IS this usual or am I out of touch?

[lazarou]

I have applied for ds1 to go the local primary school round the corner. When I went to look around the headmaster introduced us to two of the pupils and they showed us round, then we met back up with the head afterwards.
It's all so different to the primary school I went to. Firstly they have a wooded area with a bench where pupils can go and sit in peace and nobody is allowed to make any noise in that area. Also they have a box in the library where pupils can write down any worries they have and then the school counsellor can talk to them in confidence.
I do like the idea of the children having somewhere to go for a bit of quiet time and also that they have someone to talk to, but it's all new to me. Does this sound quite normal? The head is new and I got the feeling he has a slightly laid back approach.

sounds normal to me

Totally normal

My dd is at our local (ofsted rated outstanding) infant school, and they have quiet corners complete with cushions etc, they have a worry box, they have a friendship stop (a bench in the playground where children who are on their own at playtime can sit and then others come and ask them to play) and lots of other incentives for pupils to take time out such as sessions in the veggie garden etc.

All this makes for a lovely, relaxed, friendly school.

It is superb, your local primary sounds good

Yes sounds like ds1's school - they also have a 'friendship bench' where you can sit if you want someone to play with or talk to.

Sounds quite usual to me lazarou. It's nice to be shown around by the children. Our school have a quiet area and a buddy system too.

That's a relief. We didn't have any of that at my school. I suppose having things like that encourages the children to be more caring and look after each other. The children seemed quite happy though and they had a good understanding of boundaries etc.

Our school is like that too - plus buddy systems, friendship stop, peace garden etc. Laid back head teachers are preferable to the twitchy, shouty variety as long as they have control. Our head is very laid back and chats informally with the children through the day. But she can spot trouble in the playground at 50yds blindfold.

DH & I really liked being shown round by Yr 6 children - it demonstrated how socially confident they were, which is a good reflection on the school.

I hope you and DS1 really enjoy your school - it sounds very promising.

When my eldest started primary school I was amazed at the caring attitude displayed by the older pupils.

When I was a child it was normal for the youngest children to be castigated as 'the babies', and for each year group to be supercillious about the year-groups below.

Now that the older children are actively encouraged to take a part in helping the youngest they seem to take pride in being caring. And having been the beneficiaries of such care themselves, it seems utterly natural to them to be kind to the younger ones.

Quite normal.

I work in secondary school ,and we have children take parents round the school.

We also have a year 7 buddy system to help the year 6s on induction day and familiarisation visits.

We also have a sixth former buddy sysytem for children in the lower school.

It is quite normal, and most schools that I know do it.

I am also amazed at how far schools have come since I was a youngster. Remember being bullied for being fat (i,e, not stick thin), for liking books and for having yellow teeth. My dd has never had anyone so much as pass an unkind comment on her incontinence, nor on the fact that she will be in a wheelchair one minute and running round the playground the next. My ds has a child with Downs in his class and it's seen as quite normal. Can't imagine my classmates would have coped with that.

It is quite normal, in good schools. Being shown around by the children is a good sign.
Friendship benches are used a lot and notebooks to write down problems are very good for shy children.