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

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

Primary education

When do the teachers return into school? Earlier than pupils?

17 replies

mammalovesit · 11/08/2009 01:35

Wanting to move ds yr4 and dd yr1 to a new school come Sept. Been deliberating for a while, but have come to the decision with the dc involved, and happy! Don't really want them both to have to go back to a school that they are unhappy at for a week or so whilst we sort out admittance to new school. So wondering if anyone out there knows if school staff are in previous to school restarting? Thanks in advance

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gigglewitch · 11/08/2009 01:39

mine are in from 1st sept
Can't you contact the education office at your local council - they tend to deal with admissions / transfers.

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1dilemma · 11/08/2009 01:56

Agree contact education at local authority, they are in round here trying to find reception places for over 180 children in the next 3 weeks (or at least I hope they are!!)

Failing that a lot of the staff will generally be in a day or two before but certainly in our dcs school they don't answer the phone!

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Goblinchild · 11/08/2009 02:07

We're in, but when and as we choose to do preparation and planning and clearing out.
Many schools have an INSET day, or two on the days before children start. But not office staff. Agree with all the above, contact Admissions office and hope they're not all on holiday!

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mammalovesit · 11/08/2009 10:56

Thankyou, going to try local authority today. I was initially asking if any of the school staff would be in so I could inform the school they were leaving. School doesn't re-open til 7th Sept. Would I be allowed to not send them back in on the 7th, due to looking at a new school? Trying to make thw transition for themas easy and pleasant as possible for them.

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LIZS · 11/08/2009 10:59

The school admin staff normally return after the Bank Holiday although you may find some staff working the odd few hours beforehand. Have you got places lined up , as I would make that priority if not. LEA may be able to tell you where already has spaces .

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mammalovesit · 11/08/2009 11:11

Hi LIZS No places lined up! A real last minute decision made in the hols of all times! Kids are really not happy, I should have acted sooner. My ds1 9yr cannot spell the days of the week, and he is going into yr4 this time. It has taken 3yrs of fighting to get him assessed for dyslexia. I was continually told there was nothing wrong with him....dd has a health issue that they are un willing to help with ( I have to go into school 3 times a day ) forcing me to leave my job......causing stress and strain!

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AMumInScotland · 11/08/2009 11:13

So long as you write to the old school asking to have them removed from the school register, then no-one can give you trouble for them not turning up.

Then you are responsible for making sure they are getting a suitable education between then and them getting places at the new school. But if you're only talking about a week or two, no-one is going to chase you to make sure they're doing anything in particularly "educational" for those few days.

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mammalovesit · 11/08/2009 13:22

AMIS, Thankyou! Thats the sort of thing i was thinking, but was scared I'd be hauled over hot coals!! Have contacted local authority spoke to a lovely lady for 40 mins, she looked into all schools with places. Unfortunately, the school I would like them to go to has no places, but she is sending out appeal paperwork for me. The next appeal date is 17th Sept, so that would be 10 days after the children are due back in school. I am now looking at some home schooling tips online.

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AMumInScotland · 11/08/2009 15:30

How confident are you that you'll get places for both DC in the appeals? It's worth thinking through how you'll deal with it if one or both don't get a place at once, as you could find yourself with quite a gap before you get places - and assuming you're out of catchment for the school you want, you may not get to the top of a waiting list quickly as others may get ahead of you by moving into the area.

But, so long as you don't have any major problem in home educating them for a term or however long it takes, then there's plenty of advice out there to help you on your way, and you'll have happy children rather than dragging miserable ones to a school that doesn't suit them.

You could start a thread on HE in here if it looks like being longer too, there are plenty of HErs. (I have been one, but DS is now 15 so I can't be much help!)

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trickerg · 11/08/2009 22:18

I'd phone the school in the week before school starts. It's very likely you'll find HT or teachers in the building to arrange a tour.

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mammalovesit · 11/08/2009 23:17

AMIS - Thanks for your messages, I've seen you comment on lots of threads, and you are a voice of reason!!
Lady at LEA said there is no such thing anymore as a catchment area! News to me! You can apply for a place anywhere, but of course if school is over subscribed, they just point out the ones closest to me and state that the school has places and is nearer. The school I'm looking at is actually only over its numbers by one, which apparently stands me in good stead for the appeal? This is all virgin territory to me. Wonder if I should now start thread re appeal system, and how clever do I have to be?!!

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gigglewitch · 11/08/2009 23:29

With regard to getting what your dc need, you should state that your ds's attainment is well below that of his peers and that his needs should be addressed with the support of a SENCO (I have dyslexic ds1, also going into y4 but for you, I know how much our school have put in to him getting the support he needs, and your poor ds hasn't had this. I am and at this all at once. The right support can work wonders, and believe me he'll thrive as soon as he gets it.)
If you can cite basic health needs being jeopardised, I'm guessing that maybe they wouldn't give her meds/inhalers/similar, so you had to go in to school and do it? - then you have a good case. In our area if you cite childcare reasons for your choices then you tend to get what you need, in terms of getting schools with after-school clubs etc (sorry if I'm not making sense, I'll come back and explain stuff tomorrow if you need) Basically say that their basic educational needs have not been addressed and you need a school which has the ability to undertake this role / task / sorry I'm losing the plot

Hope you get the gist. I promise to come back tomorrow!! And definitely try home ed, notify the 'old' school in writing and shove it through the letterbox if you want but make sure you "CC" it to the authority and anyone else you can think of, basically be a bit mistrusting and assume that if there is only one addressee then the letter may well go "missing" . The more of a paper trail you leave, the better, if you see where I'm coming from.

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mammalovesit · 12/08/2009 11:50

Thanku gigglewitch xx
I have been fobbed off time and time again at school. They put an I.E.P in place last Sept, which was to be reviewed termly, one review, no further mention of it, and ds left to struggle on.
I don't know if it's just me, but I feel intimidated when I go into school, and come away with no answers, and feel they just pay me lip service to stop me keep going in.
I do go into school regular, as my ds has one chance at primary school, and he should be enjoying these years. I am filled with fear & dread that high school is only round the corner, and I don't have long to switch this fantastic lad onto education and its benefits.
It really saddens me.......

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mammalovesit · 12/08/2009 11:55

oops ds1 is going into yr5, not yr4 as I mentioned! The class number is 4! Doh!

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gigglewitch · 13/08/2009 01:05

you are within your rights to ask the LEA to assess your ds's needs - which basically involves and education psychologist working with him for a couple of hours and assessing him. This can often be a quicker route to where you want to be, more use than waiting for the school to get off their asses and do something in your case.

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mammalovesit · 14/08/2009 01:38

The very nice lady at the LEA has put me in touch with "Parent Partnership" they are going to attend the next meeting at school, should I decide/or need to keep them in the old school whilst the appeal is going through. Appeal date is 17/09/09!! They don't hang about do they! My hopes are pinned on the appeal....I do not have a plan B aaarghhhh!

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gigglewitch · 14/08/2009 02:14

the parent partnership in my area are fantastic. Definitely get them on board, and just watch how things will fall into place

Good luck x

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