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A thread for 2012 new reception starters?

201 replies

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 11:09

I'm feeling the need to chat to others about dc starting school in September - there are a few threads with tips about uniform etc, but I'd like a chinwag about it all too!

Anyone else?

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HipHopOpotomus · 25/05/2012 11:12

Hello!!!!

DD1 is well & truly ready for primary school. She has been in a wonderful nursery for 1.5 years now & as she was born in November she will be one of the older starters I guess. We've been very lucky as she got into our first choice school, the local, just across the road.

Just this morning I was starting to think about name tags - ho hum!

I haven't heard from the school yet so am in the dark about the details.
Uniform, what time does she start, school dinners, etc etc. When will they contact us?

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 11:28

Hi HipHop!

We had a letter from our school about a week ago, with a very short leaflet in it about uniform, start times and attendance policy. They're holding a parents' meeting late June but we'll be on holiday, so I'll have to rely on my neighbour to take notes for me!

DS1 is going to our village school, so already knows it a little because his preschool takes them over to the grounds to play sometimes, so he's quite excited about going. And he's ready yes, September birthday, so in some ways it's felt a long year!

School across the road sounds great! We're close, but have to go down (and then back up!) a steep hill.

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Sparklingbrook · 25/05/2012 11:41

Hello. Just gatecrashing to say you were me 9 years ago. Sad I was so apprehensive and worried about getting it all right but there wasn't any need. i am a little bit Envy of you all. Good luck. Smile

roadkillbunny · 25/05/2012 11:57

Hi, checking in with you as have ds starting this September, joining dd at the village school!
I asked our school secretary today when info on the induction mornings, parents meeting, class teacher meeting was going to come out and she said that they hadn't had the final class list come back from the LA with the acceptances etc (it is a VA school so does it's own admissions but LA do all the running around after parents things) so haven't been able to sort all that out yet but we will be getting letters with all the info and dates on as soon as they get the final list from LA. I am glad that I have done all this before as if things had been this late coming out when dd started I would have worried myself into knots as the summer term is ticking away, only a week left to the final half term!

I am very much more anxious about ds starting then I was with dd (she is 7 tomorrow and in Y2 so will be Y3 when ds starts), even though with a early March birthday ds will be older then dd was on starting school he is so much more immature, dd was ready in every way and had been a while where as ds has only just got the knack of dressing himself and bottom wiping can be very hit and miss! Both ds and dd have speech issues, dd had physical problems that gave her speech problems and had surgery in reception year that helped a great deal, ds is much more severely delayed, he had bilateral glue ear and could hear very little until he was just over 3, his speech is coming on but is very unclear and most things he says are unintelligible, we are still at the stage of 'wow a three word sentence, good job!!', he is moving forward but slowly, when ever he has a cold or bug his hearing dips and he struggles with frustration which can make his behaviour not great with other children. It is a good job I know the reception staff so well and our school is so good, he will be in a class of no more then 25 with 3 members of staff, a teacher, nursery nurse and TA. I know we are lucky to have the set up we do and it will be very good for him because he is desperate to learn, it seems crazy that he can't really talk to show you what he is able to do but he knows all his colours and shapes, can count to over 10 and do simple sums and he can read some basic words and books.
I know he will be fine and he will really enjoy it and thrive but he is my baby, my last child. It will be so strange being the mother of school aged children rather then having a pre-schooler!

simpson · 25/05/2012 13:02

Hi

DD is starting in September too and although I think academically she will be fine and is more than ready I do think she is going to struggle with tiredness.

She also has some health issues ie she is hyper mobile in her legs so her balance is poor and she falls over a lot. She will be having school dinners and I don't know how she is going to cope with carrying a food tray tbh.

But the good thing is that she attends the nursery attached to the school and her nursery teacher is probably going to be her reception teacher which is good.

Road kill - I also have a child who will be in yr3 and I do feel more chilled about DD starting than I was about DS!!!

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 13:03

Hi roadkillbunny - sounds tricky with your ds's hearing issues, but the reception class set-up sounds great, I'm sure it'll help him settle in well. Bottom wiping is by no means reliable with ds, so I am trying to let him get on with it himself and making sure he's properly clean at the end of the day bath!

Thanks for the drop-by Sparkling, I feel the same when I see antenatal threads pop up - where does the time go?!

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ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 13:04

Cross post, Simpson, hello!

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ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 17:30

Lovely weather! I think the worst bit about ds1 starting school is feeling tied down, and not bring able to just go away for long weekends when the weather's nice.

