming to make assumptions about you.

colditz · 06/07/2008 16:08

YOUR instinct is right

lizziemun · 06/07/2008 16:28

I poated about this a few days ago as i'm having a home visit when dd1 goes into primary school (would have been preshool if she went there).

It just so they can get to know your child a bit before they start and also so your child knows the teacher.

shatteredmumsrus · 06/07/2008 19:29

They take a photo of your house on our home visits so they can put a familiar photo in their new school on a 'where we live' board.

jennifersofia · 06/07/2008 20:02

I have to say, it is really good for the child to get to know the teacher a bit, and for them to see the teacher in their own environment. So many children are really chuffed when they come into school and they see the teacher and then say 'You were at my house!'.
Don't clean! If the teacher is any good, it is very likely that their own home is untidy because they don't have time to clean it!

MaloryIsCrossWithJohnnie · 06/07/2008 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lovingthepink · 06/07/2008 20:16

I personally managed to "get out" of the home visits by being unavailable. I am a teacher (but not reception so have never done home visits) and I am afraid it does mean that the teacher can make assumptions about you and your family which are then discussed in the staff room. (Perhaps I used to work at a really "crap" school though!!)

handbagqueen · 06/07/2008 20:22

Home visits are for the childs sake not for the teachers. With my DD the TA sat down and did drawings with DD that were put up in the classroom when she started and the teacher chatted to me and my husband to get to know a bit about DD and answer our questions. If you feel uncomfortable about the visit you can opt out of them.

OverMyDeadBody · 06/07/2008 20:29

Well when I was a nursery teacher I always did home visits and it really helped to see the child in their home environment. It meant I had something to talk to them about that was personal to them if they where a bit unsettled when they first started nursery.

It helps paint a picture of the complete child, and yes assumptions are made but they're not the only basis for assumptions!

Normal day to day mess I didn't even notice and wasn't there to see. It gave the parents a chance to talk a bit more about their individual child in a relaxed setting.

I would notice things like whether or not there where books, how prominant a feature the tv was, whether anyone chain smoked in the house.

It was a very rough area, I was just trying to help the parents and the child have a more positive attitude to education as a lot of the parents had had bad experiences when younger. It gave us a chance to reassure them and bring what we offered out of the school environment.

Fimbo · 06/07/2008 20:36

We had a home visit last year for nursery. The nursery teachers went round everyone during the first 2 weeks in September before the nursery children actually started, so no supply cover needed.

I think it is a good idea, as it gives your child one to one time with the teacher before they start.

purplesponge · 10/08/2008 10:21

I used to work in a state nursery attached to a primary school and we used to do home visits in eary september and january before the new intake started. I found it really helpful to meet the children and parents in their own home and find out a litle bit about each child in my group. Having a group 16 3 year olds you know NOTHING about is not fun. I had several very shy, nervous children in my group and for these children in particular it was a big help that I was not a total stranger to them.

biglips · 10/08/2008 10:22

yes but ended up not having one after all (i think they didnt have time to do it) so we just had a school induction day.

hippipotami · 10/08/2008 10:32

It is not at all so they can judge you/your child/your home.

It is so the child meets you, on familiar territory. It is so hte child, when starting nursery sees the teacher and remembers 'oh yes, you came to my house and had a cup of tea with mummy'. It helps them to settle.

I love how paranoid people get over these things.

And don't go overboard on the cleaning - they won't notice.
At my home visit they spent their time in the garden as ds wanted to show them his apple tree.

ThatBigGermanPrison · 10/08/2008 10:36

I have been informed by a nurrsery manager that it's so they can get a look at the type on environment your child is coming from, and judge your parenting and likely academic ability.

That is actually true. She did say that. I just don't care. We are judged every day. there's no point getting in a tizz about it.

nappyaddict · 26/10/2008 00:52

is it normal for them to do a home visit after they have already started? and if so what exactly is the point?

MegiMegi · 23/07/2024 15:48

i know home visits are a thing in loads of schools and preschools!
my little one is starting preschool in September and the school has just sent me the letter where is says he has been accepted and just realised there is 3 home visits! Is it just me or this is t normal? Has it happen to anyone? 3 home visits? TIA

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