New reception child - school using full name on peg etc.

[TaleofTwoCities]

A bit of a pfb question but our ds just started school at nearly 5 and we (and nursery)always called him by the shortened version of his name, to the extent that he doesn't quite understand that the full version is his name (probably our mistake here) or recognise it v. well written down. He learnt how to write the short version at nursery but now at school his peg and name card when they're practising copying their names has the long form. Should we ask them to change all this to the shortened name or are we making too much of a fuss? Just worried that he's got loads to cope with already starting school and having to write a name that he doesn't fully recognise and isn't used to is one thing too much! Or is it good that he's having to learn his proper name??

I'd ask them to change it.

Although I'd go mad if I heard someone shorten my DS's name (pfb too!).

If no-one outside uses his full name, just tell the school that he is known as the shortened version. Our school database records the legal name & the inown as name. Everything hat we print in school class lists, registers etc uses the known as name.

Didn't you put on the application form that he is AKA ?

Myy DS is called by his nn and we just put it on the form, when he started everything was labeled with his nn. If you haven't told the school, how are they toknow this info? I think you need to just mention to them that he is never knowm by his full anem and could he be called x.

On the forms you completed for school did you put that DS is known as "xxxx"?

Speak to school, I'm sure they will change things for your DS.

Thanks for the replies. Yes we did put on all forms that he's known as "xxx" - sure they won't mind changing it if we ask. Even I didn't spot his peg name on the first day, being so unused to it! Actually come to think of it I really like his full name and can't think why we've never used it. It just seemed to work out that way and have never questioned it up to now!

Is it a state school? A friend with children at a local private school was telling me that their head refused to 'allow' shortenings/nicknames.

Is his shortened name part of his longer name ie phil/phillip?

If it is i would be inclined to leave it tbh and show him ways to find his name (can he stick a smiley face sticker on the name card?)

Otherwise ask the school.

I had to ask our school to use the shortened version of DS name (they used long version even though I had put short version on form).
The class teacher did't seem to mind but more importantly DS used to get upset at being called the long name as he had always been known by the shortened version.

snice, that's astounding

We had the same with DS1 when he started school (twice, as we moved). He has a shortened form of his name that doesn't start with the same letter as his birth certificate name. I just went and told them on the first day that he was always known as XXX and they changed the name tags immediately. DS2 has the same issue, but the school knew him already, so they've never used his full name.

It is a state school. His short name starts off as part of the long version but it has a different ending added on which make them sound quite alot different. Same sort of thing as e.g. Victoria vs. Vicky or Charles vs. Charlie.

i remember starting school and being called by my "long" name and having absolutely no idea who they were talking to / referring to.

thanks mum!

A friend's child has a very normal name which sjhe never uses.She is always known by the name her 2yr big sister used to call her when she was a baby.Its absolutely nothing like her real name and not even a name just a 'nonsense' word.But she has always been called that and is called it at secondary school too.
I would ask them to change it .I think it is very important

Thanks all - think I will ask. I like the idea that he can choose to use the long version himself when older if he wants to but he's lost enough at the moment without having to cope with a name-change

he will get used to it! It is his name after all and you gave it to him so he should exoect it to be used sometimes.

DS2 has a name like this and he is called the short name but quite often has the long name written on things - that's what will happen in life anyway.

Dd started using the long version of her name at this stage.

And all her little friends trooped back home to tell their Mum, she isn't called X after all, she is called Y.

Now I'm the only one in the neighbourhood who still uses the shortened version. Oh well.

DS started using the shorter version because it's easier to write

My DS had his full name on his peg as they all did in his class, and on his tray etc...he was fine about that, his name is a popular one with an obvious shortening..but he wasn't happy with the teacher calling him by his full sunday title!

Anyway i had a word with the teacher and she was great about it

DS2 is known by his nickname. But his school labels all have his full name - when he saw them first he said "why has my name got a XXX at the end?"

But any ref to him (eg on awards, in class etc) is always as nickname.

There's a Charles at school who is always Charlie - I never even knew his name was Charles until I saw a teacher's list with "Charles - known as Charlie" written on it.

School shoudl surely be happy to change it.

We always called our eldest by her shortened name but first day of school she chose to be called her full name ( I think because there was another M in the class) and she didnt' want confusion!

When my dd1 started in reception, her tray, pegs and books were all labelled with the long version of her name. Her teacher changed all the labelling when I let her know that we did not use it. It was not a problem at all! (She still hates the long version of her name, at the age of nearly 9).

I'd definitely say something to the school about it and I don't think there will be any problem at all.

My DS uses the long version of a name for which there is an immediate shortened form (and which the other 4 boys in his class with his name use ). If he had had everything with the shortened version on, I'd have said something to school I think.