My child being placed with immediate effect on Reduced Timetable (Reception)

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Hi,

Would like anyone who has experience with primary / reception education to help if possible. My child is in reception (he is the youngest in the year - in fact, born 2 days later would probably be starting this coming September). He has been in nursery and pre-school care full time since 2 without any problems, in fact glowing reports which eased my worries of him entering reception this past September. However in the last 3 months, apparantly, he has started to have some problems in class, with concentration, being tired, territorial etc which have resulted in some aggressive acts - hitting out. I have had this flagged up twice, but the school have said they have been able to deal with it. However last week, we got a call to say that he had injured a teacher and for this reason, he will be put on a reduced timetable with immediate effect. Obviously this has had a major impact on how we manage things with him not being in class at all now 5 mornings a week. Since it has happened I have found out that the incident seemed more accidental than premeditated (he had fallen asleep and the teacher had woke him up, which startled him and he jumped off the chair indavertently onto her hand which was on the floor). Now in the conversations I initially had, I was in absolute shock as I was being told "my child had broken a staff members arm) so was apologising profusely, to the point that I was just agreeing to everything they said. However as the matters sinks in, I am starting to wonder if the way they have acted is a)lawful b)ethical and c) in the best interest of my child. At this point in time, I have had no written information about his behaviour in class which has resulted in this reduced timetable, I have had no information on what they plan to do going forward, no plan etc I have signed nothing saying that my child can go to a reduced timetable. Literally just been told he can't come in anymore in the mornings - deal with it. I've just accepted things and muddled my way through this week. Obviously a solution could be that we have to continue with the reduced timetable and look at deferring him till this coming September. However all feedback received from the reception teacher is that he is managing his school work well, its just that he is not coping emotionally with the reception class. I've been told that with a class of 30 he can't expect to get any personal treatment, but the more I am reading about this - it seems there is an obligation for the school to look at every possible way of keeping a child in class and integrating them which doesn't seem to have happened. His behaviour with me is absolutely spot on so I am also trying to work out what is triggering his so called behaviour in class ( which again seems to be unrecorded and anecdotal at best ). If anyone has any constructive advice it would be much appreciated, as I feel I have agreed to something under "the fog" of being made to feel guilty on something that myself and child shouldnt really have been made to feel guilty of. Muddling through this week, but very difficult when full time working at the same time. My child hasn't got a clue what is happening, just keeps on asking when they can go back into school. Thanks again.

someone else has already mentioned it but missing literacy and numeracy is not a good idea.... better for everyone, if he has to miss some school, that he come home at lunch time.

I am no expert but to me something is not right here. School are doing what they want without recorded evidence and not following the process.

I feel for you OP. I have been that Mum who immediately apologies and trusts that teachers are in the right. You have done good to take a moment to reflect and question the whole situation.

Your poor DS , my DD used to fall asleep in reception, no big deal for the teachers whatsoever

But he's not excluded, op said she agreed didn't she ? She said she said yes and went along with everything.

By the way OP, I don't agree with the school. This should have involved lots of meetings to discuss supporting him before it got to this, a reduced timetable should be a last resort to help a longer transition for the children. I agree that you should just move him as they haven't handled it well at all.

Part time timetables can be informal exclusions. The statutory exclusion guidance covers part time timetables - it states “A part-time timetable should not be used to manage a pupil’s behaviour”

I would arrange a meeting with head teacher and class teacher/senco, find out what is triggering this behaviour they should be recording it and identifying triggers. Do you think it could be anxiety/tiredness related? If so maybe a reduced time table to ease him may help, but they need to be doing more to support this. Kids don't change personality over night with no reason. I'd be prone to speak to his old nursery too to see if they had an incidences like this. Maybe speak to him, does he enjoy school is he worried about something? There must be an underlying reason for his behaviour.

Find a school who agrees to take him again in reception next September (once he has started it’s up to the school rather than the LA).

Also speak to the schools parent advisor if they have one, they should be able to support you.

Reading between the lines there have been some issues and teacher ending up in hospital, albeit for a checkup, has brought matters to a head.

Try to work with them. It may be, with hindsight, that the school hasn’t dealt with matters/communicated everything as it should have done.

It may be that they, and you, have hoped for the best, hoping that things will settle down?

Changing schools may sort it, it may be that history repeats itself 6 months down the line.

Thinking back to my own children and their reception year I’d say go to be even earlier - and bed means bed - no self entertainment, tablets etc.

Meant to add….

talk with them, work with them.

A lot of people have jumped on the school snd it sounds like they haven’t communicated well with OP.

However, you say he’s fine at home. Does he do things he doesn’t want to do at home? I ask because parents often say their child is fine at home because they are doing what they want/not challenged or expected to do more. Is he expected to concentrate for periods of time on a task?

Yes their duty is to OP’s son but also the children in the class and the staff. Don’t underestimate how strong a 4 year old child can be!

While they haven't called it an exclusion, the school could well find it has effectively illegally excluded because OP didn't feel she had a choice in the matter and they haven't followed the necessary process for putting the child on a reduced timetable (including having no plan for a return to full time) and may not have sound grounds to have done so.

Just read up on this and I hold my hands up, i was totally wrong ! Really interesting to hear about this as reduced timetables can happen quite often in reception and it's always been dressed up as transition (never in my class so I've never looked in to it much!).

