2 hours per day only when starting school

[rowzei]

My DS starts school in September. When his older brother started 2 years ago they did a 3 days of mornings, a week of afternoons, then started full time. I assumed they would do the same for this year (although I don't agree with it).
We have just been told my son will do 1.40-3.40 for THREE & HALF WEEKS!! 2 hours a day for 17 days. And finishing 30 mins later than the rest of the school. My husband and I both work (key workers) & use a child minder for pick ups. But she can't wait 30 mins until he finishes, or go back with 4 other children to collect him later. So what exactly are we supposed to do before and after school for those 17 days?
Before Covid I had heard the school was obliged to take reception children full time from day 1 if the parents asked- does anyone if that's still true? Or I wondered if his old preschool could take him in the mornings (it doesn't solve the problem of how to get him to school and who would collect him)- can you still use 30 hours free child care if the child isn't in school full-time (he's not 5 until next year)?
Anyone got any bright ideas? I have a bit of leave and planned to use grandparents for a few days if it was just 7/8 days of half days, but neither my husband or I can take enough leave (even unpaid) to cover 17 days of not being at school and not being able to use a childminder. I don't know what to do.

That’s tricky, I don’t know whether you can still request a full day but there can be no harm in speaking to the head and explaining your situation- they may allow you to have the full days or have an alternative suggestion. Covid has made things very difficult for schools and they will be trying to make the best of things but they will still be keen to help if they can

Schools are still obliged to offer full time places. Our school is offering full time for reception, but with the option of mornings only should parents prefer.

Yep similar here, I swear on one day it’s only an hour!!! They start full time from the 28th sept.

In normal times schools are obliged to offer full time from September, the admissions code is clear. See the recent thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/3959176-new-reception-starters-delayed-return

It's possible there will be some covid law change that allows them to vary that, but that does not currently look likely, and it certainly has not yet been announced. You just have the problem of starting you and your child's relationship with the school in a shitty way to force it.

I don’t think a politely worded explanation of the difficulties this causes you and a request for help with this should mean starting the relationship with the school in a “shitty way”. I am a teacher and I fully understand the difficulties parents have fitting in school and work- it impacts me as well as I also have to organise care for my own children and this sort of start in reception would have been completely unmanageable for me.

Are they trying to split the class up and have them in say 3 groups to settle them in? It seems a random time slot otherwise. I wondered if they were doing several slots, whether you could switch to a better timed one. I don't think you can carry on using funding, as effectively the school are getting the funding. (I know it isn't the same funding, but the school are getting money for their place.) It sounds like a massive headache. DD also has 3 weeks of part time hours but at least more sensible - 2 weeks of 9-12 then a week of 9-1.30. Although this may all change.

Ask the school if they have any suggestions. Ours does 3/4 weeks of morning-only, then morning+lunchtime, but the pre-school next door offers afternoons for those who need it, even for children who didn't attend that pre-school. Pre-schools are usually at their emptiest in September, so have the capacity.

Blimey, I've seen a few unusual settling in routines for reception starters this year, but this one is up there with the daftest!
Why finishing half an hour everyone else?! How is that workable for anyone with more than one child at the school?! Working or otherwise!
And 3.5 weeks of part time?!

My daughter starts reception in September and is full time from day one, save for the first 3 mornings when the reception children start a few minutes after everyone else so it's a bit quieter for them!

I've never understood these staggered settling routines, they seem anything but settling with the routine changing every few days!

I don't know about 2hrs a day. But I just wanted to say that the later finish might be longer term.
The covid guidance reccomends staggered starts and finish times. At the school I teach at we will have children finishing between 2:45 and 3:45 depending what year groups

I looked through the transition period today off the back of this thread. We have starting from the second week of September a four day week, which consists of 90 mins day one, 2.5 hours day two, 90 mins day three and 2.5 hours day four. On the next week it’s a three day week. Day one 90 mins, day two 3.5 hours and day three 2.5 hours. The following week they start full time.

Every school is dealing with the new starters so differently, some a bit creatively and I’m sure it’s going to make more work for themselves!

We heard from our school on Friday and they have confirmed that their plan is all pupils are going back on the same day, 1st day of term and full time for everyone, including reception starters (which our DD is).

They normally do a week of settling in for Reception but their response to covid adjustments is to simply scrap the usual staggered settling in as there is so much messing around to it and just get all 30 new reception children in full time from the beginning.

Someone else has mentioned the same above so not just us, it’s actually bonkers that schools can take such differing approaches but the freedom is theirs unfortunately - I would be challenging it though

Some of the responses on this thread are wrong, others are right.

Whether your child is full time or part time from the start of term is your choice. The school has absolutely no say in the subject, whatever they think. The Admissions Code is clear that your child is entitled to a full-time place in September. You can choose that your child attends part-time initially (but they must be full time from the start of term following their fifth birthday at the latest) and the school must comply with your choice.

It may be that the government will announce some changes to this for September but none have been announced so far. But as things stand you are entitled to go back to the school and inform them that your child will be attending full time, not 2 hours a day.

Unfortunately you have less rights over the finish time. If they really want Reception to finish 30 minutes later than the rest of the school they can do that.

Some of these measures are likely due to Covid. All schools will be staggering start and end times for different year groups and there may also be staggered days to get everyone used to social distancing in the playground. Some schools have hundreds of parents to distance and can’t just dive straight in with everyone at once.

I feel for you. Our school is stretching the induction out to 6 weeks so our DD won't be full time until mid October. The first 3 weeks amount to literally an hour here and there plus 2 mornings. A number of us have contacted the school to explain that it isn't workable but the response has been a cut and paste 'we know best'.

I am still waiting to hear from the school my Son will be attending.They break up for the hols this week and I still don't know what's happening.Rang them last Friday as concerned about having no information,complete waste of time.Couldnt give me any info over the phone and said he may have to be part time for a while depending how well he settles etc,but still non the wiser of stay and play date or proper start dateTold me I would receive an email.This should all be sorted by now,I may have to contact the local council soon as my Son is entitled to an education.

DC's new school has always had a long transition period (which I am fine with), but thrown by 'full time' now meaning that Reception start half an hour later and finish half an hour earlier than everyone else - which will mean an hour less than advertised school day.

They are, however, offering those with siblings can arrive early/stay later -is that an option?

I would imagine school will let your son out early to the CM no problem. Ask if she can collect him once she's picked up her other charges.

There is no harm in asking nicely if they can take him FT. However we muddled through with a patchwork of swapping childcare with friends, nursery, swapping shifts to evening/weekend, annual leave, maybe the odd morning in school. I know not all work lends itself to flex but many workplaces will be used to YR parents needing to accommodate this every year. It feels like a bit of a mountain to climb I know, but he's only little and would have a lot on his plate with FT school plus CM from day 1.

@prh47bridge do you know if this is the case in wales too? We’ve just been told the arrangements for DS starting reception - a single accompanied visit the first week, then a week of mornings only, followed by a week of afternoons only.

We are both keyworkers and used up all our leave sorting childcare issues whilst trying to work full time during covid. No childminders or nurseries can facilitate half days for two weeks only.

@welshweasel - There are no equivalent provisions in the Welsh Government's Admissions Code so no, I'm afraid I don't think it is the case in Wales as well. All I can suggest is talking to the school about your situation and see if they are willing to be flexible.

No you can’t use the 30 hours because the school are proving early years education. If your ds has deferred his school place then you could.

*had

Thanks @prh47bridge, I have emailed the school and asked if they have any suggestions as to how I can make it work. Alternative is for him to start full time 3 weeks late, and stay in nursery until then, which is really unfair on him but is at least a possible solution.

My son had a four week transition to reception a few years ago, even though he had been at the nursery! He did nothing in week 1 apart from a home visit and the. Three weeks of 1hr, 2hr and half day with lunch. I’m a key worker too and it was a nightmare. I raised it with the school but was told this was standard practice.