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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

Where is the logic in this???!! I'm astounded!

45 replies

Cazzr · 09/06/2010 16:27

DS (summer born) starts year R in September. Just found out his hours for the first term... I was expecting mornings only but this is just nuts!!!

FYI: term starts 6th Sept..

14th September-1st October afternoons (12.15-3.15)

4th October-30th November mornings (8.45-11.45)

1st - 2nd December morning + lunch (home at 1pm)

from 3rd December full time.

Don't they know kids, especially young kids like routine?!

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Original poster

Cazzr · 09/06/2010 18:49

MrsTickleMouse, no we are in New Forest Hants..

Thing is, i'd started to get prepared for mornings only but to have it afternoons first then mornings I don't know how any potential CM will be about it.
I can see me having to do it for the first two weeks then use CM.. but him being there for a few hours in the afternoon is hardly easy to work around. guh!

OP posts:

Wandaaa · 09/06/2010 19:14

At DD's school all children did 10-2 for 3 days then full time, but nearly all of them went to the school's nursery and did loads of teacher and class visits during the previous summer term and nursery children are very much included in the school. To be honest because of this, starting school wasn't a big deal for DD or me.

Thromdimbulator · 09/06/2010 19:52

No, I can see why you're frustrated. Spring and Summer born do mornings only until January here, which i found annoying but DS1 was exhausted by school (despite handling all-day at nursery fine) so it suited him well. Your schedule seems to have no regard to working parents whatsoever though. 8:45-1pm for a period of time would seem a lot more reasonable. (Have to wonder, if they are not deemed old enough to cope with a full-day at school why we persist in making them start at just turned four?!).

CantSupinate · 09/06/2010 20:24

My kids must be weird because they didn't find the chop and change stressful at all.

At our school the younger ones can stay in pms before December, but you pay for it (after school club provides the staff).

Seems like a really good system to me. The sort of advantage you get when DC attend a larger school.

DaisymooSteiner · 09/06/2010 20:36

Here the parents get to decide what combination of sessions children do until the term after 5th birthday. All they ask is that you keep the same routine until the next half term.

So some kids do mornings only, some do mornings and lunch, some have a couple of afternoons off and others are in full time from the start. Works brilliantly and acknowledges that all children are different.

Mercedes519 · 09/06/2010 21:17

Throm, TBH I'd prefer it he didn't go so soon but there is no real option to wait as he would wait until next sept and go into year 1 which he wouldn't be as prepared for.

I'm tempted to ask the school what they do, and we're supposed to be having visits soon which I've also not heard about which will need planning as well. It's not like working parents of 4 year olds is uncommon in this day and age is it?

Thromdimbulator · 09/06/2010 22:38

Ah, that was a bit of a royal 'we'. I meant as a nation perhaps we shouldn't be sending children to school if they are not mature enough to cope with a 6.5 hour day. I toyed with the idea of keeping my summer born DS2 out of school until he turns 5 (apparently the schools have to keep the place open now - though don't quote me on it!), but am going ahead with September start because I want him to start with his peers. (and because he's pretty indignant that's he's not there with his DB already!).

ShoshanaBlue · 09/06/2010 23:21

That's not normal here. In reception everyone just started full time from 1 September. Nursery had a staggered intake - everyone started either full-time or part-time (just for the poor) on a date in September and that was that! I don't recall any problems.

scurryfunge · 09/06/2010 23:24

You don't have to comply with that regime....just start him full time from December.

cat64 · 09/06/2010 23:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Builde · 10/06/2010 06:52

Most schools do something highly inconvenient, although not as bad as this.

If you work, why not keep you child in nursery until the full time start date and then send them then; I know a few people who've done this!

Fizzylemonade · 10/06/2010 13:30

We have this but nowhere near as bad or as long.

