Staggered start days for Reception

[ScissorBow]

Different schools in our area have totally different policies for totally different reasons. DD's school has staggered start days across a week ending before lunch, then a week of mornings including lunch then full time. Other schools in the area start full time straight away.

Does anyone know if any research has been carried out on this subject please? I have concerns about the psychological impact on DD (if you knew her you'd understand why) and would like to approach the school with some evidence based research as to when best suits her to start.

Does anyone know what mitigating things teachers put in place for children starting not on the first day or starting on a day when none of their friends are starting (both earlier and later but none exactly the same day). Many thanks.

brucestooth that does seem sensible in principle but how does it work practically??

Who makes the decision about how child is coping & how does the parent know what time to pick up??

Our school haven't even told us yet. Which is a bit stressful as I've no idea what I'll do about childcare.

Are we allowed to keep them in nursery until the date when everyone will be doing full days, and just start them then?

As far as I can work out it's a joint decision, so the parent in the first instance would think a whole day would be fine, at pickup (3) teacher maybe gives feedback, or parent sees child is really exhausted, so next morning lets them know they'll be picking up at lunchtime. Or in first day does till lunch, then at pickup they've had a good day, coped well, so next day will do a while day and hopefully stick with that.
I think ultimately most children will do either full days from start or a half week of mornings and then while days, but I think for a few children it'll be really useful to adapt as they go.

This isn't adequate research but I work in a school where we go full time straight away. We find it confuses the children otherwise (like why can't I now go home like I did the other week etc). As you also mentioned it can impact friendships. For us we would consider a staggered start if the family requested it and it was in the child's best interests.

Personally I hate all the staggered nonsense! (Not sure you can use that in your meeting!)

I hadn't thought about the lack of research until now.

Lack of research = teachers manipulating the system for an easy life

I agree senorita. Staggered intake isn't a bad idea (so long as they're all in within a few days!!) but staggered start is so confusing for them. Much better IME to have one routine from the start so they have that security.

Angel Or teachers having differing opinions on what is best for their school/class/pupils

Or teachers having differing opinions on what is best for their school/class/pupils

In which case leave it for the parents to decide. It's what parents are for

Is she really going to notice that other children started before her, if it isn't pointed out to her?

Angel Each parent should decide when and how their child starts school? So 30 different staggered starts? Really?

What I meant was some schools do it one way because they believe that's best for their pupils, others do it another because they think that's the best. Teachers don't manipulate for an easy life - that is just insulting.

Angel Each parent should decide when and how their child starts school? So 30 different staggered starts? Really?

No. Each parent decides whether to utilise the staggered start offered, full time or wait for the child to start at a later date.

It makes much more sense to do it Bruces way. It takes the individual differences of the children into account leaving the decision to the person who knows them best i.e. the parents.

I've asked via the preschool head if she can start earlier in the week. No can do with any changes apparently So unfortunately I'm scheduling a meeting with the teacher.

She's actually exceptionally perceptive (as identified by the preschool key worker) and both the key worker and head support my view. She will notice and the reception teacher will have to deal with her kicking off about it. I'm trying to anticipate and reduce the risk.

This kind of thing drives me utterly bonkers. You think it matters now but honestly you won't even remember staggered starts or otherwise a few weeks after they start. It's up to the school how they do it, if your child has some kind of SEN that mean she cannot cope with this staggered start then I guess you'll be working with the school anyway but if it's just a matter of her being 'incredibly perceptive' and throwing a wobbly (I mean please, what child would lack the perception to know re staggered starts but the vast vast majority cope because amazingly the schools are very good at doing them). I work full time in a very full on job and still managed to sort myself/childcare out to cover staggered starts - it's hardly like you don't have notice. I would not go in, I'd just get on with it since that is the school you have chosen, work with them not against them. Unless of course there are SEN involved and then they will need to work with you anyway on the starts that suit your child.

And honestly (again SEN excepted) if she 'kicks off' because she doesn't get her own way re when she starts then it is time to learn that sometimes we don't always get our own way. It will serve her much better. I am sure I will get flamed for saying that but, really.

It makes sense to stagger the start and have the kids that are likely to be neediest soonest. That way the teacher has a limited number of new-on-their-first-day kids each day. From the pov of a 4yo it is so much better for your first day to be in a less-than-full classroom and with most of the kids not in first-day mode so you can have plenty of 1:1 attention - compared to being in the chaos of a first day where every one of 30 kids are confused and sad and desperate for some 1:1 attention that is just not available.

Obviously from a working parent pov it is massively inconvenient but it is over soon.

I don't think it's a big deal that your dd doesn't have the same start day as a friend op. Presumably if she's towards then end there will be a friend who started sooner than her, so there will be a familiar face there. Why would it matter if that familiar face is also a wee bit more confident due to it not being their first day any more?

"From the pov of a 4yo it is so much better for your first day to be in a less-than-full classroom"

Snag being that that simply will not be every 4yps experience as the classroom fills up (unless you start some, then stop them)

There's no evidence that having a temporary attendance pattern makes any difference to settling in. And can add considerably to stress, as not all DC deal well with temporary/unfamiliar arrangements. It doubles the amount of newness they need to cope with.

Schools are rather depending on parents not kicking off about this at the start of their DC's school experience. Even though the Admissions Code says they must provide full time places from the start.

School isn't childcare - it's what youbarrange your childcare round. So when it isn't open at its normal times,you have to make emergency arrangements. And that's not great at a time of transition for one of your DC.

Our local school does half days so half the class in till lunch and half after lunch for the first week, 2nd week half days plus lunch so they are all together at lunch. 3rd week fulltime, it seems to work well.