Not Staggering New Children

[Guest]

I work in a foundation unit and we have just been informed that all our new children have to be in school in the first two weeks.

This will mean we have all the reception children and the (old) part timers in the first week.

this is 25 part time children that will be full time. 19 (old) full time children, plus part timers.

In the second week we have to bring in 26 new children,10 in the am and 16 pm.

altogether this is 66children and four staff.

Lets hope we have another miracle this christmas

are any other local authority making this decision. we have been told the school hasnt got a choice in the matter.

I always thought it was good practise to stagger the new children.as there will also be 26 home visits to do in the first week.

I know we are good in the early years sector but this is pushing things.

How are other schools bringing in there new children please let me know your views.

[mundia]

Hi Mary. We have always had the reception children all in full time by mid September, the LA made that decision many years ago now. The nursery children are staggered but also all in and full time (with an occasional exception) by October half term. We don't have a unit but thats 100 children all full time with 6 staff.(!!) Consequently we have to do the home visits at lightening speed in September. I have worked this way for many years so I suppose its normal for me, but If I had a choice I would stagger them more.

[Guest]

Iagree they should have to be staggered.In septemberwhen the new children start

We usually have all the children in for october half term, but next year we will have to have them all in for the middle of september part time and full time ie maximum all to be in within 2 weeks.

our full time ones are in all day after the first week.

 

We have 91 children in total 42 full time

48 p/t 24 each session 2 teachers, 2 nursery nurses, there are about 8 children on I E P s for behaviour/ special needs.

sorry if my post was confusing

[Guest]

Hi I know this is hard but from the parent's point of view they find such a staggered entry confusing and the children have such a long break away from nursery/school. I think I have posted this before but I will say it again (sorry) Children are funded from 3 for 15 hours (now) time in a provider. So parents find it very hard when schools say they are not ready at nearly five and have to come in very slowly. I have even heard of just one and a half hours until the end of september. Some of these children have been fulltime for several years. I think it because of these complaints that schools are now being encouraged to have a clear stating date and to have the children in for the statutory time from the beginning of term. Does that make sense?

[Susan]

Ive never worked a staggered entry and Ive been teaching rather longer than I care to remember now!

[Guest]

Just another thought - how will schools fulfill the new surestart hours with funding available for 38 weeks

[Marion]

All our reception children are full time right from the start of the Autumn term.

 

Chill if what I was given to understand is correct schools do not have to fulfil the sure start hours themselves only be able to direct parents to available services.

[Alison]

do home visits have to be done during the first week? my daughters school did the home visits during the term before she started.

[Guest]

I think that schools have to offer a minimum of 15 hours from 3 and be able to direct for additional hours

[Marion]

do home visits have to be done during the first week? my daughters school did the home visits during the term before she started.

 

We do home visits before children start.

 

I think that schools have to offer a minimum of 15 hours from 3 and be able to direct for additional hours

 

 

 

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2006_0052

• From this month (April) the weekly free entitlement of 12.5 hours early education and childcare for 3 and 4 year-olds will be extended from 33 weeks of the year to 38 weeks. This will bring what’s available into line with the school term - a real help for parents with older children who are already at school.

 

• From 2007 we will be testing ways for parents to use their increased entitlement of 15 hours a week more flexibly. By 2010, all 3 and 4 year olds will be entitled to 15 hours free provision rather than the current 12.5 hours.

 

 

http://www.surestart.gov.uk/publications/?Document=1747

Edited December 19, 2006 by Marion

[Guest]

These extended hours will provide schools with a big headache as Nursery staff will be working longer than the rest of the school.

[Guest]

I Run a Pre-school and I have parents come with 2.6 month year olds who have never met us never been left except with grandma, and parents will leave them for 4/5 session right through lunch immediately they start. all you have to do is have a very simple curriculum for a couple of weeks to settle then they seem to be alright. lots of love and cuddles. I know school is not the same as a pre-school but most of the children you have at school are probably used to being left at a pre-school the full 5 sessions by the time they get to school age so for parents and children to go from being occupied 5 days a week every morning then having weeks being staggered in can take a toll on the holiday time that they have. If not I expect those working parents are farming the children out to who ever will have them because they have got to be at work.

I have a school that we feed into that takes them 2/3 full days from September then up it to full time at half term the days that they don't go to school they come to us. so they are still away from home the same amount of time if not more.

I sympathise that its a lot of children to get in but I think the children will cope well may be not the teachers who are rushed of their feet.

I had 20+ 2.6 months year olds start all in the first week of September this year, most still in nappies, Great fun!!!!!!