Starting Reception - Full Time or Part Time?

[Toothyboy]

Ds1 starts reception in September; he was 4 in April. For the last year he has been doing 3 half day sessions per week at pre-school where he settled in immediately and has enjoyed himself very much.
I had planned that he would start reception part-time until Christmas, then start full-time in January. The thinking behind this being that 3 half days to 5 full days would be quite a jump.
Somebody has now mentioned to me that part-time children may have difficulties forming friendships as they miss quite a chunk of the day (lunchtime especially). So I've started thinking that maybe full-time would be better straight away after all! The school do ease them in gently by letting everyone do the first week and a half part-time, so this may well be enough for ds1 to adjust.
Anybody got any thoughts/experience of this to share to help me decide?

[SNOWBall4girlz]

I think that a week and half will be enough part time
my dd has to do 2 weeks mornings and 2 weeks afternoons which I think is too much but that is what they do

[Hulababy]

DD (also April birthday) started reception this year, so has just completed her first year.

Before school she was doing 2.5 days at day nursery.

On starting school they did 5 days PT, the last two staying for lunch. Then FT there on in.

Worked well, and DD coped with no problem at all.She'd have been happy being there FT from the start though.

TBH for me, and many other working mums, PT for any length of time would be a nightmare logistically. A week was tough enough at start of academic year!

[SNOWBall4girlz]

at her school that is as they ease the 3 year olds in a few at a time that do a whole year part time.

[SNOWBall4girlz]

the four weeks part time is a real nightmare for working mums -my friend has had to delay her return to work until oct when they go fulltime .

[brimfull]

no choice about it at our local school.
if autumn term birthday full time after first week
if child is spring term born they automatically are half days until october half term

summer term babies are half time until january.

must be a right pita for working parents

thankfully ds is september born

[iota]

ds1 was 4 in the May and started F/T in the September. He had no problems.
I think the school now starts all the children F/T from Sept.

[Hulababy]

ggirl - would be impossible for me that arrangement! PT for a whole term, ridiculous! Think I would keep DD out completely, leave her at nursery and then let her start in January, as if staggered intake.

[MintChocChippyMinton]

hi toothyboy. The classes are split by age, are they not, so the staff will take account of what the children can cope with. At my DS's school the classes are split too, and virtually nothing was expected of them in the afternoons other than play. Do you know what anyone else in your DS's class will be doing regards part-time? All the ones i know are in the older class so will be full time after the first week or so, so i'm not much help.

Is your DS looking forward to September? We have Teddy Bears picnic tomorrow and I will be v.

[Toothyboy]

Thanks for your replies - I think full-time is probably the way to go! He's got to do it sooner or later, what's 4 months really?!

Any experiences of part-timers finding it harder to make friends?

[Toothyboy]

Hi MintChocChippy! Yes they are split by age - 2 others from pre-school will be in the same class and are both going full-time, but they have been doing 5 pre-school sessions.
Yes, he's excited about September! I still have to buy trousers which is proving problematic as he's so small! They had a party today at TT, but he seems unfazed that he's not going back there!

[MintChocChippyMinton]

DS2 (also titchy) will be wearing age 3 from Marks & Spencer. £7/pair with adjustable waistband. Don't think they had them in stock in Staines, I ordered mine in store.

Let me know how it goes in September & enjoy the holidays

[islandofsodor]

Dd has just finished her reception year. Everyone went full time from the start, there was the option of half days for the first week but no-one took that option. The youngest child was 4 at the very end of August, all coped fine.

Some came from full time nursery, sone had gone to nursery part time (my dd did 2.5 days) and some had gone to p/t playgroup.

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

my dd is 4 in nov and starts f/t at nursery class in the schoolm foundation unit in sept.most of the children in her class wont be turning 3 till july /aug and they seem quite young but shes more than ready for it

[Toothyboy]

Yes, I found the stock in M&S terrible - even the age 3s are too small! I think BhS' are slightly smaller so I'm waiting for those to come back in stock!

[Toothyboy]

too big I mean!

[MintChocChippyMinton]

Watch him have a growth spurt over the summer and he'll be walking around in ankle-flappers by Easter. DS1 had a two inch hem on his trousers in September. This week they barely fit and have had patched knees for the last week

[MintChocChippyMinton]

i knew what you meant LOL

[MintChocChippyMinton]

DS2's best friend is going to E, he's about twice the height of DS2 LOL

[Toothyboy]

Hmmm, which class/when's his birthday? I may track you down!!
Although apparently ds1's class is 22 boys, 8 girls so I may have a job working out which one he is if it is the same class!

[Toothyboy]

Am still interested in full-time/part-time dilemma, even though Chippy and I have digressed somewhat !!

[MintChocChippyMinton]

a bump for you!



and a He's in the eldest class

[ChasingSquirrels]

Ours do 8.45 - 12 for 7 days (thu, fri, then a full week).
They have then suggested 3 full days (plus 2 mornings) the next week, and 4 full days (plus 1 morning) the week after.

Can't you see how he is gettig on? I would have thought being part time everyday wouldn't impeed his friendships. Could he do mornings and lunch and you pick him up after lunch?

[LindzDelirium]

my DD was 4.1 (July birthday) and started FT straight away last September with no problems, however she had been in FT nursery since baby room.