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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

Reception, do you wait with your child until they go in, or just drop them off?

18 replies

Marne · 15/10/2008 17:43

Dd started school in september, in the morning i take her in and wait with her until they blow the whistle to go in. Most parents stay until the whistle blows but dd's friend just gets dropped off by her mum at the gate and has to find her own way in, she seems a bit upset by this and has started standing with me whilst we wait for the whistle. All the mums kiss there lo's goodbye and sends them in the door, the little girl looks a bit upset that her mum is'nt there to kiss her goobye.

Do you think its ok to jut drop them off and run?

Or are they a bit too young just to be left to sort there selfs out?

I know the girls mother has her hands full with 2 younger children so it may be hard for her to go in with her dd, should i offer to look after her until they go in?

Or am i just being silly?

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forevercleaning · 15/10/2008 17:45

i wouldn't do it at that age. They are so unpredicatble and if they have a wobbly moment, they could dash off down the school drive again.

Fennel · 15/10/2008 17:49

When I had 3 under 5s it was always a bonus if we made it to school on time. Even better if the baby had been fed and changed too. Your standards have to slip when you have 3 small children. otherwise you wouldn't get anywhere.

The little girl may be fine, my 4yo is quite capable of going into class on her own. She's still preschool, not yet reception, but she doesn't hang about waiting for me.

Original poster

Marne · 15/10/2008 17:50

thats what i thought, there is no teacher there until 5 minutes before they blow the whistle. I know dd1 would be lost if i left her to sort herself out.

OP posts:

FimboGotAxed · 15/10/2008 17:53

At ds's school the reception teacher opens the door and then the children pile in, we have to go in too as we have to fill in a sheet when you change their reading books. It's a faff tbh, between putting lunchbags on the shelf, water bottles in a special box, book bag away, finding their name (self registration).

Chocolateteapot · 15/10/2008 17:55

I wait with DS until it is time for them to go up the slope to the class room. He likes to go on his own, so I say goodbye to him there. But then I sneak up and check he has made it in through the door as I think he's too little to just assume he's made it in.

tkband3 · 15/10/2008 18:00

I wouldn't drop a reception child at the gate unless I had a firm arrangement with another mum to make sure they got into class safely - and were met by that mother at the gate. And I speak as one who had to get DTs aged 2 in the buggy and up a steep hill to get into the school, so it would have been much easier to just drop DD1 off at the gate when she was in reception. She's Y1 now and I still wouldn't do it - in fact I think at our school it's not allowed until Y6...or it's certainly frowned upon.

So no I don't think you're being silly .

Elkat · 15/10/2008 18:10

We have to take the children right into the class at the moment. I understand that by the end of the year, we are expected to just leave them at the door - but the expectation is that we stay with them until the doors are opened - and that is for all years of my DD's infants' school.

traceybath · 15/10/2008 18:12

We take the child into the classroom at the moment but think after half term we'll be encouraged to just pass them to teacher at the door.

Poledra · 15/10/2008 18:16

I (along with the other mums) wait in the playground with DD1 until the teacher takes them into the class. I have a 2.8yo and a 12-week old baby and I can manage it (the baby often still has her jammies on under her coat, mind, but who sees that when she's tucked up in the pram?).

Orinoco · 15/10/2008 18:20

Message withdrawn

peanutbutterkid · 15/10/2008 18:23

Tricky, if you 'offer' to look after the child until she comes in, you imply the mother has done something wrong all this time.

Personally, I would just keep an eye out and say nothing to the mother of the other child.

DS grabs his things off me before we reach the school gate and runs in -- BUT, I walk up to the door, anyway, and check he has run in (hard to see around all the other playground parents). He's only just 4yo, I don't think I can rely on him yet. I have known people who would send their 5yo un-escorted, from the gate, to Yr-1. It did work for them.

kyrasmummy · 15/10/2008 20:31

We have to take them into the classroom here, hang the coats up, find the caterpiller, stick it on the flower, put the water bottles away, put the book bag away, in the middle of this she always decides she needs the toilet and i'm trying to keep an eye on ds who's 2 and running round like a mad man!! lol. Takes ages!!

We have to take them to the classroom in all the years too....

In answer to your question though, my DD is 4 and i wouldn't just drop her off at the gate, i think she'd just wonder round in her little world and would be lost without me there

compo · 15/10/2008 20:34

it really is a nightmare
we have to hang aorund outside
then take kids in, put water bottle in one box, snakc in another, hang coat up, smile at everyone while trying to do it all asap as poor dd is in pushachair on her own waiting outside
I know it's all to do with security for the kids but what about the siblings waiting?!!

Hulababy · 15/10/2008 20:35

At DD's school, thre is the same system for Reception to Y2. Parents g in with child to cloakroomt o hand up cats and hands, and then up to classroom to put message folders, homework, and reading books in appropriate boxes. Thenn all out into playground. Parents can leave at 8:15am (school starts at 8:30am) - no one hangs around till the very end generally, unless late arriving.

Teachers on around in mornings to chat to parents too.

islandofsodor · 15/10/2008 20:36

I usually wait unless I need to get to work early. Last week I had an 8.30am appointment with the head and so I did drop ds off in the playground then (along with dd who is in Year 2.)

Lots of children are just dropped off. If you get there befire 8.30am you take them to the before school club in the school hall. Whoever is on duty then brings them out into the playground at 8.30am and everyone is supervised until the whistle goes at 8.45am.

The children then line up and are led into school by the teacher.

MollieO · 16/10/2008 12:36

I don't do the school run every day but when I do I do dump and run. Classroom open from 8.30am with teacher so I drop off ds's reading folder and then leave him to play in the playground which is supervised by teachers until the bell goes.

I tend to stay until 5 or 10 mins before the bell goes and figure that once I have let his teacher know he is at school it is the school's responsibility to look after him.

hidetheribbons · 16/10/2008 13:36

I think the little girl's mum should really ask someone to take her in if she can't do this herself. Does she know the little girl is upset by it?

Offering to take the little girl in would be the kind, responsible thing to do, but the mum shouldn't presume that someone else will take care of her child without asking. She could end up taking advantage. Why not broach the subject with her and mention that the girl was getting a bit upset and would she like you to take her in?

Or, one of you could watch over the babies while the other one takes the schoolchildren in, and take it in turns.

nolongeraworriedmummy · 16/10/2008 13:46

if i left dd to go in on her own she would go to the park at the back of the school everyday instead!

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