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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

Numberjacks in the classroom???

12 replies

mamabear35 · 22/09/2013 17:12

Hi all have nc for fear of outing myself.

My oldest has just started pre-reception at a private school near home as she didn't get into the local state schools.

She's been going for about 2 weeks and seems to really enjoy it and has settled in nicely. She's quite coy about telling me about her day which I get is par for the course.

But she keeps on talking about watching Numberjacks and the shape changer and Chuggington. I have been quite strict about her TV watching at home and I can't fathom why she would be watching TV at pre-reception.

Has anyone else had this? Is it normal? Am I right to be a bit put out by this or am I being a bit PFB about the whole thing? I am especially miffed as we are paying for the honour of her getting to watch tv!!! Opinions and what I should do about it would be much appreciated.

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Original poster

mamabear35 · 22/09/2013 18:24

bump

OP posts:

PeggyCarter · 22/09/2013 18:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hopemore · 22/09/2013 18:29

Ask the manager about their TV policy.
I particularly think they shouldn't watch TV at nursery.
Change nurseries if it is their practice and you are not happy but don't ask them to exclude your child from TV time.

barebranches · 22/09/2013 18:49

i put alphablocks on for my reception class at the end of the day. Numberjacks is a bit longer but i have done occasionally and hit the pause throughout to make sure they get the learning! only in the last 15 mins of the day...

WidowWadman · 22/09/2013 20:46

I was at first a bit surprised when I realise that in the pre-school room at my daughter's nursery they put on TV occasionally at 'quiet time' after lunch or so- but I've come to the conclusion that it's not that bad, if it's not hours and hours, and they do plenty of engaging stuff all day anyway. It gives the kids a little bit of a break and a winddown and the staff actually get a chance to fill in all that OFSTED paperwork.

hettienne · 22/09/2013 20:54

Is pre-reception a nursery class? Do they have a qualified teacher?

If she is just doing a 3 hour session with a teacher, I would be unhappy that any of that time is wasted on TV. However, if it is full day care then I wouldn't have so much of an issue with it. My DS goes to a state nursery school with a teacher 9-3, and then goes to an after school session 3-5 - some Cbeebies at the after school bit would be fine with me, especially as the evenings get darker.

LauraChant · 22/09/2013 21:00

DS used to watch The Clangers and Button Moon at nursery. I think they thought retro made it not really TV or something.

In reception he has watched Come Outside and Charlie and Lola. I am not that bothered, I remember watching Words and Pictures at infant school. On the massive telly.

Periwinkle007 · 22/09/2013 21:08

my daughters went to a preschool attached to a private school and when my eldest started tv was rarely mentioned but over the next 3 years it did seem to be more common. I don't think they actually spent very long watching anything though so I didn't really worry about it.

PenguinBear · 22/09/2013 21:26

I'd ask the teacher!

Original poster

mamabear35 · 22/09/2013 22:25

Thanks for the replies. She is 4 in October and does 5 half days a week so 9-1 most days with one hour of that being for lunch. I just can't understand why they would need to fill the time with TV?

Am trying to find a non pushy diplomatic way of asking her teacher, something like " DC mentions the numberjacks every day can you tell me a bit about that" and seeing how that goes. What do you think?

OP posts:

Periwinkle007 · 22/09/2013 22:32

well I think if you are paying for something then you are more than entitled to know what goes on. You could ask specifically about the TV or you could ask how they fill in a standard session and see if they mention it.

I think in our preschool it seemed to be wet playtimes and after lunch. I have a feeling that after lunch they really preferred to read them a story but if staff were caught up with other things then obviously whilst they cleaned tables, put away lunchboxes and so on (whilst some staff obviously had to have lunch themselves) then to let the kids watch a bit of tv in that time did make it a bit easier. I didn't mind in these circumstances but I did notice it become more common as time went on.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 23/09/2013 11:39

They tried to introduce TV at my DC's private nursery and I have to say I did resist it. Like you I thought the nursery time could be better spent on other activities. TV is a activity for home in my view. I wasn't the only parent to complain and I went in to talk to the nursery manager and the plan was dropped. The children do other quiet activities such as reading and craft if a bit of a quiet activity is required.

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