Lining up to go into classroom in the morning

[peanutbutterkid]

This system is new to DC school and every parent claims to hate it. Pupils used to be escorted to the door & then made their own way from there to their own classroom.

We're told it's usual system at most schools. Why? What's so great about it?

We had a new Head in September who gave up on the lining up for Yr 3-6. They go straight into class, but most seem to be left at the school gate by parents rather than accompanied in (small school, 1 entrance, Head stands at the gate to say good morning). Infants (separate playground) do line up, and it seems like a great plan. DD (yr 1) often just gets in and rushes off to play with friends until the whistle blows, so if I need to be off to work I just say goodbye then and leave her to it - there are always plenty of staff in the playground. If I need a quick word with dd's teacher I just make sure we're in as soon as the gate opens (8.35, whistle at 8.45) and I can usually get hold of her for a moment. If it was a real issue I would expect to make an appointment for a private chat anyway .

Many feel obligated to wait until their child (typically KS1, but some insecure older children, too) actually enters the doors, so it detains many of us (some are now late to work as a result).

I don't understand. Is the playground where they wait unsupervised? If so, I can understand the reservations. If not, I don't understand the problem.

Presumably the new system also stops the teachers having to basically supervise children who get dropped off really early, in their own time.

at our school children go in usually by themselves.sit down to do handwriting while everyone else arrives.i like it because it's a very calm start to the day

Lady, loads of the parents have complained but she wont move on it. Its a small school with a really small hall. Infants go in at 12.10 and juniors 12.40. She says there is plenty choice, 2 mains, a vegetarian, 2 desserts and a salad and fruit bar with a choice of breads. I was there once and she told one of the parents to make arrangements to have their child collected at lunch time to take home. When you have the inducation meeting for reception she says the same

I dont even stay until the bell has rung. DD goes into the playground (no adults allowed into the playground except for a couple of weeks for the new starters in P1), has a play about with her friends and when the bell rings she lines up ready to go into the school building. The playground is supervised from 8.45am so the kids are dropped off and the parents leave.

I don't know if this was just me, but when I was at school, we weren't allowed to line up until the whistle went, and then there would be a mad dash to be first in the line for your class. Being first was a real ambition, and success definitely worth mention to your parents when they asked what you did at school that night.

Kids are weird

Fifi - That's just ridiculous. My DS 's school is small too, only 60 pupils. But they still get a choice of having school meals or sandwiches. My DS has sandwiches as we can't afford to pay for school meals yet we aren't entitled to free school meals.
We live 30 mins walk from the school so him coming home for lunch would be out of the question. I'm glad he doesn't go to your school, i'd kick up a real fuss!

Peanut - your description of the way it is currently being run does sound annoying. It works well at our school, but only because the parents are asked to wait behind a line in the playground. They can wait there until the child goes in if they wish and wave bye, or can drop and go. Eliminates the crush etc. The playground is supervised from 8 35. At 845 the superviser blows the whistle and children line up. Within 2 minutes they are then filed into the classroom, so no time for getting bored or messing about. It is a big school, with a double class intake of 26/27 in both reception and Yr 1. Having parents in the classroom/cloakroom beyond the first settling in weeks would be a nightmare IMHO and counter-productive in developing the childrens own coping skills.

Lady shes leaving in September so the new headmistress might change it. Apparently theres only 3 kids in the whole school on free meals so that means most of the parents work, dont know how your meant to collect your kids if you cant afford dinners She also makes us pay for water

Thanks -- this is interesting because I couldn't get my head around what school might do different besides abandon this new system altogether.

School has said very explicitly that they want lining up so that parents can more easily talk to teachers, would be weird to backtrack now and say pupils must line up but no talking to teacher since teachers have to be supervising. Hence, supervision is doomed to be iffy.

My kids always line up the moment they arrive, typically 3-10 min. before teacher can go in because someone is yacking their ears off.

Just outside the gate is too small an area for parents to safely congregate & do drop offs/hand over stuff.
Bike rack is well inside the gate, many children will need help locking bikes and then getting their stuff from adult escort.
Next to bike rack is open access to staff car park -- some daft children would run off down there without adults to stop them.
Some kids, like mine, are difficult unpredictable & probably the staff would appreciate parents of DC like mine to stay and be as accessible as late as possible.

So I think parents as a rule have to come inside the gate with their kids.

As for parents standing amongst the lines -- even if parents didn't do that it would still be a very crowded environment (small school yard, big school), and physically awkward to approach the teacher.

Fifi - is that even legal? To not allow children to have packed lunches on school premises? (Is it a state school?)

I've only ever heard of independent schools doing that.........

Are schools allowed to charge for water?

