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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

I'm about to go and see the head teacher about ds going part time

24 replies

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 13:16

Wish me luck! I'm not hopeful!

Ds is a summer born boy due to start school this September, I want a longer settling in period where he is part time.

I feel really nervous about this meeting!

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Sparklingbrook · 19/06/2013 13:16

Why aren't you hopeful Still?

Periwinkle007 · 19/06/2013 16:19

what is the length they offer? ours says they can do half days until October half term but then they hope all children will be full time although will discuss other alternatives if required. or something like that.

the thing I would worry about if you ask for longer part time is what he will miss out on. If all phonics is in the afternoon for example then he won't be there for any of it if he does mornings until Easter say. then come the summer term he will be a long way behind and may struggle to catch up as I don't think the school are required to then give him individual teaching to get him up to speed.

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 16:38

The normal length of time for mornings only is one week.

Happily the head seemed quite open to ds attending mornings only for a while. All the phonics stuff is in the morning and he said if there was anything special in the afternoons they'd let me know and I could decide whether to send ds in for that day.

So it went better than I thought it would. I thought he'd just say no!

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Periwinkle007 · 19/06/2013 16:57

oh good, 1 week is very short as the standard length of half days. ours is mornings only for the first 2.5 weeks for all children (in afternoons the teachers meet with children and parents individually) and then you can choose if you want full time straight away, 3 full days and 2 half days or 5 half days up until half term. At least it gives some flexibility to families.

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 17:03

I feel better knowing the pressure is off. If ds settles and is happy to stay great, but at least if he doesn't we have some choices.

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Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 17:12

Although he said legally all children have to be at school full time the term they are five.

I think he's wrong and it's the term after they are five.

Anyway never mind. I'm right though aren't I?

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PassTheTwiglets · 19/06/2013 17:22

There is something called flexi-schooling, where children (of any age) attend school part-time. My DD (in Y5) has done it for a couple of years now. It's at the discretion of the HT and although lots of them refuse it (usually because they know nothing about it) it's a perfectly legal option.

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 17:26

Does that still stand pass?
I thought they were stopping flexi schooling?

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PassTheTwiglets · 19/06/2013 17:28

Yes, it still stands. There were some slight changes made but they've now been revised. They have made it more likely that a Head will refuse but it is still definitely legal.

NotALondoner · 19/06/2013 17:30

Well you know they don't have to be in school at all, right? So maybe it's full time education by the time they are 5?

Oblomov · 19/06/2013 17:32

How ironic. Our school does p/t for 4 weeks, and I wish they went fulltime sooner. I will use up most of my annual leave in Sept alone.

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 17:33

That's interesting to know.

Yes oblo can imagine that part time can be a nightmare when working if you've no choice as to whether you send full of part time.
Although I thought they were obliged to take them full time now? From September?

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5madthings · 19/06/2013 17:40

oblomov you can insist your child goes full time from sept, the law regarding this changed last year.

Obviously if you feel your child needs part time then thats diff, but if you feel they woukd be fine with full time then you can insist on it.

I have done both, negotiated part time for ds3 and then when ds4 started i insisted on full time as he was ready for it and i knew he would be fine.

ManateeEquineOHara · 19/06/2013 17:44

I flexi- schooled my son through reception. The school allowed it while simultaneously making it kinda clear they thought I was a loon.

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 19/06/2013 17:45

Surprisingly the head didn't seem to think I was a loon! Bet the teacher will though! I don't care if they think I'm a loon as long as ds is happy.

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Oblomov · 19/06/2013 17:52

5 mad. I knew that, thank you. Only coz I read it on mn a few weeks ago.
I work 3 days. So, once o found this out, I emailed head. Have heard nothing as yet.
But, would I want him there, full days, for the 3 days I work, if he was the only kid doing this? Errrrr, no.
most mums at our school don't work
minority do. If I am the only one asking for my son to be kept there full day, on 3 days. And no other child does that. How awful would that be for ds2?
I am undecided what to go for the best.

Oblomov · 19/06/2013 17:55

Op, sorry to hijack your thread. I'm really glad your school was accomodating.

Saracen · 20/06/2013 00:40

Stillhoping, you are right about when you're required to provide a full-time education to your child. If he was born between 1 April and 31 August inclusive then he needs to be in FT education from the September after his fifth birthday.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/8
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/1607/made

If this "prescribed day" malarkey is confusing to the headteacher (the concept seems to fox many people!), you could ask him to check with the LA. Most LAs seem able to get this right.

Glad your meeting went well!

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 20/06/2013 09:38

I knew I was right! Didn't like to say though since he'd been so accommodating. You'd think the head would know though!

I feel so glad that the pressure is off. If ds settles better then expected he can go full time, if not no worries and he can take a little longer. I've been worrying about this for months!

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xylem8 · 20/06/2013 16:29

IME schools absolutely don't want kids there all day that are not ready for it .They are tired fractious, fall asleep, wet themselves etc etc

ShelbyBlue · 22/06/2013 16:39

I have a child in my class this year who has only been fulltime since April. You as the parent have the right to say when you want him to go fulltime. As long as you don't chop and change your plans, this should be fine.

spanieleyes · 22/06/2013 17:25

And if you accept that there are some school activities that you might miss. We have had one child who was part time, at the parents request. However the Mum complained every time her child missed out on an event- a walk to the church, a visit from the petting zoo, swimming sessions, trip to the park, indeed anything that was arranged for the 2 days a week her child was not in. She seemed unable to comprehend that if her daughter was only in 3/5 of the week then there was a likelihood that she would miss out on 3/5 of the activities. It is not always possible to arrange activities to suit!

spanieleyes · 22/06/2013 17:30

Sorry, should say, "she would miss out on the other 2/5ths of the activities!

Original poster

Stillhopingstillhere · 22/06/2013 20:07

No I completely accept that. I appreciate the school accommodating my request, I won't be complaining!

The head said they'd let me know if anything special was happening in the afternoon so we could decide if ds would stay. I'm hopeful that ds may be full time by half term but feel glad we have that flexibility if needs be. I did not feel one week of part time would be enough.

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