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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

Taking dd out 1 afternoon/week

149 replies

LalaDipsey · 02/01/2014 17:29

I had forgotten, during the endless last term, how beautifully happy and loving and happy dd (4) is! School has turned her into a tantrumming screaming nightmare a lot of the time as she has been shattered . We don't do any other after school or weekend activities so I don't have those to stop. What I would really like to do is pick her up at lunchtime on a Wednesday for the next term until she legally has to be there the following term (July birthday).
I feel that I know my dd best and she is just sooo young for 8.45-3.15 5 days a week.
What do you reckon my chances are of getting the hm to agree??!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Oblomov · 09/01/2014 21:47

Ds2 was very very tired at the end if term. We did nothing but sleep, ear and watch tv during the holidays.
EVERY Reception mum I have spoken to in the last 3 days said the same.
I think you are reading too much into it.

wellieboots · 09/01/2014 22:09

babymummy Scotland doesn't have YR so these issues aren't as relevant there. it is completely different system, so it would make perfect sense that it doesn't happen in your school.

BabyMummy29 · 09/01/2014 22:14

I can sympathise re tired kids but the whole thing sounds like a logistical nightmare for teachers trying to remember which children attend on which days etc

ilovesmurfs · 09/01/2014 23:21

Thta great op, my boys school was flexible like this as a well, it benefits the pupils and the school.

babymummyin Scotland parents have the advantage of being able to defer young school age children, meaning you dotn have may just four year olds starting school and a struggling with full time schooling.

Unfortunately the system in england is not as flexible amd we have no option to defer entry. Thankfully many schools recognize this can cause problems and are happy to work with parents, paerticlulary as many of these children are only four years old and as such dont legally have to be in full time education.

It benefits the children and the teachers, as having tired, grumpy children in class isn't a conductive learning experience for anyone.

Saracen · 09/01/2014 23:38

Great news OP! I hope it has the desired result.

MerylStrop · 09/01/2014 23:47

I see you've had some progress OP, but I just wanted to chip in and respond to all the nay-sayers.

This isn't molly-coddling, its called flexi-schooling and I know of several children just in our local area who have done this successfully whilst in the first years of primary.

I am considering approaching our school about the possibility of a day flexi schooled at home for my Precious Third Born who is 4 in May, has slight speech delay and seems too young for full time formal ed.

ImASecretTwigletNibbler · 10/01/2014 08:18

I can sympathise re tired kids but the whole thing sounds like a logistical nightmare for teachers trying to remember which children attend on which days etc

It's not. Teachers don't need to remember who's in and who's not! They only have to educate the child on the days they are at school. It's not their responsibility to keep the child up to date with what they miss and what the child does at home is up to the parent. None of my DD's teachers were inconvenienced by our flexi-schooling at all. People who know nothing about it automatically assume that it'll too difficult but it's easy for everyone when done properly.

CecilyP · 10/01/2014 10:41

I am glad you had a positive response from the teacher, Lala, and hope things go well with the head.

BabyMummy29, if OP was in Scotland, her DD would not even be in school; she would still be in nursery - so every day would be a half day!

LittleBearPad · 10/01/2014 11:41

That's great news Lala. She's only tiny and has years of school to go to. Enjoy your afternoons with her. Missing a bit of reception won't hurt a bit despite some what some over reacting posters said above.

Original poster

LalaDipsey · 14/01/2014 13:16

Update - I met with the HT today and he was more than happy to agree for dd to finish at lunchtime on a Weds and Friday, to be reviewed just before Easter. I am thrilled and really think this is the right thing for her

OP posts:

LittleBearPad · 14/01/2014 13:31

Excellent news. Good for you.

BabyMummy29 · 14/01/2014 17:20

So are parents responsible for teaching their kids what they miss on "flexi-schooling" days?

If teachers just teach children who turn up on whichever days they choose, then it would be hard to remember who learned what on each day.

So glad we don't have this carry-on in Scotland

Hulababy · 14/01/2014 17:30

Flexi schooling is an option. But needs to be discussed with the school, etc

Until 5th birthday part time is also an option, but again needs to be arranged with the individual school. It is normally from the start of the year, but it may well be an option even after starting ft I guess. You'd need to ask school.

However, pt at the school I work at, for those new starters til their fifth birthday is mornings only. There is no options to arrange so many full days, and just one half day for example.

Original poster

LalaDipsey · 14/01/2014 18:34

Babymummy29 - she's 4! The teacher has confirmed she may miss some colouring, painting or Lego which they are more than ok about If she is ever likely to miss anything important they will let me know and we can change her half day on that occasion. To be honest with you if I, her teacher and the head teacher think it's the right thing for her you can stay smug up in Scotland that you don't have 'This carry on' except oh! You do cos yours don't start til 5!!!

OP posts:

BabyMummy29 · 14/01/2014 19:45

Sorry for being "smug" LalaDipsey but I don't get your point. you don't have 'This carry on' except oh! You do cos yours don't start til 5!!!

What exactly does that mean - we do or don't have the "carry on"?

We don't have flexible schooling and children don't all start when they're 5 - the intake is from March 1st of one year till 28th February of the following so children can be anything from 4 and a half to 5 and a half.

unlucky83 · 14/01/2014 20:39

I'm in Scotland - both my DDs are February so 4.5 when they started school ....both no problems being full time ...
Same age as your DD now Lala...but if the teacher and HT have agreed, nothing more to say ...
Actually one less pupil is probably no problem for the teacher - easier if anything- and probably the school will still get the same amount of funding so they aren't losing anything...
I would have seen how she got on this term rather than disrupt her routine and possibly confuse her for 3 short months ...when you have just her used to the idea for the last 4 months - unless this means she will be part time until next Sept?

5madthings · 14/01/2014 23:23

actually flexi schooling is an.option in scotland as well. each request has to be looked at on an individual basis ans can be allowed at the discretion of the ht.

just because you havent come across it baby doesnt mean it doesnt happen in scotland.

i home educated my eldest two and then had a flexi school arrangement for a year before they started school full time aged 9 and 6. they did fine, it wasnt a problem and are now both doing well at high school. ds1 had a glowing report from parents eve tonight, in yr 10 and expected to get top grades, so not attendin

5madthings · 14/01/2014 23:23

so not attending school.full time until age 9 clearly hasnt been a problem.

Saracen · 15/01/2014 01:36

Fabulous news Lala! I am really glad everyone has agreed to this arrangement and you are happy with it.

BabyMummy29 · 15/01/2014 17:09

It hasn't been heard of in any schools I've ever worked in.

BabyMummy29 · 15/01/2014 17:14

Sorry - forgot to add -Probably because, as children don't start until they're at least 4 and a half, they are better able to cope with a full day of school.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 15/01/2014 17:20

Surely 'part-time schooling' is a more appropriate term than 'flexi-schooling', if the whole point is that the child is too tired to be educated, though? Unless we're doing the whole 'go for it, OP, she will learn more in one afternoon on the sofa than in a whole term at school' thing.

Original poster

LalaDipsey · 15/01/2014 18:02

Hi, well for example this afternoon she did some rest, watched some tv, did some playing, ate some food, did some phonics and some spellings but she is no way as tired as she would normally be on a Wednesday. So far, so good.

OP posts:

lainiekazan · 16/01/2014 13:49

I'm a bit late to this thread, but this is what I did with dd. Her birthday is 30 August.

I just turned up every day at 12 when she was in reception and took her home. The end. The teacher said it was quite all right and although there were some mutterings from the head I carried on all year.

I would have preferred not to send her at all but it is an oversubscribed primary school and I had to bag her a place.

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