This is a public service announcement for parents of 2016 Reception starters

[kippersyllabub]

1. Whatever "settling in" arrangements your school tells you they have, you, the parent are entitled to send your child to school full time from the very start of the Autumn term, or part time until they reach compulsory school age. This is up to you. It is not up to the school. If you need to quote legislation at the headteacher, it's the school admissions code (this is secondary legislation) and this has been clarified in the 2015 report of the Office of the Schools' adjudicator.
   

1. It really helps if they can take themselves to the loo, get changed for PE and put their coat on. Counting, reading and writing early don't make a huge difference compared to the above.
   

1. label everything
   

Have I forgotten anything?

[SoupDragon]

The teachers do do home visits starting week after next

Ours don't, they do them in the first weeks of September.

[teacherwith2kids]

DCs' old primary - which DD started in Reception, whereas DS arrived at the end of Y1, and even DD only knew she had a place in mid-July - did home visits in September. Basically, reception started a few days later than anyone else (they did do a staggered start as well, which was a pain and has now been stopped) and the reception staff did home visits between 9 and 5 on those days.

We were very grateful that they were in September, because had they been in July we wouldn't have had one at all....

[PerspicaciaTick]

Our home visits happen in September too, the first few days when the older children are back at school.

[drspouse]

Kohinoor erm that's why I said he would be OK with pick up at 1.30 versus since he's unlikely to see the difference what with not being able to tell time. I also said (since you say I keep harping on clearly you're familiar with all my posts) that he's actually very used to going into different rooms at nursery as they often combine if it's low attendance one day.

[drspouse]

Oops versus 3.15.

[caitlinohara]

I am irrationally pissed off about the whole part time days business. I rang the education authority and they were shit. Woman on the phone didn't even know if schools had to follow the schools admissions code or if it is just suggested guidelines and told me I should speak to the governors. I pointed out that it was not just our school but all the schools in the local area but she wasn't prepared to do anything to help. wtf is it with councils? Do they train people to be deliberately unhelpful or something? I've drafted an email to the school but now I'm going to look like a troublemaker aren't I? Especially because I'm not really sure that I would want ds3 being the only one staying full days, even though to be honest it wouldn't make any difference to them because it's a mixed age class so Year R and Year 1 are taught together (rural school).

[drspouse]

Sounds like you need to go UP (woman on phone's boss) not down (school).

[Jitterybug]

Sorry I haven't RTFT so this may have already been mentioned, but the tiredness at first is horrific, or at least it was for my DS.

He had been going to nursery for 3 full days a week (8-6pm) previously, so I thought it wouldn't affect him much. It did. He was a horror-bag for the first month, so much so I was considering forgetting doing school hours and doing full time again .

I have found the change in him amazing though, I can't believe how much he has learnt since he started, it has been a real pleasure to witness.

[coldcanary]

Another one - you'll be sick to death of the Magic Key series by the end of year 1
DD's nursery class (school) have just introduced Biff and Chip to the reading corner and on the last open morning you could tell which parent had suffered them before by the groaning..

[GibbousHologram]

Another one. Those other mums at the gate, they're not a clique. They're just waiting for their kids. They may or may not already know each other. They may all be awesome at small talk or they all may just be wishing their kid would hurry up. They're just people.

[paxillin]

Some of them will be lovely, and the ones who look a little standoffish are probably really nervous.

[caitlinohara]

drspouse Rang them back and kicked off a bit, got call back from a manager. Told them in no uncertain terms that I was not going to do their job for them and that they needed to ensure schools were following the Code cos, y'know, that's their job . Thanks for the heads up on this.

I would also add another piece of advice: by all means help out at school if you can (in particular mine have always loved it if I could go on the odd school trip) but don't blur the lines. I fell foul of this at my children's last school and when there were problems and I raised them it felt like the teachers took it as a personal attack, because we had been quite matey. Keep it professional and then if you do need to complain about anything you will be able to do so honestly and without worrying about the fallout.

[drspouse]

So both possible schools have more or less the same - a couple of half days and then full days or near as. So I expect we'll skip the half days.

I've discovered that when DS has a new tricky task to learn it works to challenge him to do it when I'm not looking. So I'm hiding my eyes and leaving him to put on his shoes on his own with his orthotics (a bit more tricky than without). Wiping bottom- more or less accomplished, but will send spare pants. Zipping coat - hmmm. Hopefully by October when he really needs it we'll have cracked it! I think both schools have them arrive in PE kit on PE days - he's fine at getting dressed but not at turning clothes the right way out.

[ShelaghTurner]

Echo what Gibbous said. I am the most anti social creature on God's green earth but I have made some fabulous school mum friends and now have a buzzing social life. Go in with an open mind, you'll be seeing these people for about 8 years!

[drspouse]

P.s. Well done Caitlin

[paxillin]

I've picked up ds with polo shirts inside out, no socks (or one only), shoes on wrong feet in YR. I was waiting for the day he comes home superman style with pants on top of trousers .

[drspouse]

Back to front t-shirt and trousers today. Pants I think too but I didn't inspect too closely. Socks had the heels on his heels thankfully and he asked me which foot for his shoes.

By the way get thee to BHS and buy up whatever's left. Cheap as chips at the moment. We got 4 pairs of age 4 trousers for £4 each (our slightly chunky DS is in regular fit so I have no idea how chunky you have to be for generous fit, the generous fit don't have adjustable waists either), and 6 polo shirts for £2 each I think.

I also got him a navy cardigan because the school he's been allocated to is school sweatshirts or navy cardigans - it was in the girl's section but I asked him if he thought it was for a girl or a boy or both and he said BOY. So if he's staying there we can get him a sweatshirt and if he's moving he can wear that for a few days or fling it off upon entering the classroom like all other jumpers.

[paxillin]

Good point, drspouse. My average built ds is in slim fit, normal fit is too wide. No idea what you'd have to do with a really skinny kid, make 2 trousers from one probably. School clothes are really generously cut in most shops.

[drspouse]

I actually think he might have been OK in age 3 generous fit (age 4 are a bit long so we'll just hem them) but with no adjustable waist then any stretching of the trouser waist would leave them falling down.

The age 4 polos were a bit like tunics but I'm hoping he'll at least grow a bit upwards!

[LauraB1984]

Bump! How's everyone getting on preparing little ones for September? What's on your to do lists? X

[Possibilityofanisland]

I'm wondering about bags.

Do they need a school bag? A pencil case? What do I put the P.E. kit in?

No one has mentioned this and I'm to ask. Most parents have an older child.

[Johnny5isAlive]

possibility put the pe kit in a bag (draw string type bag or small back pack) and leave it at school. It just comes home at half terms.
You won't need anything else. You may chose a book bag (some schools have 'official' school branded book bags, or you can pick up a plain one from any supermarket. But no to pencil cases :)

[Pengweng]

The DTs start reception in September and I've just finished buying their uniform. Good job too as i got the last sweatshirts in the shop and she said no more due for a few weeks when we would be away. It's the same uniform as the nursery so I've only bought one new jumper each and they can use old ones as spare. Bought a million polo shirts from asda along with black socks.
I've bought the p.e. bag for their spare clothes to go in and they can use in Y1 upwards for p.e. They have book bags already so just need to buy shoes and new wellies (which stay in school) which i will buy at the end of August. They don't start until the 7th so should be plenty of time then to get them.