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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Bloody typical, DS1 starts reception in September and we're on holiday for the main induction day

46 replies

Stockett · 27/05/2011 06:35

Bugger, bugger, bugger... we're going all the way to Cornwall in July and yesterday we got a letter from the school saying the main induction day is on the Tuesday of our holiday.

It's miles and miles to come back, and he'll be tired and grumpy when we get there, and it's so rare to get time all together.

But he's a summer born, and I want him to settle as well as possible, we're going to have to come back aren't we? WWYD?

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DialsMavis · 27/05/2011 10:25

DS missed the first week of reception and he has survived! enjoy your holiday

stickylittlefingers · 27/05/2011 10:29

No, induction days are definitely not necessary (we never used to have induction days anyway, did we? When did that all start?). TBH, I don't think they mattered in the slightest to dd1. Dd2 will be going, but it's more to pacify her by reasssuring her that she will be going to school soon - she's desperate to get away from me go!

IME, it was more an opportunity for anxious parents to bombard the teacher with questions, rather than the children having any particular interest.

Dancergirl · 27/05/2011 10:38

No, don't come back from you holiday!

I know it seems like it's important but in the long term scheme of things it really isn't. There may even be other children in the class who also have to miss it. Remember the induction is a good 6/7 weeks before he actually starts, it doesn't make that much difference to their settling in.

Call the school and explain and see if he can maybe come in on another day for an hour or so and meet his teacher etc.

There may also be children who get last minute places at the school during the summer - they won't have had the induction either.

Don't worry and enjoy your holiday.

mrz · 27/05/2011 10:52

As a reception teacher (for more years than I care to recall) I would never expect a parent to come back for an induction day. I'm not sure why they can't do an alternative but in the grand scheme of things induction is nice but not vital.

Tiggles · 27/05/2011 10:54

I am missing ds2s induction day as we are in Germany on a sports competition trip for ds1, so not cancelling that! Although in fairness ds2 currently goes to nursery attached to school and regularly goes into reception class room.
The only thing ds1 remembered from his induction day was the cup awarded every Friday for 'star of the week'. He was desperate to get it and talked about it all summer. Cue lots of Weekly disapointment when he didn't get it until the summer term.

Mollymax · 27/05/2011 11:29

Do not come home from your holiday,
Children are so resillient at that age and make friends pretty quickly.
He will soon fit in.
Enjoy your not so busy holiday, it soon changes when you have to take school holidays.

Sylvaniasandwich · 27/05/2011 17:39

DD1 didn't have any induction day because I didn't want her to go to her allocated school and kept her out. She finally got a place in January - I found out on the Monday, bought the uniform on Tuesday, had last day at nursery on Wednesday and started school on Thursday. She was fine (also summer born). Definitely don't cancel your hols.

midnightexpress · 27/05/2011 17:43

Oh don't come back. The holidays are so long he'll have forgotten most of it by the start of term. I think it's mostly for the parents rather than the children, tbh.

They never used to get induction days and we all came through unscathed.

dikkertjedap · 27/05/2011 17:47

It is not that he will not survive if you miss the induction day, but he will be at a disadvantage compared with those who did attend. Dd didn't know any at her new school and the induction day really helped. They showed their part of the school, where to hang coats, where the toilets are, they discussed what a school day would look like, they had plenty of time to get to know other kids as they did a number of games. I would definitely make sure he attends the induction day, well worth the hassle IMO

mrz · 27/05/2011 17:58

Do you think that no one will show him where to hang his coat and where the toilets or indeed ensure he isn't left out of the activities on his first day? Believe me few new starters recall the induction day 2 months later (although mum may) and friendships definitely aren't formed on the initial visit.
The teacher will be planning lots of get to know you activities over the first few days/weeks and will be helping all children to get to know their new surroundings and routines.

fivegomadindorset · 27/05/2011 18:01

He will be fine, look at all the children who move in summer hoidays, military children they all cope and so shall yours. DD started a new school in January, was fine.

dikkertjedap · 27/05/2011 18:03

Sure he will be helped and shown things once school starts but for those who already know these things the settling is much easier IMO. Don't agree that they will have forgotten when they start school, at least in dd's induction group they all seem to remember and also remembered each other (although not all each other's names). I think it also depends on class sizes, at dd's school all reception classes are 30 as the school is very oversubscribed.

mrz · 27/05/2011 18:07

dikkertjedap 20 years experience of teaching reception (between 30 and 45 children a year) tells me they do forget and that some will need reminding for days and weeks where their coat goes and where the toilets are

dannyblanchflower · 27/05/2011 18:11

As a reception teacher I say have a lovely holiday! Chances are he won't be the only one not there anyway. School will have a whole induction programme planned and this is only one small part of it.

(I would also say bring him in on xxx day to meet us and have a look round the class - but all schools are different )

piratecat · 27/05/2011 18:14

oh deffo go, don't worry.

dd started school at 4 and knew noone!

midnightexpress · 27/05/2011 22:07

Well I guess all schools are different dikkertjedap. Our school do two days, but it's only an hour each time with the class and then lunch as well on the 2nd visit. It's not as if they're making lifelong friends in that hour. DS2 couldn't even remember which of the people he already knows are in his class after his first visit last week. Even the head teacher said not to worry if you couldn't make it.

southofthethames · 28/05/2011 04:08

The induction day isn't going to make or break his school year. Would suggest you stay on your holiday and just have fun. Being around for him and supportive during his first few weeks is more important - can meet other mums and arrange playdates then! Besides, there will probably be some classmates who haven't been to induction or who have only been given the school place after induction also.

ninani · 28/05/2011 08:21

Our induction was during our son's nursery time which was at another school. I still had to go though because I had to enrol him at the same time otherwise he would lose the place! They didn't offer alternative enrolment day. It was only for 1-2 hours and you can't make any friends then really can you?

anthonytrollopesrevenge · 29/05/2011 11:20

DS ended up hating his last induction session, apparently a TA told him off for running around and not listening. He was worried all summer holidays. Having said that he was fine once he started (luckily TA in question was not in his class and he really liked his reception teacher who was lovely.) These things are a bit of a lottery. My DD hated her induction sessions but really liked it when the teacher did a home visit and she was able to see who she was and that she was not scary. So she was happy settling into school for the first term or so, less happy now as they want her to do things like reading when she wants to sit in the sand pit and get mucky, but that is another thread. Enjoy your holiday and forget about school for the summer, your DS may or may not enjoy the induction but this is very different to going to school full time which is much more important.

myBOYSareBONKERS · 29/05/2011 20:40

Are you sure its a whole day?? my sons is only an hour. I certainly wouldn't be coming back for one hour!! Also at ds1 induction only 6 children turned up anyway!

bluegiraffe · 29/05/2011 22:32

Induction day (well actually just ONE hour) clashes with DD's Sports Day (morning!) at her current pre-school.

I know from their latest newsletter on the website they are having two sessions that week and I predicted we'd get the one of the two that clashed with her Sports Day! ... but also attached to the letter was a family ticket to their Summer Fete - so if push came to shove and they couldn't accommodate us on the alternative date, then DD would go to her Sports Day and we'll go to the Summer Fete and peer through the windows ;-))

All her friends are where she is now and I want to share the precious 'now' moments of her life.

She is excited about Big School already and although she'll know only one other child there, I'm pretty confident she'll settle quickly, whether she's spent the one (!) hour there in July or not ...

Enjoy your holiday - precious time holidays!!!

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