Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Primary education

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

2nd school visit, Have I made a mistake?

5 replies

tstar · 15/06/2010 06:24

Oh crap, my little guy turns 5 in 3 weeks, he had his first school visit last week, first we missed the staff by 2 minutes to take him to his class no prob the lady at reception took us, he was happy and had even found a friend fron day care, no sign of the actual teacher she and the principle and vice and so on were all in a meeting (libarian was in class room).Next minute the lady from the office comes in to inform us we are in the wrong room, so we follow her up 3 flights of stairs to another room to be told the renovations mean this will be the class room for the next month. Toilets down stairs. So here I am trying to just go with the flow. By the end of the lesson each mum was presented with photos of their child nice touch but I was told Kasem only had 1 this time and she would take more next time( others were givin about 4)
So next visit my boy settled in okay he doesnt know any kids except his friends sister, which makes me realise this is a year 1 and reception class???? The teacher was doing reading with the children individualy, my son put his 4 year old head down and I explained well He isnt up to reading yet, which she said, well he shouldnt be blah blah blah. I was not told of this nor that he was in with older kids. When I picked him up the teacher simply said he needs to practice his name (which he can do just needs some fine tuning)that was it, she then began to tell another parent all about her childs day. I feel let down, I rang the school aparently I will have a chance to talk to the principal next visit as he has had meetings. I am the only one whos first child is starting scool others have older siblings.
Needed to vent, but would love to here your opinions. I know I am sensitive, are all school this disorganised and is it my right to demand my son go into a full reception class.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CantSupinate · 15/06/2010 06:55

Why is he very nearly 5yo but not in reception already? Is this Ireland or USA?

Not sure why you're bothered about the mixed year group?

tstar · 15/06/2010 07:10

Australia in fact this is the norm here.
I guess the reason I am bothered about the mix class is I dont want my child to feel any pressure to be a certin level comparing himself to prehaps a more experienced older child. I dont want him treated older than he is.
He is only going to be 5 years old. I think the first year is very important.

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 15/06/2010 07:30

I don't like mixed year groups either for reception. They learn so much that first year that the difference between the children can be very marked. What state are you in? Here in Victoria we have a different curriculum for prep and grade one I think.

My dd didn't know anyone at all when she started school but she did settle in really quickly. Try not to worry about that. If he is not starting until january then you have lots of time to try and make some friends with some of the other parents and children.

You don't really know how many photos he other children had, you are just guessing. Some of them might have had more than the others but I doubt that they all had four and your ds didn't. She did talk to you at the end. Perhaps the other child who she moved on to afterwards had been dragged kicking and screaming or something similar.

tstar · 15/06/2010 07:34

I know there is always a bigger picture but my protective raydar is doing over time, Im sure it will work out. I spoke to his kindy teacher she suggested to talk about the mixed class thing with the vice princip.thanx. (Adelaide)

OP posts:
mummyinbeds · 15/06/2010 09:49

I don't think the mixed class has to be a problem with the right teacher. My kids are in a mixed reception/Yr1 class (one in each year) and it works perfectly well. There is a real mix of abilities across the age group. My Yr1 child is very able and is taught to his level. My reception child is also progressing very well and is in a group with some Yr1's for phonics. The class is often taught as a whole, with activities leveled to their abilities. For example, my Yr1 child would be expected to produce a page of writing while my reception child would draw a picture with a sentence.
If mixed classes are the norm in the school and they get good results then I wouldn't worry.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread