So, his little sister starts school in September, and as in previous years, we expected her to have a couple of half days before doing a full day, so we’ve planned some leave from work so we can work round it, as have most of the other parents of new starters

Last night, at the new starters parents night, we were informed that the half days thing will run for two whole weeks, and she won’t be doing full days till week three

Jeez, how come kids these days need two whole weeks to adjust to going to school? She’s been going to preschool for full days for a year, she’s had 3 sessions at school already, including lunch, and she’s in and out when we drop off and pick up her brother most days anyway.

Seems to me the teachers are wanting an easy start to the year, and tough on all us parents who need to find some extra leave or some extra child care to fit in around them.

Apparently we aren’t the only parents who have complained to the Governors today!

Sounds about the same as the school ours are going to. Not much we can do about it, so not intending to get stressed over it.

Back in the day we were straight into 5 full days if I remember the dim and distant past correctly.

With a name like yours, it doesnt surprise me that you’re complaining though.

But I guess they plan it for all parents / children not just to reflect your circumstances?

WON’T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN

SBZ – aye, it were all in black and white when I started school too!

We are getting stressed about it as for the last 3 years the school have ended the year with some stupid plan for class/year/pupil moves that have then been reversed after complaints from the parents.

The “reality check” part of the decision making process seems to be missing.

MF – did you need two weeks of half days to start school without being traumatised? Wait till the twins start!

Her brother started 4 years ago and only had two half days, last year it was three, now it’s suddenly two weeks?

Seems to me the teachers are wanting an easy start to the year, and tough on all us parents who need to find some extra leave or some extra child care to fit in around them

That is the annoying thing about your children caring for them if only the state did more for us eh….it’s like they think it is our responsibility to look after our kids or something…..shocking

It’s a full term of half days here…..

Rational head on – with new sprongs on two weeks of half days and a bit of careful management so that some are in of a morning and others of an afternoon, you get two weeks of half class size for intensive high pupil to staff ratio sessions to get ’em kicked off in a positive way.

Sounds like someone is thinking of the children, but maybe not of the parents; you are after all the important element in all this….

Sounds perfectly normal to me. As a Governor of my son’s school (I am prepared to put something back instead of just moan) it is something that I agree with, the transition to school is difficult for many children, so the more we can do to make it easy…the better.

Well said SBZ.

What were they doing for the 4 years previous to this? Can’t you continue to do it on a half day basis for another two weeks?

Yep – who the hell does that school think you are? The responsible loving parents of a small child or something?

oooops…

Seems to me the teachers are wanting an easy start to the year, and tough on all us parents who need to find some extra leave or some extra child care to fit in around them.

Troll.

If not, you’re a bloody idiot. Do you truly think the teaching staff have any say in what happens? Really?

same at ours school last year.. so i strode up to HM told him every school day was preciuos and that my kid would be there all day.. and she was..

I thought there was a minimum requirement of sessions (half days), if some schools did a full term of half days they wouldn’t get near it. a quick google suggests around 190 days or 380 sessions is the norm, was reduced this year for extra royal wedding day off. In any event it isn’t great for a parent looking to get closer to full time work once youngest is past nursery years.

Seems excessive!

Our daughter did 2 half days before the summer holidays so she knew what to expect, and then went straight to full days when she started in the September.

My wifes chair ac govs for our girl’s school, apparently 2 weeks is the norm these days. For bristol anyway. Theres schools that do longer!

a quick google suggests around 190 days or 380 sessions is the norm

Yep : “Any school in England must by law provide 380 half-day sessions”

So unless the school is flouting the law, which I suspect they’re not, then the children won’t be missing out on their education.

And of course it means that MoreCashThanDash with have a further 8 half days, which he didn’t expect to have, when he won’t have to worry about looking after his kid.

Seems to me the teachers are wanting an easy start to the year, and tough on all us parents who need to find some extra leave or some extra child care to fit in around them.

Seems to me the teachers might have to make more journeys into school than they would otherwise have to – you could say “tough” on them.

I am more than happy to look after my kids when they are not expected to be in school, but I will criticise when I think the school are acting unreasonably – it’s called freedom of expression.

Actually the teachers are in school anyway as the Foundation clsses are mixed with Year 1 – it’s the parents with two kids who will be making four trips to and from the school each day.