Scotland here so my four year old hasn’t started school yet. He will be five in May and still naps during the day quite often. I see falling asleep at school at four years old to be quite normal.
id pull him out and start over with a new school in September

Parents have the right to choose to send their DC part time or not at all until they are CSA, but it’s the parents’ choice. But you’re right, sadly many schools do act unlawfully in all years not just reception.

Iv 2 summer born. I'd negotiate a restart for September into reception. I wish I had for my summer born. It can make life so much easier being oldest in the class.

Contact IASS in your area or the family information services. Mos LAs have these. They can offer you independent advice and support on how to challenge/ engage school

Lots of good advice here! I’m in Scotland and some of our little P1s are only four and really struggle, falling asleep isn’t unusual. If he is violent then the school should be recording each and every incident and there should be a massive paper trail long before a part time
schedule is even suggested. It sounds like they are taking the easy way out! 8:15 sleep is late for barely 5 though especially in first year of school! My DSD is in bed at 8 and asleep by 8:15ish and she’s 3 years older. Some kids also do behave really differently for parents compared to school, though it’s usually the other way round, they mask at school and struggle at home! Maybe a restart in September wouldn’t be the worst idea.

The school are likely trying to avoid frequent exclusions by putting him on a part time timetable. It’s easier for them, and you, and him to manage. It sounds like you feel a bit railroaded into it which is not great, but it might actually be best all round. Why don’t you just try it for 6 weeks and see if there is an improvement? If there isn’t, you’ll know that there is something else going on here.

Hi,

Here's my take on this, as someone who has previously taught Reception and nursery, and as a mum.

1. In Reception, my son was exhausted - coming home and falling asleep by 6.45-7, even though when at nursery he was going to bed later. I find Reception exhausting, so I know the children do too with all the new experiences and expectations. As a mum, I had to bring his bedtime forwards. I know this isn't always easy. As a teacher, it makes such a difference if children are well-rested.

1. In my experience, being summer born can make a huge difference. So, to err on the side of caution, let me refer more closely to what I'd expect in nursery (3-4s). The 'glowing reports' from private nurseries take into account the age of the child - as they would have been assessed at e.g. 30-50 months. Reception would also do this, but are working towards getting as many children to achieve the 'Early Learning Goals' as possible. Was your child meeting their milestones previously? Is there a chance that nursery teachers didn't mention things they thought would upset you as a 'paying customer'?

1. Behaviour is communication. What is the reason for the previous incidents of hitting? It's not common for 4 year olds to communicate their frustration in this way - it's something I'd see more in 2 year olds and at times 3s, whilst language is developing. (Not to say it doesn't happen, but that it's more rare. - Don't panic!) Are you aware of any language delays that would account for this in your 4 and a half year old?

1. It seems out of the blue to you - but it looks like staff have gently been trying to communicate that there is a pattern of behaviour developing. If the environment is over-stimulating your child, they are responsible for adapting it. Yes, it's not like having a 1:8 ratio in nursery, there are more children and less staff, but part of the teaching standards is to adapt teaching and learning for the strengths and needs of each child. What contact have the teachers or yourself had with the SENDCo about this?

1. Children don't develop 'symmetrically', so whilst, for example, their language skills or maths may be well-developed, the social-emotional side may not develop at the same rate. If you feel like they are building physical or socio-emotional development skills 'behind' the cohort, you might want to consider asking if they could repeat the year.

1. I would always protect my staff. It's inconvenient for you. And it seems unnecessary and unfair. It may well be. (School need to improve communication to know for sure.) But as someone who has been on the receiving end of a few physical incidents from kids, mostly older, I would want my staff to feel safe and reassured in the workplace. I would want them to feel like I saw and understood. I would want them to feel like action had been taken. Because it is awful when nothing is done. Perhaps, though it seems to you to be disproportionate, the school is merely taking action to support and protect its staff. Maybe the pendulum swung too far on this one.

1. Reduced timetable is not the end of the world - it can be an effective way of supporting children (often with SEN needs) who find the full day over-whelming. But I am sorry OP, because if SEN concerns were really at the forefront, the decision to reduce hours should probably have been taken before a crisis point had been reached. And should definitely have been communicated more effectively.

At any rate, these are my musings. I hope you manage to take a step back, breathe deeply, figure out the seemingly impossible logistics, and find out if there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed. I would suggest a meeting with the teacher/leadership team if needs be, and the SENDCo. I do wish you well and and very sorry that you have found yourself in this position.

That's not actually true it's CSA term after 5th birthday not reception age.

Suspending a child with SEN and then bringing them back on a reduced timetable is awful and only legal of the parent agrees to the timetable. Likelihood is, they are pressured into it.
A school that is able to meet the needs of a child properly wouldn’t need to do this.

Both my early summer born kids fell asleep at various times during reception, they managed it and the teachers took a judgement call over whether to wake them. It was usually an indicator of not having slept well, usually affected storytime after lunch or being unwell. This seems a bit unusual and you have had good advice above, I hope you are able to get some clarification from the HT asap.

I love the pool noodle idea. One of our nursery boys used to be encouraged to throw soft balls when they were frustrated. Naming those.big emotions they were feeling helps too.

In my children's primary when we had very young children not ready for a full school day they would do the morning and then spend the afternoon in the nursery - is this an option for you?