Do you think it would be reasonable to ask if DS can start primary school a few days earlier?

[2isamagicnumber]

Sorry this might be quite long winded! I'm due to start my PGCE in September around the same time my DS will start primary school. I am also a single parent.

I've just had a letter with my son's start date and its three days after I start uni so I won't be able to take him to school on his first day. I knew this was a possibility and have arrangements in place.

I contacted the school to advise I wouldn't be available for the home visit, as it's on the afternoon of his first day at school.

I got a quick reply stating that they should hopefully be able to do a visit before I start university.

However I'm now starting to wonder if it would be possible to change his start date. The school are staggering the start dates over two weeks, my son is unfortunately been given a start date in the second week.

Obviously I would love to take him to school on his first day. Part of me feels I should at least ask if his start date can be brought forward. However I think they would have suggested this in their previous email if it was possible. Plus i don't want to come across as unreasonable.

Not sure what to do so would appreciate others opinions

If they are staggering the start dates then I see no harm in you making a request for him to be one of the earlier starters.

As he's starting later in a staggered intake they might be prepared to be flexible. Our school have done similar. It's worth a try!

I would hope in the circumstances they'd be able to change his start date.
I can't really see why not.
Definitely worth asking.
Or failing that I would talk to uni. You wouldn't miss that much, coming in late. Trust me I've done a PGCE. I doubt they'd even notice.

Thanks for the quick replies. Glad the consensus is its not unreasonable. I was worried I was being a bit precious!

I will get in touch with school and see if they can change his start date. If it's not possible I'll contact my university to see if I can go in later so I can at least take him to school on his first day.

Thanks

I'm a teacher and think it's definitely worth asking! You have nothing to lose and they will completely understand your predicament :)

ask but be discreet. and if they agree don't tell all and sundry. schools can accommodate a few special requests but not loads. (used to work in a school)

cautionary note: i took ds1 on his first day as a one off. He expected me to to it every day then and it was all a bit traumatic. With my younger children i made sure that the normal routine was in place from day one so they knew what to expect. I arranged a day off to take them in, later in the term once the normal routine was established.

You can only miss so much of a PGCE before they refuse to pass you. Def ask to change his start date

Ask them - the worst that can happen is that they'll say no. My DS's Reception teacher changed his start day on the basis of a casual comment at the induction day about who his best friend at nursery was - she offered on the spot to put them in the same settling-in group. Hopefully yours will be flexible too.

By law your child is entitled to start school on the first day of the Autumn term for full days, so the school will need to change the date he starts for you whether they like it or not.

Hopefully they will do it anyway, but if not then you can just insist.

That's not right pyrrah - they've only got a right to attend school from when they're compulsory school age - ie term after they turn 5. Reception is provided full time in most areas, but not all, and they can make it part time at first.

But well worth asking, OP. I asked if my DD could move to whole days (rather than half days) earlier than they had her down for, as it was causing difficulties with my working. And they were fine about it.

Pyrrah is correct- the school must offer a full time place from day one of the September after a child turns four.

Compulsory school age is from the term after they turn five, and this means that a school place can be deferred until then.

Thanks for all the replies. I've emailed the school so fingers crossed it's good news when they reply.

If it isn't, you can insist that he starts full time from day one.

Whilst I appreciate that you want to build a positive relationship with the school and do what is best for your son, it's worth knowing what the law says and negotiate from there.

Hi 2isamagicnumber:

It may also be that your University course doesn't have 9 a.m. starts (most don't have 9 a.m. starts everyday, although there will of course be that one course that will). So there is every likelihood that you can make drop off and your lecture without a lot of problem.

Maybe that day you splurge on a taxi to get there on time - but odds are you won't need to get into Uni for 9 a.m. sharp.

By the way, childcare is a 'Welfare Issue', and most Universities are able to accommodate things like needing to get to school to pick up a sick child, unable to attend lecture because of caring responsibilities, etc...

However, in planning to do this course, perhaps you should also plan some forms of 'back-up' should you need to be somewhere and can't drop everything for your DC (i.e. when doing placements).

Also - remember - that if you can't make drop-off you may be able to make pick-up. So as long as you celebrate his first day at school and being so grown up - I suspect long term he won't remember whether you went in with him that first day. And as the school said, most schools have visit days in July, which technically will be your DC's first day at their new school.

HTH

Sorry forgot to update! The school were great and changed my son's start date so I got to take him on his first day!

Oh lovely news I do love it when we get updates..

GOod luck with the PGCE

Oh thank you. Just about to start my third week at uni, it's hard work but enjoyable!