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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

at the risk of sounding like I want to put dd in a workhouse.....

29 replies

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 21:41

I'm trying to work out how to manage the old work/life balance when dd starts school in September.

I currently work 3 full days/week and dcs go to nursery. In Sept dd starts school, she is Jan b'day so her school would normally have her do mornings only til after chritmas.

I could possibly swap my days to 5 "school days" instead of 3 full ones in the longer term but I'm stuck for this term of half days. And I need to sort this out soon so I've got ds nursery place sorted for when I'll be working....

Has anyone asked if their dc could go full-time immediately against the "normal" rules? Would a school ever consider this? Do I sound awful for trying to push her in quick?

I am entirely convinced she will be fine with full days given that she is used to nursery days of far longer....not sure where to start with finding childcare for couple of hours/day for one term.....

Just trying to get sorted out what will work best for my whole family - and this first term of half days is a real issue.

How have other people coped? Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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NKF · 13/02/2008 21:43

Lots of people have this problem and schools vary in how helpful they are. Sometimes you jsut have to find alternative childcare for the first half term or ask favours from work. Not easy but often doable. Good luck.

KatyMac · 13/02/2008 21:44

Lots of school say no - it's an insurance issue (esp round here)

Might find a childminder to help you (mind you I turned away 16 reception children one year)

Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 21:47

wow NKF you are super speedy typist! I'd only just posted it! Thanks for your comments - it's just the nightmare limbo bit is proving tough to plan for! Will check with school if it doesn't make me sound like crap mum...headteacher already looked at me funny when I asked if they'd ever considered breakfast or afterschool club at the "look around session" - not much call for it apparently

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Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 21:51

katymac, I'm intrigued..why is it an insurance issue?!

and yes thats my concern about nursery or childminder & nursery spaces....why would they really tie up a space for that short a time...

ps and you type quick too...ta!

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Heated · 13/02/2008 21:53

As soon as my ds' place is confirmed at the primary around the corner we're going to have to be quick smartish about finding a cm who'll have him for half a day in that first half term and then hopefully just the school drop off/pickup. We might also move dd over to from nursery to cm. Early start too so a saintly, early rising cm going to be tough to find!

Otherwise I will have to send him to a private school which is on the way to and from dh & my work! And then rope in the gps in the extended holidays!

Hope your plans work out.

ivykaty44 · 13/02/2008 21:55

I asked when my dd started school and was told no no no it is not in dc interests.

I did explain that she already went to nursery etc but was told it wouldn't be fair on other children.

I explained I had no a/l left to take and what could I do and was told that I would have to ask a relative or friend to have child. I explained my friends work so not an option and family not around as it was term time.

So I asked if they would put her in a taxi for me to go back to nursery for the afternoon - told no that was not possible .

Then said my only option would be to leave her in nursery until they started full days in school and it would be a shame as she would miss days of school - I work 2 and a half days so it would mean three days were fine.

They suddenly moved and said it would be fine for her to stay all day after the first week!! - it was due to I think her being absent and causing it to look bad?? Not entirly sure but they changed their minds anyhow.

Heated · 13/02/2008 21:55

Yep HT looked at me as if I was an oddity when I queried a breakfast club. Most mothers apparently bring their children to school themselves. Most work locally or have jobs they fit in around their childcare. Not an easy option for a teacher.

KatyMac · 13/02/2008 21:55

I'm not exactly sure - but I went all the way to county Hall for one mum & got no change of mind

They probably wouldn't - but for one term a mum paid me for the whole day - it's not ideal - but for a childminder the lo won't move to the next age band until they are at school all day anyway - so if you need care for autumn half term & christmas it's worth doing

Heated · 13/02/2008 21:56

So in theory your dc could late start?

KatyMac · 13/02/2008 21:58

Legally yes - but round here you could lose you place if the school is oversubscribed

Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 21:58

But heated, is it likely a childminder will fill a precious place for a few hours for few weeks? Are you planning on using dd as bait?! (I mean you'll do it as a package so it's a more attractive proposition...!)

OP posts:

KatyMac · 13/02/2008 21:59

Her DD would be bait.....but would the childminder have 2 under 5 spaces?

Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 22:06

ivykaty44 that's really interesting...hmmmm..maybe I could suggest she'd do 3 or 4 mornings only....

you know up til now I felt working 3 days was a fantastic compromise for me and dc and worked well for all of us...don't know why I'm now really very worried that the headteacher will think I'm crap for trying to offload my adored dd with unseemly haste...!

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Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 22:07

sorry heated, prob. getting you worried now too...but if you live near me I'll race you to the childminders!

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bosch · 13/02/2008 22:09

Hi - I had similar problem when ds2 started school in Sept, mornings only til just before Christmas. Friends of ds1 had negotiated a school start of imm after half term, full time, but had regretted the time (work and social) that their children had lost in that first half term. I found a cm who would look after ds2 between 1 and 5.30 for one term only, three days a week - recommended by a cm friend who had no space herself. I should try asking around asap. Oh, and the lunchtime social time was really important too, try to keep that (don't get cm to pick up before lunch if poss).

However, while stressing about when ds2 should start school, I kept trying to remind myself that this is the only school in our city where the younger children start in Sept - everywhere else, they start f/t in January and apparently suffer no ill effects I reckon if I'm given something to fret about, I'll fret about it!

Heated · 13/02/2008 22:10

Never thought of dd as bait!! (Now has interesting mental image)

Was thinking it would simplify childcare and keep dcs together but now realising it's obviously more complicated.

On the local cm website they say whether they do school drop off/pick up - does that count in the number of allowable mindees? And do therefore ppl pay for a whole day's childcare?

To echo OP, how do ppl cope with the half day start to school if they work?

(sorry to hijack dibertina's thread!)

Heated · 13/02/2008 22:13

Dibetina - on your marks, get set...

ivykaty44 · 13/02/2008 22:13

Its all very well the teacher thinking we are crap but working is not always an option, I am the only bread winner and if I dont work we dont eat and the goverment say I should go to work outside the home and not stay at home.

So this is what I have done - but they dont tell me what I am to do when school want to do mornings and afternoons for half a term - fair enough school here own plans and priorities and they are not child care - but that means if I leave my dc in nursery she misses out and if I dont go to work well I get into trouble.

emotion

Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 22:16

not just me grappling with this then!

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Bubble99 · 13/02/2008 22:17

If the nursery they attend at the moment is close enough to the school you could ask them if they would be able/willing to collect her from school for the afternoon.

If they are registered for 0 - 5 year olds she would be able to be with them in the afternoons until her sixth birthday, not that you'll need pm care until then.

Heated · 13/02/2008 22:24

Well, hopefully local CMs will have the answer (crosses fingers)!

Otherwise my other options are leaving ds in nursery until the full time start , obviously not the best start for him and not sure if school will hold the place...?

And I can't believe I'm having to contemplate this with a perfectly fine state school round the corner, but in case it doesn't work out, am visiting an independent school next week to which I will be able take and drop ds in person because of the before and after school provision/nearer work and tbh I like the idea of having some contact with the school.

Why is nothing ever simple?

Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 22:27

bubble99, yes fortunately the nursery both dcs are at currently do run an after-school and holiday club so may be an option if they are able to take her for the half days (am waiting to hear)...but unfortunately they are at different sites and I couldn't get to both in time after work....ahhhh!

and I can't help thinking if dd is to be picked up and taken to "after-school club" at lunchtime - she may as well be in school and then I'd change my hours and pick up....

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Original poster

dilbertina · 13/02/2008 22:32

hijacking my own thread....I vaguely recall something or other about schools "having" to provide some sort of before & after school care. Does anyone know what this is all about? Is it due to happen before my dc hit 18?

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braveandcrazy · 13/02/2008 22:33

it's a nightmare isn't it? I have the same problem - just waiting to see which school my dd has got into at the end of March and will worry about it then I think.
The schools I have spoken to who do half days for 1 term are absolutely adamant they will not take kiddies full time. I am hoping my work will be nice enough to let me work mornings 1 term!

KatyMac · 14/02/2008 07:54

Heated - as you child is not attending school full-time - they will count (for a childminder) as an under 5 & so take up a full-time space

Once they are at school ful-time they will only be a before & after schoolie and only pay for that

hth

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