Scotland P1 worries

[wellhelloyou]

Hi

Could anyone walk me through what P1 is actually like? I have visions of children having to sit in chairs with desks just like a usual school class, but not sure if they will do that immediately?

My DD will not be 5 when she starts so would be good to have an idea about what actually happens in the first few months of a P1?

Thank you

'Play based learning' was a disaster for my DS. The way it was supposed to work was that the teacher sat all morning at her teaching table with 6 children at a time, while the rest of the children 'played' but they were supposed to go to a certain challenge during that time. The 'challenge' was something like counting out marbles into a specific pattern, and there was only room for one or two children at a time. Once they had done their challenge they used a velcro dot on the board to show the teacher it was done.

DS was in no way ready to navigate this, not while there was a box of building blocks or Lego in the corner. He ended up being sent to the Headteacher because he had not completed his challenges! It was awful. I am not a lax or permissive parent but it was too much to ask of a four year old child.

We moved him at Christmas to a school who had a traditional desk and chair morning but kept the afternoons free for proper play time and he came on in leaps and bounds.

I should also add that even while they were technically sat at a desk and chair, it was more about cutting and sticking, or rolling letters out of playdough, or making words out of magnetic letters, than copying out from the board.

Thanks everyone for sharing. Feeling more positive now about things.

My little one is starting P1 in August, i was worried about it as can't imagine him sitting at a desk and getting his lunch at lunch time. We had a meeting at the school (extremely small school) and was reassured it was mostly play based and incorporating learning throughout the day. They also have a buddy system here where a p7 student is paired with a P1 to look out for them at play times and lunch. It has really put my mind at ease. He also goes to visit the school once a week while at nursery to get him used to it (not just him the whole nursery class)

My DS is currently P1 in Scotland, he was a few weeks off age 5 when he started, but lots of Nov/Dec bdays in his class. For the first few weeks he complained to us that ‘there’s no toys to play with like nursery’ when there are toys, but their ‘play time’ is obviously reduced in comparison to nursery life. Over the school year he’s adjusted to the table and chair life- even ensuring all four legs of chair are on the floor...they are definitely at their tables for the majority of time at his school. However, he does still say that playtime outside is his favourite thing about school. It is an adjustment for them-even coming from a school nursery setting. Overall though, it’s amazing to see how they change over the year and become mini grown ups in their capabilities. I can’t deny that first term was fraught with worry for me, as you also have lots to adjust to for organising school life, but the new P1s for August start their transition days soon at DS school, this first year really does fly by. If your DD settled well in a pre school setting, she’ll be absolutely fine for school- you’ll see what I mean by Christmas or thereabouts, as they all seemed adjusted by then (as did the P1 parents)

Thanks @appleandpears for your supportive words.

My DS is in a kindergarten program just now which is like nursery but also with a qualified teacher. They need to sit down (on the floor or small chairs) and go on excursions (like to a supermarket to buy items to make a cake) but still do play a lot in the kindy centre - so I suppose it's a step between nursery and P1.

I am feeling a lot better. Would have been good to do the visits beforehand but as we won't be arriving until later in the year it won't be possible. Just have to get on with it I suppose and hope for the best !

Thanks all.

Cheryl makes a good point about buddies. These are a BIG DEAL in our school, they play a major role in the life of a p1.

The P1s go to the dinner hall 10 mins before everyone else and their P7 buddies go with them. They help them buy lunch or check that they eat their sandwiches before they go out to play. Then they play with them during lunchtime, to check that no one is left out, report on any issues, take the scraped knees and bumped heads to the medical room etc .

This goes on until about Christmas, until they can do lunchtime on their own. They always go 10 mins early to avoid the rush ( it’s a small dinner hall) .

Most of the P7s give their buddies cards and gifts at Christmas ( small things , like stationery or sweets ). The school don’t suggest this of course, it’s just A Thing most of them do. They help them with their roles in the nativity.

They have races and get photos together at sports day, do a special song at the leavers service etc . My Secondary aged children went back to school to see their former buddies, because they ❤️ Them so much.

Of course it depends to some extent on the personality of the two children, but 2 of my 3 children had great buddies and also got on very well with their own buddy. It Was a big part of their time in p1 and P7.

Council run nurseries here have a teacher too.
You could wait till you visit the school and then make a decision re deferring or not.

Yes @IMOGEN re the buddy system, it’s terrufuc. The P1s worship them! The system works really well, particularly for support at lunchtime and my DS’s buddy helped him after a playground accident in his first week too. If you’re aiming for a school with a buddy system, your daughter will be supported well. Also, should have said my DS started new at that school/didn’t know anyone as we’d moved into the area over the summer, after his school nursery finished for the holidays. There will be several kids who didn’t go to your school nursery or don’t know each other at first, so don’t worry OP about that for your DD either, she’ll soon settle in.

I meant terrific, obviously terrufuc isn’t a Scottish spelling

I've heard a few Weegies say something similar @appleandpears