Simpson, have you had information from your school yet? I guess you know the ropes anyway.

And has anyone started thinking about uniform yet? DS has to wear a tie! Shock

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Iamnotminterested · 25/05/2012 17:42

Can I join in? DD1 starts high school in September Shock, DD2 will be in year 4 and DD3 reception; very different ages and stages of their education!

PeppermintCreams · 25/05/2012 19:21

My DS will be starting reception in September. He is currently in the nursery class attached to the school, so I'm hoping it will be a relatively easy transition. I'm not had the welcome pack back from the school yet, so I'm twitching about that at the moment.

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 19:23

Hi Iamnotminterested - is your DD3 excited about going to school like her big sisters? I think with a PFB, school is all a bit abstract.

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ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 19:25

I'm doing well at this crossed post malarkey, hi Peppermint. Is this your first 'starting school' experience, or do you have an older one?

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simpson · 25/05/2012 19:49

Not got information pack yet but tbh I have most of the uniform already as DD wears a uniform in the nursery class (although it's polo shirts and she will have to wear a proper shirt and tie from sept).

She has also inherited some school jumpers from DS and when she started the nursery I bought her 2 second hand cardigans from the school at 50p each as apposed to nearly a tenner each!!!!

I don't even have to buy her a book bag as she will use DS's one as he will be in juniors and they tend to use rucksacks then instead.

shelley72 · 25/05/2012 20:01

My baby starts in sept too, and I am dreading it - sounds silly but I feel like I'm losing him Sad, even tho he has been at nursery years. We got into third choice school, which is still a nice school I think, but he won't be moving up.with.anyone he knows. Both nursery and we have concerns about this as he finds change hard. He will prob be eldest in year so should be .fine but I worry so much for him. Have our first mtg nxt wk so should find out more info then.

We are still on list for our first choice school (where friends are going) I am not sure when we need to have a cut off for that

PeppermintCreams · 25/05/2012 20:56

Yes, he is my PFB. I'm hoping it won't be too different to him starting at the nursery class. He (and I) are already used to the massive school, staff, uniform etc. So we will just have to worry about the longer days, packed lunches, new teacher, different classmates etc. The older siblings of his friends already go to "big school" so the idea of it all isn't too alien I hope. We shall see!

icarriedawatermelon2 · 25/05/2012 21:04

We have 6 (yes 6!) induction afternoons to attend, children off to the classroom whilst parents have a workshop!?

A home visit

A nursery visit

A parents evening

and finally we can come into school in September! OMG!

DS doesn't want to move from his nursery which is part of a fab prep school :( so sad we just can't afford it, but he has had a fab early years there.

kat1885 · 25/05/2012 21:17

My ds1 also starts school in Sept but still don't know where. Council said we should have the letter in a couple of weeks when I rang on Monday. I am very worried, not about him starting but where he will be.

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 21:30

Bloody hell Kat, that puts other worries into perspective. Are you in London? I guess they're trying to sort out bulge classes?

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kat1885 · 25/05/2012 21:51

No in Cardiff. They said it was because they had to sort bulge classes and then rejig everyone. Hopefully it will mean we get one of the schools we want.

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 21:55

Blimey, I didn't know they were having trouble - a good friend in Cardiff just got offered her first choice there belatedly, as they created a bulge class - and she now has to decline her accepted choice direct as it's a VA. Really hope it all gets resolved very soon for you.

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OzBrit · 25/05/2012 21:56

My DS1 is also very ready to start (Sept b'day), but like you kat1885, we don't quite know where he will be starting as he too didn't get a reception place. Just wanted you to know you aren't alone in the waiting game.

Despite DS1 being ready, I am sure there will still be tears from me!

kat1885 · 25/05/2012 22:01

Apuski I think that's the hold up as all schools in my village are full but the bulge classes should free up places as some people accepted places in them as 3rd or 4th choice etc. Just fed up of waiting! What school is it?

I am a little bit glad I'm not alone in this but not glad you have to go through it oz.

ApuskiMcClusky · 25/05/2012 22:08

Not sure which school, but she's in the Roath / Pen-y-lan area.

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kat1885 · 25/05/2012 22:21

They said they were adding a class to lakeside primary so that makes sense. was fishing too see if any schools near me were adding bulge classes. I'm in whitchurch.

Destrier · 25/05/2012 22:33

Signing in, too. No news from our school either... want to hear something soon...

What's a bulge class?

Ds is very excited, I have mixed feelings! Grin My little baby!