And rather than me just moaning, last year the school implemented some changes to the proposed class/year structure that I suggested, which the governors and management had not even considered when drawing up their original plan

And I’m waiting for a vacancy on the board of governors so I can put something back on a more regular basis, thank you very much.

I just think that two weeks is excessive, given that the first half term is (rightly) way more play time than hard graft.

However, I apologise for suggesting that the teachers might be looking for an easy life, while my wife and I jump through hoops with our employers to accomodate them. 🙄

…..my wife and I jump through hoops with our employers to accomodate them 🙄

So you still think this is purely to “accommodate” the teachers then ? You don’t think the children’s needs are being considered here ?

Why do you think the employers and governors are so keen to accommodate the teachers ?

BTW, RE : “it’s called freedom of expression”. People not agreeing with you is also called “freedom of expression”.

However, I apologise for suggesting that the teachers might be looking for an easy life, while my wife and I jump through hoops with our employers to accomodate them

the school does not exist to provide free childcare

If only you earnt enough that one of you could stop working to look after your children. Problem solved 🙂

MoreCashThanDash – Member
thank you very much

You’re welcome.

When I started school, we started school. End of.

My daughter starts primary school on the 6th September. Full days from day 1.

Become and Governor and help run the school and stop whinging on here!

Are you worried because the missus’s x5 will be used more frequently to ferry tarquin to his short school days and then to pret a manger for lynch rather than to the au pair for afternoon tea? Maybe just maybe the school understand kids in general more than you and want to make the foundation year as enjoyable and stable as possible. Or maybe they are just trying to piss some **** off?

last year the school implemented some changes to the proposed class/year structure that I suggested, which the governors and management had not even considered when drawing up their original plan

MoreCashThanDash – Member
MF – did you need two weeks of half days to start school without being traumatised? Wait till the twins start!
Her brother started 4 years ago and only had two half days, last year it was three, now it’s suddenly two weeks?
POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

I didn’t get them, I have no idea if I would have benefitted from them. But at the moment our girls are going through half day tasters at nursery which seems to make sense (even though it is meaning putting ourselves out to accommodate the timing of the sessions).

Can I just stop you right there and show you where you are going wrong.

while my wife and I jump through hoops with our employers to accomodate them.

Any employer worth their salt would not have you jumping through hoops. The circus trains chimps to jump through hoops. Surely you are more than a trained chimp, no?

I enjoy time with my daughter and wish that I could spend more half days with her not less. Do you have kids to enjoy or endure?

Am I right in saying reception yr is not compulsory and therefore the usual number of full days does not count??

By the sounds of it they are stumbling through life with their eyes closed.

Two whole weeks equates to ten days, not much imo. Is she having lunch at school?

iirc -wrightyson is correct full time attendance is not monitored until the term they turn five. Children under the age of 5 only get 1/2 the funding from the LEAs – so they encourage a ramp up / staggered start.

wrightyson. you are kind of right, a child is not of compulsary school age until the term after the fifth birthday, so they legally don’t have to be in school.

the school can organise how they like, although the children have to be full time by census day if they want the money……

stuey beat me to it

Our primary for the first time is only doing the one intake for the new term years. Normally September for the older kids then another in January. Personally I think that puts the younger ones at a disadvantage from the offset. Anyhow kids is kids, they soon adapt and take it all in their stride eventually!

Look for a positive morecashthandash, can you not get some rides in on those mornings and spend some time with your child in the afternoon? Is rather they were eased in than chucked in at the deep end. Def sure they haven’t done it to annoy you.

It’s a common complaint for a single September intake, the summer born kids a so young compared to kids who can be almost 5. On the other hand, where kids join in the Spring term or Summer term it can be difficult to break into established social groups.

There’s always gonna be folk who complain.

Is the half day thing for all the kids starting in September? Mini-aracer starts off doing full days, but those who weren’t 4 until after Easter start a week later doing half days for 5 weeks! Seems fairly sensible for the kids, though I can see how it is difficult for childcare (will be an issue for us when littlest one starts). Strange thing is, even the youngest kids (some of whom are only 3) have already had a full day visit (and 2 half days) – though I guess that’s somewhat different to 5 days a week full time.