when do we hear from our schools about reception?

hotcrosshunny · 2014-05-08T16:38:38+00:00

How long does it take for schools to get in touch about reception starters, where you've accepted the place? (Deadline was 30 April to reply)

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louisejxxx · 08/05/2014 17:58

I'm eager to hear about this myself....every day I hope the post man will bring me something from the school but so far nothing. I was hoping it wouldn't be too long after the acceptance deadline as the school is under-subscribed so no messing around with rejections, waiting lists etc. Particularly anxious as we are away at the start of July and wanted to find out if it clashes with any parents info evenings or child settling in sessions. Bet by the time I receive something I'll be wishing I hadn't as everything will no doubt be in the week we are away!

louisejxxx · 08/05/2014 17:58

I'm eager to hear about this myself....every day I hope the post man will bring me something from the school but so far nothing. I was hoping it wouldn't be too long after the acceptance deadline as the school is under-subscribed so no messing around with rejections, waiting lists etc. Particularly anxious as we are away at the start of July and wanted to find out if it clashes with any parents info evenings or child settling in sessions. Bet by the time I receive something I'll be wishing I hadn't as everything will no doubt be in the week we are away!

hiccupgirl · 08/05/2014 18:31

We had a letter from my DS's new school the first week back after Easter and then a welcome pack with info and policies etc in last week. We have the first info evening on 19th May.

In our LA you don't have to accept the place, it's assumed you want it unless you reject it so maybe that's why they were quicker off the mark at the school?

Original poster

hotcrosshunny · 08/05/2014 18:43

Maybe? We have to accept as there's so much churn. Louise I'm very eager too!!

OP posts:

magichandles · 08/05/2014 18:45

Ha - we don't even know which site (of 2) DD has been allocated. I was expecting to hear this week once the council had let the school know the acceptances/ rejections, but the school wrote directly to us today to ask us to confirm to them whether we were accepting and they would then allocate places. Shambles anyone?

coppertop · 08/05/2014 18:50

Ours usually starts contacting parents in June.

TheScience · 08/05/2014 18:51

I had to accept by the 30th and had our first meeting 7th May.

Sirzy · 08/05/2014 18:52

Varies from school to school. Ours have contacted us with dates for induction at the start of July

Smartiepants79 · 08/05/2014 18:53

In our school it probably would be before June.

Nowitscleanugobshite · 08/05/2014 19:01

I teach p1 (yr R) in NI. I put 2 letters in with the "official" one! One is to parents, inviting them to induction evening next week - most have met me/seen school before as they have siblings and /or came to open days but now it's "real"-and exciting! I explain about our intake process/buddy system etc. I also put in a letter for the child to invite them to visit their classroom, meet me, classrm asst, some of classmates (come in groups of 8) and the p5 children who will be their buddies in school. It's the start of me building a really vital relationship-I'm biased, but very often I don't think pupils build such a strong relationship with another teacher until 6th form! Can you tell I love my job!! (I just hate the c**p that goes along with it!!!!)

Permanentpanicmode · 08/05/2014 19:07

We had a letter last week with all of the settling in sessions they are to attend (four)!!

louisejxxx · 08/05/2014 19:12

The fact so many of you have already heard is depressing me :( lol. Tried raiding the school website to see if there's anything on there but no such luck!

Original poster

hotcrosshunny · 08/05/2014 19:15

I had a look at the school website and its calendar shows four possible afternoons for reception settling in. But they've not told me and they're next month. My work will not be impressed if I have to take these days at short notice

OP posts:

RueDeWakening · 08/05/2014 22:25

We got a letter yesterday with all the details in about Reception settling in, but it came home in DD's bookbag, so I guess if they were posted out on the same day they'd be arriving today/tomorrow for those not with kids already at the school.

Our settling in day is in the middle of June fwiw, there'll be a settling in week in September once they start but don't have details of that yet.

RueDeWakening · 08/05/2014 22:26

If you call the school office they should be able to tell you btw, I asked last week as I was in there for another reason anyway.

Galena · 09/05/2014 06:45

We didn't hear last year till after half term (June) - once SATs were out of the way!

DD then had weekly visits for the whole of term 6 and her 1-1 (she is statemented) also went into playgroup once a week to build a relationship with her.

Oh, and lots of folk at playgroup were getting great thick envelopes with loads of info in, so I was a bit disappointed when ours was just one sheet... but we got the rest of the info in a folder when we went in for the new parent meeting.

mummytime · 09/05/2014 06:53

Well my DCs school actually had at least 4 settling in afternoons, and you were expected/hoped to go to all of them. At the start for only 10 minutes or so, gradually building up.

WhispersOfWickedness · 09/05/2014 07:07

We heard from them at the end of April and had a meeting a week ago where we got all the forms and welcome pack. It is a small undersubscribed school (only taking 7 this year) though, so maybe that's why they were quite quick. As far as induction goes, all the DC this year go to the attached preschool, which takes them over to the school for some time there every Thursday afternoon until the summer holidays. Not sure what they do if a DC doesn't go to the preschool. When they start in September, they will be on half days for the first two weeks and then into full time

WhispersOfWickedness · 09/05/2014 07:09

It's fascinating how all schools do it so differently

Dragonlette · 09/05/2014 07:21

We were invited to a parent information evening in the same letter we have to fill in to accept the place. That evening is after half term so I assume we'll be told everything then. I'm hoping our cm will be able to take dd to the settling in sessions but that will depend which other children she has on those days. If she can't then dp will just have to take those days off.

timtam23 · 09/05/2014 22:46

We had a meeting for parents, teachers and the headmistress some time in June I think

They were fairly disorganised with the transition (settling-in session), we got a letter 2 weeks before the end of term saying they wanted DS2 to come in a few days later for transition

He'd not been in nursery so we'd been anxious to know all of these things - we are more laid-back about DS2 who starts YR in Sept, as we are a bit more sure of what to expect re: communication from the school

Virginiaplain1 · 10/05/2014 08:43

School office lady here. I am waiting for the LA to tell me who has accepted their offers so that I can write with details of our taster sessions. The LA admissions team refused to tell me anything before the 7 May deadline for acceptances so I can't write to those who accepted straight away, and don't appear to be in any rush to get the information to me now. It's frustrating because the sessions start in June and I want our new parents to have the information ASAP. I'm happy to give out information over the phone, but strictly speaking need to have the formal go ahead from the LA.