parents allowed to bring children into class?

[Guest]

one of my nursery class parents told me that they are not allowed into our reception class to drop off their child, and haven't been able to since january. she has to leave her at the external door. is this usual practise? i thought in the eyfs we were supposed to work with parents? she was saying she wishes she could go in and settle her and see her work on the walls etc what do you do? :mellow: <_<

[Guest]

It does vary from school to school. For eg in my last post parents didn't come in because that was the school procedure and I wasn't able to successfully change it due to my temporary role and the logistics of staffing it. As a compromise I had a few occasions here I invited them all in en masse. In my new role the school is physically too small to manage having the parents in. Again it's a temporary role but in this one I can't see how I could change it anyway. I still feel that where ever possible it should be offered.

[Guest]

space is not an issue. they have way more than us and far less children!

[klc106]

The school I used to work at they encourage all parents from foundation stage to keystage 1 to bring their child into the classroom and take an interest in what they have been doing (displays etc.)

 

The older children (5-7yrs) have an 'early bird' task which their parents are asked to help them with. It takes about 10-15 mins.

 

The younger ones (3-5yrs) have to find their name and post it in a box, then use the whiteboard to choose what they are having for dinner and then choose something in the classroom to play with. Parents are encouraged to help their child with all of this.

 

It also gives parents time to ask any questions/chat to the staff etc.

[Guest]

that's what i thought. i took my own kids into class up to year 6 and was always very welcome. all seems a bit sad, and goes against curriculum guidance where parents are supposed to be partners. and our mum not happy

[catma]

Being devils advocate however, not being able to bring your child right into the classroom in the morning would not preclude having positive relationships, there's other opportunities at the end of the day when maybe the teachers have a bit more time to talk...sometimes in my experience, it's parents who can't separate, not the child!!

 

Cx

[Guest]

I usually allow parents to come into the classroom in the morning to a certain point then around Easter time I encourage the children to come in on their own to increase independence. I agree with Catma, it is very often the parents who don't want to leave the children! X

[Guest LornaW]

I remember with my sons I was not allowed passed the wiggly line in the playground after the first day and I can honestly say I felt very much out of the picture and did not build any relationship with the school so...

 

As a practitioner I always let parents bring children into class and collect them from class. I planned my day so there were settling activities and my TA and I then had time to talk to parents/careers in the morning and after school. I also felt the pants coming in at the end of the day meant we didn't have tomhang around waiting for the straglers to arrive! There were certainly parents who didn't want to leave their child but we invited them to join in and gradually they stayed less and less!

 

It is a partnership coming into class and seeing the learning enables parents to have a converstation with their children about school and we know that parents who take an interest will have children who make progress.

 

Some schools say it is a child protection issue thatis just an excuse, some say they can't have buggies another excuse if we want to provide a secure environment and build positive partnerships we have to go that little bit more.

 

Catma I agree that there is the occasional parent who is never going to go I used to give them jobs like sharpening pencils or washing paint pots they soon had something urgent to do at home!

 

LornaW

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

At my sons school all the children go in on their own, however the reception teacher comes out 10 minutes before the doors open and wanders around the playground chatting to parents ensuring everyone gets the opportunity to speak to her.

 

Could it be a security issue why parents are not allowed in?

[Guest]

they used to until last couple of years. they come into us and don't tend to hang round at all. never had an issue with this and it's the same parents who go there that we had so i don't understand it. if it's security then ours shouldn't come in either........... parents don't come in at end either in reception.......... so not sure how they get parents' input for current interests etc? it's the easy option in my opinion...... it can be hard, but if we can be there for parents, children benefit and see us chatting and it reinforces link between us and home and they feel parents and staff are friends with each other......... it is very busy in our nursery first thing with 33 children and one door entry/exit, plus some bring more than 1 adult. one dad said it was manic on friday!!!!!!!!! we would never shut parents out. x

[Upsy Daisy]

Throughout the EYFS we should be encouraging parents to engage with their child's learning environment and working with them to help the child feel supported. The child may appear to settle quickly if the parents drop them at the door but you don't know what the morning up to that point has been like. The parents might be seeing signs that the child is struggling which the practitioners are missing.

 

It isn't so long ago that parents weren't allowed to be with their children in hospital because their presence enabled the children to express fear and refuse to submit to unpleasant treatment. Parents were told that the children were fine without them. We now realise that they weren't.

 

Encouraging parents to settle their children enables them to offer the amount of support they feel their child needs. They are the people who know that child best. If they are sticking around it may be because they can see something which practitioners can't.

 

Clearly this can't go to extremes once they are in YR but they are still very small children for whom transitions can be very stressful times. Why wouldn't you make it easier if you can?

 

A child who is truly settled and secure will learn far more effectively than one who is outwardly compliant but inwardly distressed.

[Guest]

Throughout the EYFS we should be encouraging parents to engage with their child's learning environment and working with them to help the child feel supported. The child may appear to settle quickly if the parents drop them at the door but you don't know what the morning up to that point has been like. The parents might be seeing signs that the child is struggling which the practitioners are missing.

 

It isn't so long ago that parents weren't allowed to be with their children in hospital because their presence enabled the children to express fear and refuse to submit to unpleasant treatment. Parents were told that the children were fine without them. We now realise that they weren't.

 

Encouraging parents to settle their children enables them to offer the amount of support they feel their child needs. They are the people who know that child best. If they are sticking around it may be because they can see something which practitioners can't.

