Morning drop off arrangements

[rainsofcastersugar]

Our school is changing the morning drop off arrangements after Easter. I'm not happy about how they are going to be doing this, so I just wanted to see how other schools manage 'the morning rush'. How does your school get children into the building before registration? Can you just bring them in or do they have to be led in by staff? How well does it work - or not? Thanks.

In our school, a small Infants school it's as follows:
Prior to doors opening there's no staff supervision in the playground. Doors open at 8:50, children are to be escorted into the classrooms (tbh some just walk in by themselves, on their own) where the teacher and TA are. Some parents stay and read, some leave. Bell goes at 9am when they do registration.

It is a really stupid way of doing things, no idea why they do it that way. It's a pain!

Why do you feel it is a stupid way of doing things Stevie77 ?

When DD2 started primary school (we had moved house so different school from DD1) I was stunned that parents were expected to take the child in! In DD1's school, you took your child in for the first week of year R and that was it unless there were additional needs to consider. DD3 is at a different school (we moved DD2 in year 3 as unhappy with that school for other reasons), where again you don't bother the teachers in the morning. There is a clipboard outside the classroom first thing (the door all face onto the outside) where you can write e.g. "Peter is going home with Jane today", if you are not there in person you write a note in the home/school book aka reading log. DD3 is in year 2, I don't see her beyond the entrance to the school grounds now - her choice.

For a number of reasons:

• It is hugely inconvenient for parents who need to get to work

• The school and classrooms are far too small to have 30 children + parents + siblings in them (it's an old Victorian building)

• It makes saying goodbye difficult for some children so we often have tears, children running after parents etc.

• it discourages independence; my daughter is in reception and I'm aware some kids are younger and may need help with coat/shoes/book bag but most don't

R and Y1 have doors to one playground, so parents take them up to the door - R had teacher or TA there each morning, Y1 lines up with diary in hand to put on a pile.

Y2 onwards collect in groups round the other playground and then line up with TA/teacher at their spot to go in. Gates open 8.45, 8.50 doors open, 8.55 is deadline.

Interesting. It is very similar to how we run it. How we, as teachers, see it;
The children are the parent's responsibility until they are handed over to the staff once the doors open, so parents factor in 8.45am doors open as drop off time (school starts at 8.55am) to leave for work or make alternative arrangements.
Staff are in the room at door opening time and then take charge of pupils once they have arrived.
There are activities for the children to do as they arrive and have unpacked (the children do it themselves regardless of whether an adult has come through the door with them) so no issues about developing independence. Occasionally I have to say things like "X don't make mum do all the work, its your bookbag to put away not hers" to remind parents not to do it for them.
TAs are at doorway to receive children and can take quick messages, but I think the difference is we don't say parents don't have to come in. They can post their children through the door and run if they want to.
We rarely have tears, but it usually due an issue that Dad has just gone away on a long business trip, the rabbit died this morning, etc. so we need to know and can support it.
In reception many parents bring them in and hang around a bit, but as the year goes on they are happier to drop and run. Higher up the school at the start of the school year parents are more likely to come in. I find it can be reassuring for the parents to see what is happening in the room and see who the teacher is. I think it is a lot to do with the existing set up and culture of the school as well as what the building is like - change is hard when something has always been done a certain way, but everyone will get used to it over time!