DD is starting school in September - does she need anything else other than herself?

[MissisBoot]

I've got uniforms, shoes, PE kit, lunchbox etc

But just suddenly thought does she need a pencil case or anything like that?

Thanks - I fear I'm woefully unprepared!

Obviously if a child isn't wearing a vest the teacher would tell him/her to keep their top on.
I've worked in schools where this is the policy (with much older children) and they aren't embarrassed /worried /bothered in the slightest. Mostly my problem was getting them to stop at their vest and pants ...

I think it's a case of us transferring adult feelings to children. Would you have the same problem with a child stripping off for a paddling pool at a friend's for example?

mrz what do you do with DC who don't wear vests?

I know the nursery class at DS's school do PE in their uniforms because it just takes too long to get them changed (although they take them swimming - that must be fun ) but by reception they have shorts and t-shirt for PE.

sorry - xpost (or rather I didn't read it) - you said.

mrz - I don't think you can compare the two and whether or not I'm transferring my feelings onto my DD is beside the point. It seems hugely patronising and also not true, to say that none of the children you've worked with were bothered by stripping off like this.

Callisto exactly how is it different?
and as to it being untrue all I can say is in all the time I taught in these schools no child was reluctant or needed any encouragement to strip off to their underwear which seems to indicate they weren't bothered.

I think it is two hugely different situations - one is voluntarily stripping off to dive into a paddling pool with friends and family. The other is being made to strip down to underwear to take part in enforced exercise by an authority figure with a bunch of other children the child may or may not like/be friends with.

As for the not seeming bothered - that would be getting into the institutionalisation of children arguement and this is the wrong thread for it.

You have obviously not watched the excitement and eagerness when young children are "forced" to strip off for "enforced" exercise by an "authority figure" uttering those chilling words PE

Ours need uniform, shoes, book bag, PE bag and kit and a spare water bottle. DS2 is my 3rd at the same school and I feel quite chilled but have probably forgotten something vital! God help him if he needs to change for PE, he was only 4 last week and can just about put his own pants on and off!

When dd was small they specifically asked that the girls didn't wear tights on gym days (too slow to put back on).

I have never understood why they can't do gym in their nice short sleeved polo shirts - AFAIK dd spends all her playtimes running round the playground at 90 mph, interspersed with rolling down a muddy bank, so I can't see that she gets any more sweaty/dirty doing gym in a nice clean hall

I teach reception. I actually (on our induction day for parents) suggest that they put their children in polo shirts on PE days in the beginning to save them changing them and also (if they do wish to change) to make it easier to take off than a shirt with 10 or so fiddly buttons!

When my DD started school last year i think I was over the top - as a teacher i was paraniod I would be called all the names under the sun if she din't have things . DD has EVERTHING named, and on her coat there are 2 labels in different places so it doesn't take long to check, as well as a little keyring on the zip!
From a teachers point of view, I used to teach PE in underwear - the children not me!!! - but wouldn't want to do it now. Getting dressed and undressed is a vital social skill and just as important as the PE activity. Unfortunately, health and saftey rules the day and things do go to extremes - in our school we have to close the blinds when the children are getting changed in case strangers can see in despite extensive grass around the building.

I cant believe how many of your schools still allow children to do PE in vest & pants I only ever did this once and the poor boy (Yr 1) kept pulling his vest down the whole time over his pants, leaning over so vest covered them, years later it turned out he that had been abused by his child minders son. Would never ever make a child do PE in underwear again - bit of an extreme example but how would you know that another child hadnt been through something like that?

We rumage through the lost property at the end of the year for sets of kit to keep as spare or ask parents to send in any unwanted stuff that their children have outgrown! We then take it home to wash or some teachers send it home with a letter asking for it to be washed (although we only get half of it back)

dressing/undressing is actually part of the EYFS curriculum, it comes under personal, social & emotional development and physical development!

Sorry rant over

The only thing i would add is more to do with giving DD some useful skills such as putting shoes on & taken them off herself, taking her jumper off (you would be surprised how few children can do this!) doing up zippers/buttons etc.

Also avoid tights on PE day and tie a ribbon or put a keyring on her book bag so she doesnt have to rummage through 30 identical bags - our supplier has now put the name label inside a flap for child protection but it means that they have to lift up the flap on every bag to find their own Imagine the scene at hometime!

If DD ever has "accidents" then maybe spare knickers & socks so she doesnt have to borrow the schools.

HTH

at dd's school, they ask for - pe kit, indoor shoes (ie black pumps), wellies & waterproof coat (they have an outdoor classroom which they use come rain or shine), track suit & trainers of some kind for outdoor pe, all of which is supposed to fit into a small pump bag otherwise it takes up too much room in the cloak room

Oh and DD wears a skirt rather than a pinafore on the PE days as it is easier to get on and off!

Takver wanted to add both the National Curriculum & EYFS curriculum have statements relating to keeping ourselves healthy and things that contribute to this.

Yes it is a contradiction as they probably get more hot & sweaty running round the playground than in their PE lesson, but we are encouraged to teach them that they need to change before & after exercise for hygiene reasons.

However, we just change shoes & take off jumpers for first few lessons as more about establishing rules for PE hall than anything else in those first few weeks, and taking shoes & jumpers off & putting them back on again is more than enough for some children to master!

LoL as someone who cycles everywhere and works outdoors if I had to change before & after I did anything involving physical exertion I'd spend my whole day changing clothes More seriously, I think its rather a sad reflection on our society that 'exercise' is a strange thing that we have to put on special clothes for.

Does anyone have any suggestions for good labels and also lunch boxes?
I havent got either yet and am now feeling very disorganised!

I use these stick on labels, I've been testing them at nursery and they do seem to survive the dishwasher and they are really good value.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310080541840&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3820wt_1165

I'm using Cash's sew-on tapes for clothes, cos I'd rather sew than iron - lol.

Lunchbox, I'm just using the one DD had for nursery, it's a soft Thermos one (purple ). I prefer the soft ones as stuff fits better in them. I also put it in the washing machine if it gets gunky.

Also meant to say that DD came home from nurser upset as someone had told her she would have to do PE in her knickers (I keep telling her not to reveal her knickers to all and sundry), but I could reassure her as our school has a gym kit.

How awful, that children are still in some places, expected to do gym in their knickers. Plus her knickers are thin, not like those substantial pairs that we had to wear.

Thanks Ixia, the labels look good...

i just recieved some from

here

ordered them at about 4pm and they were in the next mornings post!

Havent used them yet though so dunno how good they are!

yes [hmmm] at exercise being a strange thing to put on special clothes for!

OOPS - didn't mean to start WW3 when I mentioned vest & pants

Sorry

I'm new here, but I've noticed there are certain subjects that incite bloodshed passionate debates. Would never have thought vest and knickers would be one of them lol.

There is a 10% mumsnet discount for Easy2name.com - [code mums-e2n] - I ordered them and got them 2 days later, and beautifully printed named gym bag a week later (though the website said 21 days). The stickons are REALLY stick ons (and double as shoe labels with separate covers), and the iron-ons are REALLY secure. Transfers are OK-ish but only on 100% cotton socks (light colour). Can't fault their customer service!