Indigo - i think she thinks shes running an independent school. You pay £1 per term for water but most of the parents just dont pay it. Its a state school. You have to pay for everything even to see your own kids in the school xmas play .

in my dd schools from day 1 in reception, kids line up on the playground when the bell goes and the teachers/ assistants take them in. Parents are not allowed in the class and are encouraged not to follow them to the door. It works brilliantly and after the first day or two the kids were perfectly settled - i would imagine parents in the building is more unsettling if one starts whining or being clingy? All the other years do this so it makes perfect sense to me to start it on day 1 then its routine. Plus the teacher stays outside to quickly talk to parents while the TA takes them in (handover issues like kids having medicine etc). This is good as the teacher can walk away to start the lesson on time without having to ask the parents to leave!

Our classroom doors open directly onto the playground and so it's a parent's choice as to whether you accompany them into the classroom or pop them through the door. Dd's teacher is happy for parents to chat if need be at that time or arrange an appointment for later This applies to all years 1 to 6. At home time teacher lets the child out once she has seen you are there to collect. Y5 and 6 leave independently if they choose.

Our school is on a large site with every classroom effectively having it's own entrance.

In reception we went into the classroom with them, helping drop off the reading books.

In year 1, we dropped them off just outside the classroom.

In year 2 we just leave them to go in on their own.

However, I think this approach is unusual but we have tons of space. I think other schools line up in the playground out of necessity.

One advantage is that it makes for a quick get-away; the children all know what to do when they get in, so they just make a start (playing in early reception, choosing a book in late reception, starting to get exercise books out, writing dates in year 2).

So, with the registration period 8:45 to 8:55, you can be on your way by 8:46.

The school my kids are in used to do this and have thankfully abandoned it I used to hate it when we had to stand out in the rain waiting for them to come in. they operate a only reception parents may come in and even that I find chaos..
I dont like the line up before school it is oldfashioned in my opinion. the school when they bring the kids out have them line up and wait there until they have got the ok from teachers to leave as they can see whom they are oging with

So, you're saying that the parents don't like it because it means they've got to wait with their kids 'til the bell goes, as opposed to dropping them off early for the teachers to supervise so they can nip off sharpish to work?

At DD's school it is the norm to stay in the playground and then line up.

Children arrive at school and head inside to hang up ther bags, coats and hats. Parents cna go in with them.

They then go outside to play. The children can be left in the playground from 8:15am where there is a member of staff on duty. Parents can stay or go at this time. Most go.

8:30am - bell goes and they line up in their form lines. Their techer comes out to meet them and they go in to class.

I can't see the problem tbh.

Obviously if children are not lining up sensibly and are causing disruption then the teacher needs to sort that out. But even 4 and 5 year old children can learn to stand in line propery for 5 mintes.

I don't understand why the children's day starts later? Have school made changes to the start time?

This is how our Primary does it, orderly entry into school. I've heard no complaints from children or parents in 8 years.

@ Hulababy: Start time not changed, but it used to be you were "late" well before 2nd bell rang, and now usually the lines don't go in until well after 2nd bell has rung. I guess before the children would filter into classroom and do a little exercise, like handwriting, before carpet time/hearing instructions/Assembly for the day. I don't know exactly what they do now, but I presume it's straight to instruction-time/assemblies and no little exercise time first.

@ Clam Yes, many parents feel that they should wait rather than dump and run. I am one, because DS2 is a volatile character. I don't truly know why others feel it necessary, maybe others perceive that behaviour in the waiting lines is poor.

It's a bit harsh on people who made one arrangement for work hours to now find they are consistently late, especially if you're skint & need every penny. I am okay as a SAHM.

What are the rules regarding leaving children inthe playground before the bell? Is staff on duty at all?

I see nothing wrong with the lining up system personally but if it is causing so many problems then parents may wish to sed a letter outlining their concerns and see if something can be done for this half term at least (gives people chance to sort something out for September and they have lots of notice), such as having a teacher/TA in the playground 5-10 minutes before the bell goes so parents can drop and run.

As said before, we have 15 mins drop and run time available to us should we wish to use it. We can leave children fro 8:15am and the bell goes at 8:30am.

DS has SN so he genuinely wouldn't cope...we are working on it, but atm would just be cruel to leave him to it

I work in a school where the children are brought in by parents and it is a nightmare as i am always collared by someone- often the same person/people as I'm trying to start registering or something like that. The school I worked in before had a similar policy, but it was even worse as the parents just used to hang around in the classroom having a gossip. When I asked them of they could wait outside unless they wanted to see me I was the brunt of their gossip ( malicious!) for the rest of the academic year! I personally think the children should line up and come in at the same time as it increases independence and organisational skills. Too many parents wrap the kids in cotton wool and it does them no favours at all.