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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

Children guests allowed for the day?

38 replies

Mamabear12 · 14/06/2017 20:50

I am curious do you think my DD reception teacher or school would allow her best friend who is visiting to attend the class for one day? She is also french and speaks english as well (DD school is bilingual french and english) so she would fit right in. And she would also know another student in the class. The girl is very easy going and would be happy to do this, no issue with crying in new situations and she would be super happy to be with my DD. When I was younger this was fine in our school. But I feel like its more strict now and wouldn't be allowed. What do you think? I guess I will ask the teacher bc the worst they can say is no! But I won't know unless I ask. I am just wondering if you think it might be possible or a NO WAY!

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bonbonours · 15/06/2017 17:58

I think they might say yes but possibly only if she was accompanied by you or her mum.

Original poster

Mamabear12 · 15/06/2017 21:58

Yea if my niece was the same age, I would consider asking. I think it benefits children in meeting someone new, learning about where the person is coming from...even if in this case it's France and most are from France, but perhaps it's a different area from most. And it benefits the little girl as she gets to spend the day w her best friend and see what she is up to at her school. She could perhaps talk about how her school is in France. Maybe to some of you, this is no benefit. But for a five year old, it would be beneficial. Teaches them also about welcoming new people, being curious and learning about others, how to adapt to new situations etc. The girl would blend right in. She just gets on with it. I wouldn't consider if I thought she would be extra work and sit in corner crying. I know this bc the girl and my DD actually started reception together at a different school when she was still living in the UK. The girls first day, she walked right in and no tears and played happily. Next day, same thing when my DD joined, except they played next to each other. I don't look at it like babysitting. I think it would be educationally beneficial as well. Maybe the only person who might not benefit is the teacher, but that's only if the teacher is negative. If teacher looks on positive side he would probably also think great idea and learning experience for class, therefore being a benefit.

And this is no way of me trying to get a "babysitter" or free childcare, as stated I'm stay at home mom, the girls mother is also here and we have a live in au pair - so we are in no need of "babysitting." Hopefully, the teacher sees this. He knows I'm stay at home mom and I volunteer for all of my DD school activities.

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Witchend · 15/06/2017 23:01

Sorry, Mamabear I didn't intend to imply you were after free child care at all, I didn't think that at all-you'd even said you were happy to go in and help anyway.

It always struck me as an odd story and it just came into my head when reading the OP as I'd assume back then it must not have been such an unusual thing to ask.

Marv1nGay3 · 15/06/2017 23:08

A friend of my DD's who used to be in her class at school and then moved to another country came back to stay with us for a few days and we asked our school this question. They said no even though they knew the child, and she would be visiting her old class. I think the rules are quite strict now, as others have said.

akkakk · 16/06/2017 11:23

akkakk exchange students are part of a program and there are procedures. A random child is a different thing.

I honestly wouldn't be happy about it if someone rocked up with another child for the day. I wouldn't know anything about them. Their needs, medical info, anything. If the head decided it was OK, fine, they'd be responsible for anything that went wrong.

Not always - plenty of 3rd party companies organising private student exchanges - isn't always a school organised event...
I know of lots of families locally who have done this and the kids from abroad always go into the school with the local child...

no-one is suggesting a child rocks up randomly, so I am sure it wouldn't be too difficult to let the school know any medical needs

I have taught and would have had no issue
Where I am a governor - the school would have no issue

find it difficult to know what the issue would be - at the age the OP suggests and at this time of year it isn't going to be all that disruptive to the class / school

soapboxqueen · 16/06/2017 14:45

akkakk a private company organising exchanges is still part of a programme. There are still procedures etc in place.

No matter how you slice it, the school and teacher would be legally responsible for that child. It's hard enough at times to get medical/important information from parents, never mind just for one day. That's before your start to look at behavioural problems and other needs. Hence why for the most part, I wouldn't be happy. I'd also be worried about if an incident occurred between this child and another pupil.

If I knew the family well, we weren't up to much in class etc etc maybe

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 16/06/2017 18:00

It's worth asking. Not all schools would say no, even in KS1. I've known it happen in year 1 and 2.

akkakk · 16/06/2017 19:46

akkakk a private company organising exchanges is still part of a programme. There are still procedures etc in place.

Not if organised privately by a parent...
but we will have to agree to disagree I don't see an issue - our society seems to have moved to a place where everything is disallowed unless you can provide a reason otherwise - lets turn it on its head and allow things unless there is a real reason not to...

it is really no different to children coming into a school as visitors for sports or other inter-school events - there is no logical reason to prohibit it - and as the OP said, this wouldn't be child on their own - and it does add a cultural richness for the class...

when I was teaching I would have welcomed it

Bloosh · 16/06/2017 19:53

My cousin came to school with me a few times when we were young - she became friends with my friends (including the boy I fancied!). It was more relaxed in those days (70s).

So I would ask but I'm pretty sure it would be a no at dd's school.

Original poster

Mamabear12 · 16/06/2017 19:55

I have decided I will ask if she can join the sports day when we would be there anyway, so they will not feel like they are responsible for her. I understand times are different now and schools are more strict.

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LadyMonicaBaddingham · 16/06/2017 20:15

We had a Russian boy come to school for a fortnight when his parents were visiting the family of one of our children. He was fine (but we are a school with top-level EAL provision). The other children were fascinated by hearing about his life and how it differed from theirs.

RTKangaMummy · 16/06/2017 20:27

Do you mean join in the races etc?

How is that fair on other children?

Many years ago when DC were in primary there was one boy who was very sporty but not at all academic and his one day to shine was sports day, so for one day a year this boy did the best in his class

If another random child had come to join the class for day and was in the races and ran faster than him that would have been awful and very sad

My DC had was disabled and was always last, so deffo not my child

If you want this child to be in races the numbers would need changing for teams etc causing chaos for teachers

If you mean to just sit with the other children in between the races (not in them) then that sounds fine, she could just be a cheerleader so think great idea

Original poster

Mamabear12 · 16/06/2017 22:35

Geez. The age group was is 4/5! How complicated would this be? Last year sports day consisted of egg spoon race, throwing a ball as far as you can and forgot the rest, but similar things. When I was growing up sports day was meant to be fun and not about win win win. It was not complicated and what if a child is absent!? Does that confuse the teachers and throw numbers off causing absolute chaos? Lol. I am sure at leat one or two kids will be absent!

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