Does anyone's DC have Fridays off?

[FrightAttendant]

Ds has been great about school since he started, but by Friday he is well and truly worn out.
This morning he had tears and had to be cajoled in by the teacher. I really understood and wanted to take him home, despite looking forward to my free day!

They said they'd ring me at lunch if he was still upset (He just kept saying 'I want to go home, I'm too tired and sad')
but I wish he could take Fridays off. He was only 4 at the end of May.

I'm sure I've heard of Fridays off for some receptioners - anyone else?

Thankyou TMMAM, I know, I had a lot of problems getting hm settled at preschool last year, he was so miserable and I did end up doing what everyone told me and leave him there screaming a few days - I have regretted it ever since, though he was happy once I had been gone a while

I was amazed he seemd to go to school with no problems, and really don't want to push him because I know if he gets overtired, we will have problems again - I am actually sort of thinking about home ed if he doesn't like it, am weighing up social/variety of activities available with my desire to have him here at home!

Will see how he goes and talk to teacher about it too.
Thanks xx

Hi there FA

When I was teaching Reception, I tried really hard to be flexible for the needs of each child. In fact, I had one little boy who regularly had a couple of afternoons off a week, right until the final May half term.

Rather than having a whole day off on a Friday, could you talk to the teacher about him doing all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then coming home after lunch on Thursday and Friday?

Please also bear in mind that it's the week before half term, so the tiredness is probably at its worse. It will also be bad for the 2 weeks before Christmas.

School is not statutory until the term after they're 5, so as long as he's not 5 already, you should be fine. Go and have a chat with the Reception teacher, and if you don't feel that you're getting anywhere, speak to the Head Teacher.

Another thought - don't they offer a part time programme anyway for children with birthdays later in the year?

I used to keep my dd off on a wednesday. so she had a break midweek when she first started.

Thankyou Littlefish and Charliecat.
I rang the secretary earlier to check he was Ok, and she seemedto be quite annoyed that I didn't trust them to ring me if needed - I had a bad experience when preschool failed to do so, so I wanted to emphasize I would be happy to collect him.
It is a very traditional school and I fear their policy may not encompass such flexibility - their kids sort of 'belong' to them once inside the gate, it is like a system...although I don't see the harm in asking.
He has been part time until this week so it must be very odd...suddenly 30 other kids, too, instead of 15!
I'll have a word with the class teacher later and see what she says

No matter what their actual policy is, you can insist on keeping him off. As I said, school is not statutory for him.

A friend's dd has a stupid intake policy where part time means 3 whole days a week right from the start.

Her dd is a late August child and she has stuck to her guns and takes her in 3 mornings a week.

It's more important that children have a positive and successful start to school life, than follow some policy!

But do they then reserve the right to say, 'no, we won't have him at all then'?

I took the law into my own hands on this one, and kept them off on a Friday if I thought they needed it. I actually carried this on very occasionally all the way up the school - dd had a couple of Fridays off in year 6! I have never been challenged on it - partly I think because my children are NEVER ill enough to be off school (cue wrath of god type viruses descending chez seeker) and partly because I was completely upfront about it. I used to say that whichever it was was dc was very tired and needed a day at home. Cue lovely day at home baking painting and watching rubbish tv and child returned to school the following week raring to go.

I wouldnt explain yourself. Just keep him off and say he seemed under the weather.

Agree with seeker - keep the child at home for a day if he's tired.

I did this with my daughter last Tuesday. We both felt better for it.

The reason I explain myself is that I don't want the children thinking it's OK to pretend to be unwell. I don't want them trying to organize days off themselves - only when I say it's OK!

FA, no, they can't do that. School is not statutory until the term after they are 5.

You've registered him, he's got a place, he'll be attending a certain percentage of school. If possible, agree this percentage with the school so that you all feel as happy as possible.

Educational Welfare Officers will not get involved until a child is 5 and then, rarely unless a child's attendance falls below 80% (I think that's the figure, but I might be wrong).

Oh, that's brill

I think sometimes we need to follow our instincts a bit more. I will definitely make my own decision next time he is so tired.
Thankyou for all the help x

And as I said, I've been doing this for 6 years now, and with at least 8 different teachers, and none of them have questioned me. Mind you, that could be because I'm that scary nutter lady....