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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

Those of us with new Reception starters...

31 replies

iamloading · 09/09/2023 08:40

I just wondered if anyone had a little one starting in reception this week and wanted a safe non judgemental space to chat about how they are getting on / any worries etc.
My little one started last week (very reduced hours though) and is full time from Monday. So far so good, I just so desperately want her to settle and be happy!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mynameiscalypso · 09/09/2023 08:47

I was thinking about starting a stimulant thread, so thank you!

My DS started last week. He's had two half days so far and is in full time from Monday. He says he's had fun (he loved PE yesterday) but is a bit overwhelmed by the environment I think. There are 40 children in his class (1.5 entry) and it's very different to his small nursery class of 15. My main concern is that he hadn't needed to loo yet at school so I worry he's going to have an accident next week when he's in longer hours.

mynameiscalypso · 09/09/2023 08:47

A similar thread, not a stimulant thread!!

Moonflower12 · 09/09/2023 08:51

@mynameiscalypso
Please don't worry about that. The teachers and TAs will be on toileting like nobody's business. ( sorry for the pun!)
They will remind the children to go regularly and take them etc to help at first.
Perhaps just have a chat with your DC to remind them to ask if they need the toilet etc.

And if they do, don't worry it will be dealt with swiftly and kindly. These things happen.

FatCovidWorries · 09/09/2023 08:57

DS started Tuesday and managed ok Wednesday before coming down with COVID and missing Thurs/Fri. He has a significant speech delay so I'm hoping this doesn't set him back too much

welshweasel · 09/09/2023 08:59

Mine started Thursday with a full day, he absolutely loved it. Unfortunately he then vomited overnight so couldn't go yesterday, he was devastated. Woke up this morning full of beans and very excited about Monday morning!

I've sent spare pants and shorts in his book bag just in case. My eldest had an accident in reception, it's very common in the early days.

4YOWoe · 09/09/2023 09:03

Mine started Monday and has done a full week, we've all survived!

He's had a rough time at nursery with poor behaviour and rubbish behaviour management, and was definitely ready for school, its all gone well so far but I'm still nervous.

School uniform and all the notes through Parent Mail are making life very stressful!

Boomboom22 · 09/09/2023 09:07

Mine has gone straight in to full days with breakfast club every day and afterschool club 2 days. He seems to love it! My main worry is eating as he is coeliac.
But his brother in year 6 is at the school, he knows 80% of his class from pre school and his teacher used to work at the Preschool.
I also have a year 7 so him getting the train and the 11+ for the year 6 have been my major focus of worries 🤣

7Worfs · 09/09/2023 09:09

My firstborn started Reception this week - two short days and Friday full day.
I think all children in his class have had a good/OK start, which is a big relief. The school did a lot during the summer to make them feel at ease (teddy bear picnics, taster sessions).

Mine mentioned he didn’t like the school lunch (jacket potato) but liked the dessert (a slice of cake).

I have nagging little worries how he’d react to more structure, routine and learning demands…

ElectricMagpie · 09/09/2023 09:14

Mine has was told off for spitting at some point yesterday according to his teacher. He's had poor-behaviour days at preschool but it took everything I had not to burst into tears in the playground this time; he's only done two full days so far.

mynameiscalypso · 09/09/2023 09:26

@Moonflower12 Thank you, that's very reassuring.

7Worfs · 09/09/2023 09:34

Re toileting - mine sometimes has wee accidents when engrossed in play; it happened at school but he just went to the toilets and changed himself.
On the Friday he needed a N2, he told the teacher, she accompanied him and instructed him how to wipe, wash hands etc.
So far very similar to how preschool worked. The teacher and the TAs look very caring and positive.

