Sending little one to School first time!

little_evo

michelefauk wrote: »

Hi
I am a Teaching Assistant and would say that, in my school anyway , little ones get plenty of help with anything they need, their PE is scheduled for first thing in the morning so mums are always around to help with the changing (at our school, parents come in to the classroom with their children for the first 15 minutes of the day, even up to Year 6 if they want to and do an early morning task with their child which might be getting changed for PE, or read a book, or do something connected with that days activities, etc) ) and as a TA I would help with changing back into school clothes after they have done PE, although of course encouraging them to have a go themselves as well. For the first week or so, a teacher or TA will take the children to the toilet until they are happy to go themselves (I have found that I was in the loos more than in the classroom for the first term!) And helping with coats, buttons, checking they all have the right bag, snack box, coat, etc at the end of the day too. Wiping noses, bottoms, (where needed!). Oh and our dinner ladies help with opening lunch boxes, packets etc for the packed lunch children and cutting, etc for the hot dinner children. Obviously we really encourage children to have a go themselves, but I would always help if needed, I wouldnt see any child struggle.
My liittle one is starting school next week , and I have been practising with her like mad to put on her own shoes the right way (have drawn an arrow inside each sole of each shoe facing inwards so she knowss which way they go, as she doesnt understand L and R for left and right yet, but she knows how to make sure both arrows are pointing in, if that makes sense like this > < ) Also have been working on getting changed, which way round her trousers, tops go, etc , anything to make it easier for her, but I am not too worried as I know there will be lots of help if needed.
Hope this helps!

I remember worrying about my son starting nursery and putting his shoes on the wrong feet and painted a bright red dot on the inside of his right shoe so he always knew which foot it went on and that worked so well I did it with my daughter as well.

Valli

and COPYDEX is great for gluing name tapes in shoes and plimsolls.

Please name everything and show your child where the nametape is! Sew a loop of elastic in coats then they can easily be hung up on pegs - much easier than trying to hang coats up with the silly fabric loops supplied.

Let her practise getting changed into her PE kit and back out of it at home...and practise putting ALL her PE kit back in its bag!

And just so that you know in most schools children are expected to remove earrings for PE BUT teachers/TAs are advised NOT to help with this (in case your child gets injured). Likewise teachers cannot apply suncream.

lolababy

Hi just make sure that her uniform is easy to get on and off. Elasticated skirts are much better than pinafores, socks instead of tights ,if her school have a pump bag/book bag put a sticker on it , velcro fastener on shoes.

ditzy

awww its a heart wrenching time when they start school. I cried over all four of mine, try not to worry too much hun, because all the newbies will be learning how to do things they struggle with. Most infant classes tend to have a 'teachers assistant' (if i remember correctly ) who help with things. I'm sure she will be fine , and remember, even if she comes home with her dress on the wrong way, and her shoes on the wrong feet, she is learning how to do things all by herself good luck to your little one :j

louby-lou-lou

My son starts this sept and he is tiny! We went to a parents evening type thing along with all the new parents and everything was explained. We also got a huge folder explaining it all. We have to get the children to practice taking off and putting on of their uniform as the teacher can help a bit but if she has to get all 30 children ready for PE the time for PE will be over before it is began. For this reason they reccomend polo shirts as they have only 1 or 2 buttons. We are allowed in the class room for the first few days to a week then we must stand in the play ground and watch the children walk in them selves and be independent.

My son is having packed lunch as he has many food allergies and doesn't eat well and it would be a waste of money to have dinners. All children un less there is a medical reason must be able to go to the toilet by themselves. The toilet is in the actual class room. This is a worry for me as my son tents to strip naked. i can just see him walking back into the room starkers :rotfl:All children must be able to write their own name. I am sure i couldn't at 4 but he can so that it fine. They have sunny and sad clouds in every class and there name is put on the sad cloud if they have done something naughty and not said sorry, after the end of morning and afternoon the slate is wiped clean and they are took off the sad cloud it is never carried over on to the next day but repeated times on the sad cloud and the child has to see the head master ( bit harsh for a 4 year old i think) and they get some free time taken away from them from the end of the week.

My son can't wait to go and he is ready for it. He is the smallest one there as he has been for a few hours here and there. All his uniform is age 2-3 and has had to be took up and altered :rotfl: Everything has his name on so fingers cross there won't be anything missing.

blue_mum

liney wrote: »

I think you might get a better deal on iron on labels on line, but certainly Mothercare sell them.

Not sue if I'm allowed to post companies but this one labelplanet.co.uk do excellent stick in labels, the turn around from ordering to receiving is fast, I've ordered from them for about 3 years now. Saves so much time when labelling the clothes and the labels last for years even wash after wash.

buxtonrabbitgreen

Personally I think children start school too young now. Mine started at nearly 5 as they had October birthdays and that was young enough, and gave me time to teach them how to get themselves dressed, and undressed. Go to the toilet and clean themselves up and wash their hands themselves. Surely teachers have enough to do keeping order and teaching.

Gingham_Ribbon

The first couple of times my son's class did PE, they got about 10 minutes running around time and the rest was the drama of getting changed!

She'll get help. Don't worry. But don't be surprised if she loses stuff or comes home with everything on inside out and back to front! I got a laundry pen in Mothercare. Much easier than stitching or ironing!

I wrote his name in big letters in the collar of his shirts and coat - quicker and easier for teachers to check. Also inside shoes and on trouser labels. I wrote his name across the top of his school bag too, and his pack-up stuff. and water bottle. Didn't stop someone with the same pack-up bag going home with his though. LOL

Edit: lots of the kids had 'accidents' at some point. It may be worth shoving a clean pair of pants and trousers in her bag 'just in case'.

_gav_

For those buying name labels, if you have more than one child, instead of buying two sets of labels, you can save money by buying one set of labels, but with both names on ie:-

<first_child> <surname>, <second_child>

You can then cut the label in half, et voila, money saved. Very MSE :-)

lindsaygalaxy

Here are my tips from teaching in school:-

Girls - encourage wearing trousers on P.E. days - much easier than tights.
All - put a spare pair of pants in their P.E. kit - lots of accidents happen especially in the first year and if they dont have any will end up wearhing spares.
- Plimsoles - the velcro fastening ones are better than elasticated ones especially for children with narrow feet.
- If you decide to write names on labels use a fine permanent marker or names run or fade and become impossible to read.
- Put names on lunchboxes/drinks bottles.

In my experience children are not left to struggle, but are encouraged to try for themselves.