Ds is in the preschool so currently goes 5 mornings. When he starts school he will go

2nd Sept - 10th Sept mornings only
13th Sept -17th Sept mornings and lunch
20th Sept full days

They find it helps the children as the class size is small (as half of them are doing the afternoon slot) they get to make friends etc and some of them come from being looked after by a grandparent or CM so have never encountered lots of children (very big on CM's round here rather than nurseries)

I can understand it is a logistical nightmare for working Mums/Dads.

CantSupinate · 10/06/2010 14:13

It's not about 4yos coping (ime), it's about funding; the school doesn't receive a full day's funding until they are closer to 5yo. The other juggling about has to do with settling the different age groups in.

Rollergirl1 · 10/06/2010 16:12

My DD is a spring baby and will go 8.50 to 12.00 until January. I too was only informed of this when I enquired so I could look at appropriate childcare.

I agree that if the schools feel they are too young to do full days from the start we should be allowed to defer them till January. I asked about that and if I were to defer my DD's place I would have to go through the application process again.

I have sorted a childminder to do the lunchtime pick-ups on the 3 days that I work. But I am concerned that doing mornings only for an entire term won't help my DD to settle. I can't see how it benefits the children to have such a long induction period and I think if anything it will seperate the class.

We have our first parents meeting at the school this evening so I will bringing this up then.

Mercedes519 · 11/06/2010 16:38

And it gets better!!

Have just received a letter from the school inviting us to come in for a meeting at 6pm in a couple of weeks. Its a chance to meet the teachers, learn about the school, admission etc. etc.

I quote "the meeting will last about an hour and isn't really suitable for children"

Surely they know we have children....

PatriciaHolm · 11/06/2010 17:53

Well, the meeting has to happen sometime -which will either be during the day (when you are working) or the evening when you have the children. They can't win really.

puch · 13/06/2010 11:43

when my son started R he is in Y1 he did

1st week 8.50-12.00
2nd week 1.30-3.15
3rd week 1.30-3.15
4th week 8.50-12.00
5th week 8.50-1.30
then 6th until christmas break up
8.50-1.30 and my other son was in y3 so i picked up at 1.30 got back at 2 (don't drive) and had to leave again at 3.00 to pick up 3.25. I was exhausted luckily enough i was not working but he is a june birthday and they got anyone birthday may-aug part time until xmas. It was crazy especially as it was only about 8 from two classes everyone else full time after four weeks. I think the younger ones needs more help than the eldest. They lost out quite a lot of lessons time not being there in the afternoons

mizu · 13/06/2010 19:55

I have a dd in reception now and another starting in September.

The second one's timetable is mad, basically from 2nd Sept to 18th October alternating DAYS not weeks DAYS so Sept 2nd is afternoon, 3rd Sept morning and so on. I am already organising the schedule and roping in as many people as i can as i teach too.

Last year was stressful, this year is going to be worse.....

Hulababy · 13/06/2010 22:27

I have absolutely no idea how working parents coe with such bizarre and lengthy settling periods. ASre they even necessary?

At DD's school all children start FT from day 1 in September. there is some flexibility done on individual basis between parents and teachers if necessary, but other than the oddchild having the odd afternoon off at the veryy satrt, most just get in the swing of it straight off.

I was annoyed enough with the idea that we have two intakes here (not in DD's school) let alone such a dragged out process. Would not have suited DD at all.

Belle03 · 20/06/2010 12:24

God! how do they expect working parents to organise that? When I was a Reception teacher (for a long time!)we staggered it for 2 weeks & then got them in, which my head was in favour of. Our argument was that nearly all the children had been at nursery & they were all ready & excited to be starting school, they needed cosistency & parents needed routine as well. At the school i'm based at now, the new foundation Stage manager (who doesn't have her own children & i'm wondering whether this is an issue)wants to stagger the intake into our school nursery for a term!! All the children have been in our 0-3 nursery within our Children's centre & parents have jobs/training courses that we want to support.Most children come to reception or school nursery having been at some other provsion beforehand, it seems mad (in my opinion) to confuse children & drag transition out longer than necessary

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