Original poster

iamloading · 09/09/2023 10:50

It's such a big adjustment for them isn't it! She won't tell me anything about how she got on, and I'm desperate to know 😂

OP posts:

mynameiscalypso · 09/09/2023 11:52

@iamloading Mine doesn't give much away either! I was thinking about how much I'd like to be a fly on the wall for a day or so just to see what he did and how he was coping with the routine.

shitafrick · 09/09/2023 12:54

It drives me mad how you can't get anything out of them about what they've done that day. 😅 I want to know all the details!

Mine had a short day on Friday and has another 2 short days on Monday & Tuesday before fulls days from Wedsnesday onwards.

I've been worried about him as he's quite reserved and quiet but it's a small class luckily so maybe not as overwhelming as it could be and he did really well on Friday.

Toilet wise I'm worried about poos too as he can't/won't even entertain wiping himself yet depsite lots of encouragement 🙈. Its reassuring someone else has mentioned the teacher helped their little one wipe. Maybe I should say to his teachers so they're aware.

7Worfs · 09/09/2023 12:56

Same here, he doesn’t volunteer information, but when we walked to nursery to pick up DC2, DC1 started talking about his day to the nursery teachers (he’s known them for years). I throw my hands in the air with him.

One of his friends outright tells her mother to stop asking her details about her day.

Flev · 09/09/2023 14:36

DD started on Monday, straight into full-time all week, plus a bit of after school care on 2 days. Most of the children moved up from the associated preschool, so she knows most of them - but unfortunately two of her three particular friends went elsewhere. She says she's enjoying it (except after school care as her BFF doesn't stay and she doesn't like being with the year one and year two kids). However, she is clearly absolutely exhausted and her emotions are all over the place so we're having a very gentle weekend.

And yes, the constant emails, text messages, messages on Tapestry etc are completely doing my head in!

BargainHunters · 09/09/2023 19:57

What communication have you had? are they using an app? We have Tapestry.

(how often are you getting sent pics ?)

7Worfs · 09/09/2023 20:12

We got Parent Mail for admin and Class Dojo for social. No pics yet, they are doing consent forms now.
The teacher did put nice messages summarising the days and mentioning all children were happy.
They’ve given us a list with all events from now til Christmas, that level of organisation really speaks to me ☺️

mynameiscalypso · 09/09/2023 20:16

We've had a generic school newsletter and that's it. No pictures or class updates. We have had a brief handover at the end of the day from the teacher though - a quick summary of what he did, who he played with, how he was.

Qilin · 09/09/2023 20:20

iamloading · 09/09/2023 10:50

It's such a big adjustment for them isn't it! She won't tell me anything about how she got on, and I'm desperate to know 😂

Have you tried slightly changing the question 'what did you do' a little? Sometimes it can get more out of the new starters.

Things like: What was the best bit today? Can help them be a little more specific.

Original poster

iamloading · 09/09/2023 20:24

Yes I've tried changing the type of questions but nothing yet! It's only been one short day to be fair!
We haven't been set up with anything yet in terms of communication - I'm assuming that will all come next week!!

OP posts:

Qilin · 09/09/2023 20:25

Pictures can take a little while whilst all permission forms are in, collated and reported to teachers.

I'm in charge of sorting out our online access, and for collating photograph permissions for the different parts of school life such as for: classroom use, password protected individual online journals, password protected class blog, open website, open social media, etc. It can take a while. I finished sorting ours yesterday and passed the permissions summary on to teaching staff, and Individual log in sheets will go home to parents next week. So hopefully parents will start receiving online photographs and comments/messages from next week.

QueenofFox · 09/09/2023 20:30

Ours haven’t started yet - they go back two weeks later than the rest of the school with a few hours here and there to meet staff and visit the playground, my son is desperate to start. Such poor behaviour from him because he knows a big change is coming and he just wants to get on with it

Sdpbody · 09/09/2023 20:33

We've had one full week back and she's exhausted. We've had books sent home already for reading!

NoliteTeBastardesCarborundorum · 09/09/2023 21:58

Has anyone found their DC being a total feral nightmare during bedtime as a symptom of starting reception this week...?

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