Home visits for children starting reception - why?

[corlan]

I've just received a letter telling me that 'In preparation for your child starting at school we would like to visit your child at home'.
I've never heard of these visits happening before. Are there any primary teachers that know what the thinking behind this is?
(To be honest I'm not too keen, maybe because I work in a secondary school and I know how judgemental about student's homes and families we can all be!!)

They are standard here, just gets the teacher to see child in home environemnt and address any concerns which the parents may have.

Our teachers siad it was so the children could meet them in their home and therefore safe environment, a sort of gentle introduction type thing, and also so parents can ask questions etc.

I think they can also use it to confirm that you are actually living at the address but I may be worng.

Mine were all visited at nursery rather than at home. But I suppose if a child isn't at nursery they have to see them at home. I must admit I saw it as a good thing - that the teacher took an interest in getting to meet the child beforehand and find out something about them.

My mum is a reception teacher and has been doing this for years, she does it so that she can have some one to one time with the child, and they feel a little more comfortable starting in September, she also feels it gives anxious parents a private forum to air any worries in their own time. Usually, she asks the child to show her their favourite toy, reads a story with them and introduces the class bear to them as someone they will see in September.

I am not aware of her using it as an oppotunity to have a general "nose" - why would teachers be bothered doing that?

Never heard of anything like that. Would puzzle me too.

We had one last year for dd and I thought it was a good thing that the teachers took the time and effort to try to get to know you as a family.

It is a rare chance to speak to the teacher about anything which may be concerning you or any issues which your child may have.

Ours took a photo of dd with her favourite toy which then went above her peg at school and was ready for her first day. I think it is good for the child to see such an obvious home/school link when they start and they do feel more comfortable with the teacher having seen them in their own home.

They certainly didn't "have a nose". They went from the hall to the sitting room without seeing the majority of the house. (Despite me frantically cleaning the kitchen!)

The idea is that you and your child get to meet the class teacher for the first time in the security of your home where your child will feel safe and relaxed instead of in an unfamiliar place (school). Further meetings will be in school. EYFS has the expectation that parents contribute to the teacher's knowledge of the child so it gives the chance to share information or raise concerns.

You don't have to accept a home visit if you don't feel happy with the idea.

And please don't think it is an inspection, it isn't but , as others have said, a way to meet in less stressful surroundings than the school ( although our Reception teacher did comment about one home visit she went to where the younger 18 month old sibling was jumping up and down on a glass table whilst pretending they were smoking but using a real cigarette and Mum completely oblivious!)

To check you live where you say you live.

To get an idea of the child's background, their parents' attitudes to learning and get an idea of their home learning environment / educational resources.

Opportunity to discuss any factors you think may impact on them starting school / settling in; any special needs / concerns.

They want to see if you're a chav.

I wish I was joking, but I'm not.

the bigger your Tv, the lower the reading group your child will be initially placed in.

lol colditz

my dd2 had a visit from the class teacher and teaching assistant beofre starting school, they explained it was a way of meeting my dd2 in her own home and therefore somewhere she felt comfortable. I also wonder if they want to get to grips with where the child is living and how she lives and is in her own home and terratory.

lol colditz?

agree with colditz.

Oh, and if you're the sort of family who don't even turn off the TV when a visitor comes round (or even lower the sound) then all reports will be written in very simplistic chavtastic language.

honestly it isn't a teacher's job to check that you told the truth on your application for a school place and we don't particularly care if your television is as big as an imax cinema or what colour curtains or if you own the complete set of the encyclopaedia Britannica or just Encarta

not turning the volume down on Jeremy Kyle while chatting about your child will be noted

nonnomum you clearly have a very low view of teachers and their priorities

I think she is joking, cyb.

I think there is a little bit of truth though in what nonnomum and colditz say.

Teachers are only humans and walking into a run down/untidy/no books etc type of house will give them a certain impression of the family, even if they choose to ignore that completely.

Aagh, we have this in a couple of weeks. I sincerely hope DD is on better behaviour than when the MW came round to do my booking-in app't. Uncontrollable excitement at having a stranger in the house, leading to general chandelier-swinging attention-seeking-ness.

They will be saying, "my, what a wonderfully lively child!" while noting down "lock in cage if possible"

Have been on another forum (a teaching one) recently where a Headteacher was very judgey that his Reception teacher had been on lots of home visits and came face-to-face with lots of mahoosive TVs that weren't even turned down during the course of the visit.

So, yes, joking, but also based on RL attitudes...

thats just bad manners though isn't it. Anyone entering someones house for a meeting woudl expect a telly to be turned down, teacher or not

It is another way of building home/school links. And a great chance for parents to ask those questions or tell the teacher something that they might not want to share in a more public arena. I've been doing these for years, many parents take up the offer, some don't. It really isn't to be judgemental in anyway at all but an informal 'getting to know you' time for everyone.