Does Reception always start this late in the month?

[Justjoinedforthis]

Hi everyone. My eldest child is starting reception in Sept, first day is the 21st and not full tine until early Oct. it is staggered, but he is in the first group to start. Just wondering if this is the norm?

Mine's going into N in a mixed N/R class. Don't know what the R kids are doing (and whether that's different for those that were there in N last year or not) but he's got a couple of hour-long settling sessions in the second week of Sep, then starting normal pattern on 14th.

When DD started a few years ago in R at the same school, they presented the two weeks of half days as what, in their experience, worked for the kids, but if that didn't work for the parents we were encouraged to talk to them and work it out - full time was absolutely available if that's what was wanted. Seemed like a helpful attitude.

My son starts on the 9th of September, after two "visits" and won't go full time until October, at the earliest.

I just don't understand how working parents are expected to manage a month of alternating half days!

My eldest didn’t start till 16 September (etched on my brain after a long time!). Luckily I was on mat leave so childcare wasn’t a problem. She was meant to have a week of half days at first but her teacher reckoned after day one that she was confident enough to plunge in.

My other went to a different school. They started a few kids every day for the first two weeks, starting with the ones who hadn’t attended the school nursery. Fortunately mine won the lottery and started on day one.