Went to a classroom visit at the school ds1 is due to start at in September. I was somewhat underwhelmed, bordering on horrified, but I fear I have lost perspective on the whole school thing (long story, had no place initially, got this one from waiting list, was third choice). Can someone tell me if they think this is usual/normal/appropriate?
Basically there were childen running about all over the place, I thought we'd arrived at playtime but apparently not. Lots of stations, some doing painting, some dressing up, others on the bikes, but there just seemed to be no formal structure at all. Both classes just intermingle between the joined classrooms and outside. There will be 3 classes doing this is september. I know they are only little, learning through play etc but I expected to see a bit of group activity or sitting doing something with a teacher (there were maybe 3 children drawing a picture with a TA). All very nice but it seemed more like what my ds was doing last year at his day nursery rather than a school class. I really think he has gone beyond the dressing up/sand and water table type of thing and is ready for a bit more. I am not expecting lines of immaculate robots sitting at desks raising their hands, of course, but it wasn't the step up from nursery/pre-school I was expecting.
I know it has all changed since our day and things are done differently but I was a bit dismayed. The kids seemed well behaved but very dishevelled / chaotic, lot of noise, toilets were dirty and no soap in the hand dispensers.
I don't rememeber the other reception classes we looked at being quite as chaotic-looking and disorganised - though I do remember thinking the same thing about this one at the time.
Do I give them the benefit of the doubt? - would they do more structured acvtivities at other times? Is the fact that I didn't choose/want this school clouding my judgement? It has a good ofsted (other 2 in area outstanding) but it mentions that the children come out at ks1 lower than average but have caught up by ks2.
I am really not sure about sending my son to this school. Am I expecting too much?