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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

How do you handle your home/nursery Reception visits?

10 replies

learnandsay · 09/05/2012 16:32

The time for future Reception children's visits at nursery or at home. If you visit children in their homes how long does this take (in total, not per child) and how do you fit it in with school work? What can you/not put on transfer forms?

Is this process more touchy feely than academic? Our nursery nurses didn't realise that my daughter could read and I'm pretty sure they don't know that she can do basic addition and subtraction so I'm guessing that children's abilities in that regard aren't the focus of these visits. (The nursery nurses wouldn't be able to inform the Reception teachers about things they don't know about.) The visits sound more about finding about the children's personalities. And giving them some idea that school is coming. Is that fair?

Doesn't it just worry the children unnecessarily? I'm fairly sure this kind of thing didn't happen in the days when I went to school. Why is it necessary today?

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DaenerysTargaryen · 09/05/2012 16:38

Oh I thought it was nice, Dd enjoyed meeting her nursery teachers and it was helpful that she knew them on her first day, they took a photo of her to put on her peg so she would know where to put her coat.

it's also a reason to come into our homes and judge us

ragged · 09/05/2012 16:47

Can someone tell us why they do it?

cookiesnap · 09/05/2012 19:55

Neither of my dds did a proper induction to school for different reasons. I am glad - would have absolutely hated having a teacher come round! And it does make me wonder about the value of the long drawn-out process that most kids seem to go through. DD1 was a Jan starter - she got a place at a school and started 2 days later with no issues. DD2 did a brief induction at one school and then switched to another - again we were told her start date with a couple of days' notice. Wasn't an issue.

simpson · 09/05/2012 20:10

DD had a home visit before she started nursery school back in oct. she is having the same teacher in reception (from sept) so we won't have another home visit.

They mainly spoke to dd about her favourite toys and asked to see them and chatted to me about any worries I might have. I thought it was quite nice actually to have a home visit and it made dd more comfortable as she had already met 2 of the teachers before she started. They also gave her a sheet with some pictures on of what her classroom would look like and where she would hang her coat up etc.

mum2JRC · 09/05/2012 20:17

We had a home visit when my son started reception last September.

I felt both my son and me benefitted from having a one on one chat. My son was very excited and must of shown her most of his toy collection.
The teacher mainly asked questions about my sons personality. What he enjoyed doing etc. It was very relaxed and felt seeing his teacher one on one reduced any anxieties before starting school.

Sargesaweyes · 09/05/2012 20:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ragged · 09/05/2012 20:31

Ah, see, that's exactly why parents don't like it. :( You will find something to judge even if it's obviously irrelevant.

This will be my 4th DC starting up at the same school, most the staff quite know me & even this DC. What would be the point of a home visit for us, I wonder? I'm minded to decline if it's offered, I'm too busy with other stuff.

BerryCheesecake · 09/05/2012 20:51

I do 30 home visits every september, feel free to PM me op if you want to chat about them/ask questions :)

Meglet · 09/05/2012 20:56

I liked it. Obviously I spent days making sure the house was extra tidy beforehand.

It also meant DS's teacher could see what hard work the DC's were when they were at home together. The visit was a mixture of DS showing the teacher books and squabbling with his little sister.

noramum · 09/05/2012 22:43

DD never had this. The school asked for permission to contact her nursery but I doubt they did that.

Until DD started school she would hid behind my back all the time if she met somebody new. School drew her out of her shell and she is a very confident and bubbly girl after just over 2 terms.

A home visit would have created an impression which was ok at that time but was very different after a couple of weeks in school.

On a playdate at school DD was very unhappy at first but the teacher managed to get her laughing after just a couple of minutes. I doubt she would have been able to do so at home when the teacher would be on unfamiliar ground and DD hiding in the corner.

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