 

Clearly this can't go to extremes once they are in YR but they are still very small children for whom transitions can be very stressful times. Why wouldn't you make it easier if you can?

 

A child who is truly settled and secure will learn far more effectively than one who is outwardly compliant but inwardly distressed.

here here! x

[Mouseketeer]

Our school isn't keen on parents going in, and in preperation for this during the last term we ask that the school age children come into the cloakroom by themselves,(obviously less confident ones or the needy parents still come in) staff are there to support with coats/shoes etc if needed but they are independent people all day, they know where their lunch boxes, drinks etc go and happily get on with it (our cloak room is quite small and can be quite a daunting place for the younger ones so this helps with this too) we also ask that they have a t-shirt/shorts in bag for last term and use opportunities for them to 'get ready for PE)........runs and takes cover ;p

[Guest LornaW]

No need to take cover!

 

However parents coming in to class is not for me about helping with coats and lunch boxes, although that does hel, it is abut building up a relationship with each child's first educator - their parents/careers! I had a staggered start to the morning so doors opened at 8.40am and children came straight into class when they arrived so there was never a mad rush of 30 children trying to get though the door with parents etc. Each key person greets the parent child and if there is a need to exchange info it can be done there and then. We had activities up for child to play with while we waited for everyone to arrive.

 

If SLT DON't see the importance in this they won't make it happen!

 

LornaW

[Guest]

Parents come in and settle their children in the first couple of weeks and then I encourage them to say goodbye at the outside classroom door and send a note home to say that from a certain date this is the expectation. I have a small classroom and 30 children so can end up with a very busy and noisy classroom should every parent linger which is not conducive to a calm start and can upset some children. I have never had a complaint from parents about this system in the morning because they know they are welcome at other times. I have regular sessions where parents are invited in for activity days/ to share their learning journey/ look at displays or cook etc. If there are ever any children who struggle to separate from their parent in the morning then a quick separation is better from my experience- often it's parents lingering (because of their reluctance to leave the child rather than the child needing them to stay) which upsets children more than is necessary. We have all I'm sure experienced children who are a little tearful at the start of the day who stop the moment their parent is out of sight. At my school we pay such close attention to the transition process in June, July and September including home visits that we so rarely have any problems with children settling at the start of the day. I have excellent relationships with my parents and know the majority by first name and vice versa and they know they can come in and talk to me at any time if they need to and they do. In my children's school all children line up outside at the start of the day when the whistle is blown and say goodbye to their parents then and that's from day one in reception!

Deb

[Guest]

I have my parents into the class. My relationships with parents is one of my strengths and this is soooo important for that relationship. As a parent myself I don't like the fact that your are 'not allowed' into a class that your child is in. It doesn't hinder their independence them coming in with parents, they can still carry their own bookbags, take their books out and register themselves. I treat parents as I would like to be treated as I would like to come into my childs class and see what goes on and why wouldn't you? If they know we respect them, their wishes and opinions (as obviously it is the parents who don't want to leave their children) then this only helps the relationship.

[Guest]

We encourage parents into the classroom from nursery to year 2. I'm in nursery and love this time to speak to parents and share a little chat about anything. My problem is getting themt to stay and engage with their children and us, as so many of them just want to drop them off and go. I have a much better relationship with those that do stay!

[thumperrabbit]

At my school parents are allowed to come in the morning...although some would stay all day At pick up time they are collected from the door so they don't hang around in the classroom, but the teacher would answer any queries if a parent had a question.

 

A local Outstanding school doesn't allow parents in at all even in their 26 place nursery class, a member of staff waits by the door for any questions to be answered there and it's the same at pick up

[Guest LornaW]

A local Outstanding school doesn't allow parents in at all even in their 26 place nursery class, a member of staff waits by the door for any questions to be answered there and it's the same at pick up

 

...but I invite parents in because it is good for the children, the parents and the staff! I don't do it for OFSTED!

 

LornaW

[Upsy Daisy]

(obviously less confident ones or the needy parents still come in)

Could it be that sometime parents are labelled like this because they can see a need in their child that we, as practitioners, can't see? Edited May 13, 2013 by Upsy Daisy

[Guest]

Could it be that sometime parents are labelled like this because they can see a need in their child that we, as practitioners, can't see?

Maybe that is the case sometimes but I do have experience and i'm sure we all do of parents who hinder their children's independence and emotional development (unwittingly) because of their difficullty in separating from their child not the other way around. I had a child at the start of the year who walked into school on the first day with a big smile and barely a backward glance to mum and mum called her back and said 'arn't you going to miss me then?' and then proceeded to hug and kiss her in such a way that started the little girl crying. The mum then turned to me and said 'I knew she'd be upset coming to school' We have a role as practitioners to support not just the children but the parents through the transition of coming to school. In this case mum had such a bad time at school herself that she was projecting that worry onto her daughter. We have spent a lot of time with mum and now she regularly comes into help.

Deb

[Guest]

thumperrabbit, on 13 May 2013 - 06:57, said:

A local Outstanding school doesn't allow parents in at all even in their 26 place nursery class, a member of staff waits by the door for any questions to be answered there and it's the same at pick up

 

Just goes to show many things we do that are right for the children go unnoticed by OFSTED are they really experts?

[Guest LornaW]

No they are not and I don't think they would purport to be but they do know what to look for however no one is infallible so lets always develop our pedagogy because we know it is right for children and families both in settings and schools!

 

LornaW