Protracted primary induction

[SofaKingOld]

I hope some of you can give me advice as to whether I can take this further or if there is any national guidance or policy which I can refer to.

DS2(4) is starting at our local primary in September. School term starts 5th September but they don't want him to attend until the w/c 16th and then that's only for 2 hours in the afternoon for a week. He'll finally go full time the w/c 23rd September. DS is 5 in march and the original reason given was that it was such a large intake (there are 12 of them and my friends who are reception teachers just laugh at this!)

I've written a letter to the head and chair of governors to ask them to recosider. They won't, although it appears the reason is the needs of other children in the class.

I've contacted local authority who say there is nothing they can do.

It's created havoc with work, although I'm very lucky that my boss is flexible. DS is going to have to go back to preschool in September for two weeks as its the only way I can manage child care.

I know I'm not being unreasonable but I'm not sure what else I have in my power to get this changed.

What are school's responsibilities?

As far as I am aware there are no guidelines and schools do what they think is best. I don't think there is any way for you to change it.

some schools have all children in from day one, others drag it out until after half term.

As a single self emploted Mum who doesn't view school as childcare. These ridiculous starts (our catchment school is half days to half term!) was one of my reasons I would have lost income in excess of three terms fees at private accommodating this. In addition to the particular school being very, very obstructive to before and after school care as the head believed 'mothers should stay home and look after their children'!

Oh dear lord! Dragging it out until after half term.........

I'd not considered it could be worse.

It doesn't make us feel very welcome :-(

Personally I think YABU. Schools have to settle a lot of 4 & 5 year olds of different abilities and experiences - you imagine having to settle those into a regular routine in a strange environment. As you point out it is to support the needs of other children.

At DS's school they do a 4 week phasing in and split children into groups by age. DS will not attend FT until 30th September.

You're not lucky that your boss is flexible, they are obliged to be by law and it's only one week when he attends for the two hours - can you / DP take annual leave to cover it? What are your childcare arrangements when DS is at school - can these be brought forward?

Actually the law changed last year and you can insist your child goes full time from the start of term. There are other threads on this that have the relevant links. I shall try and search and find it for you.

Check some of the other threads on this topic because I think from this September it is illegal for schools to insist on this .They have to offer a full time place from Sept if you insist

I really don't get why you'd insist though. Surely you've managed to provide childcare and balance it with work for the first 4+ years of their life? What difference does another couple of weeks make?

Yes, you are legally entitled to a full term place from the start of term- both school and LA are wrong.

It matters a lot as a lot of child care places will be full in September with new children. They won't want to hold a place for a school aged child for odd hours over several weeks.

I'd challenge it. Mine both went full time from day 1.

I can't find the right thread. But you are legally entitled to insist on a full time start. I did for ds4, I don't work and have a younger and older children. He was ready for full time and the school wanted them last time up till Oct half term. This would have meant ds4 walking to and from school three times a day (siblings to collect) its over an hour round trip and would have been too much for him.

Lots of other parents had problems with it, we all wrote to ht and the kea and they offered both full and part time starts.

Ds4 went full time as he was ready for iut, my previous child went part time as that was what he needed. But he did full days and only four days a week.

All children are different and parents have diff needs re work etc.

As pozzled says the school and LA are wrong you can insist on full time.

Thank you all for your feedback.

sshwarzkopf my child care arrangements run out at the end of this school term as its linked to preschool and wrapped around that. It's left me with a couple of weeks in limbo where I have to make ad hoc arrangements. I am taking leave, however my employer is only obliged under law to consider my request, they don't have to grant it.

I'll have a search on here and see what I can find. He's ready to go, and I think what has irked me the most is schools inflexibility. I suggested alternatives but it fell on deaf ears.

Most of the parents of his cohort are struggling with it, but are reluctant to make a fuss.

Can you leave him in childcare until half term and start him full time after that?

Thanks 5mad things the link I want is here which was in a thread you'd posted on and is probably the one you were thinking of.

jinty64 that's what school suggested but he'd be left in play group while all his little friends had gone up to school.

Thanks again all. I hadn't realised what an issue it was. There was dual intake when my eldest started.

Oops- that is so NOT the linky!

Having IT probs with iPad. The website is www.natt.org.uk and it was the rose review which made the recommendation.