home visits for reception children

[wellington]

I read on another thread about reception teachers making home visits to the new children starting in their class and have also heard of this elsewhere.

Is this standard for local schools?

There was nothing in our information pack about this so I wonder if this doesn't happen at our school (Bessemer).

[pripolla]

Did your child attend nursery there?The home visits might be for children new to the school

[Otta]

I think it's pretty standard to be honest. I know we're getting one, but they haven't actually arranged it yet.

[Belle]

I think it varies - I know for instance Dulwich Village infants hasn't done this in the past (that may have changed)? Teachers I know from other areas are always impressed about the schools which do it here which makes me think it's not something you get in every school.

[wellington]

Pripolla,yes, he did attend nursery there but the teacher is new and she couldn't make the meeting that was scheduled.

Otta, is your little one going to Bessemer in September? I can't remember seeing anything in the information pack or anything being mentioned at the head teacher's talk.

[number 2]

They do it at the school I work in and at the school my son is going to. I think it's a good idea and gives teachers a really good idea of what the children are like before they start school.

[Vik]

They don't do it at Bessemer. My daughter started reception there 2 years ago (did not attend the nursery) and we did all our paperwork at the school.

[Otta]

Hi, no not Bessemer. St Barts in Sydenham.

[louloulabelle]

our little girl is going to start bessemer in sep and we only were offered place two weeks ago but she's been invited to meet her teacher at school two days before start date, not home visit

[Mellors]

They don't do it at Horniman, but the children do go in for four mornings at the end of the summer term before they start in September.

[womanofdulwich]

I can't help but think its trying to suss out what kind of parents you are - if you are clean and have books on shelves etc- but that's just me,

[Vik]

It makes me feel a little uneasy if I'm honest, I'm glad Bessemer don't do it.

[Carbonara]

Home visits aren't compulsory, if you don't fancy it just decline. Lots of people are too busy, anyway, if they are at work during the day.

We found it rather lovely, teacher was very friendly and it gave her chance to have a one-to-one chat and for the kids to get to know her on their home patch. Also a chance for me to ask the questions I felt too silly to ask at the public open evening for new parents.

[Scribble]

Interested in this thread, because apparently they ARE compulsory at the school we're going to - not allowed to start without one!

[Mrs TP]

They are doing it at our school but the down side is they are doing it over the first two weeks of term. So the teachers are out on home visits and not in school and consequently the children don't start until the 12th Sept. And on that day they only do 1hr and times are then gradually built up until their first full day on 20th Sept. Mine is desperate to start and was asking me if it is today - heartbroken when I told her it is another 4wks!

[Curly]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> I can't help but think its trying to suss out what

> kind of parents you are - if you are clean and

> have books on shelves etc- but that's just me,

It's all to do with a guy called Bronfenbrenner. He is a theorist who has had a big influence in Early Years education. He suggests that children do better when there are strong links between home and school and the home visit is just one idea from that which allows the teacher to see how the child behaves in their home environment (as Number 2 says).

It's a real shame that schools think they can make it compulsory when it's supposed to build relationships, not regulate them.

[Frankie G]

Hello, in my school the reception teachers generally do a home visit if they are not able to see the child in a nursery setting eg if they have not attended any per-school provision. Hope that helps.

[Mrs TP]

Our school made it quite clear that home visits are optional and no probs not to take part.

[Lacey]

I'm with Vik. Our son enjoyed going into school to meet the teacher and we were able to ask all the same questions we would have been able to ask if they had come to our home.

[miss brown]

hi yh yes home vists are now new to the system all schools from now need to do them (I no this as im a nursey nurse)there lots of reasons why they do this

[bebe]

miss brown Wrote:

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> hi yh yes home vists are now new to the system all

> schools from now need to do them (I no this as im

> a nursey nurse)there lots of reasons why they do

> this:

checking if you live where you said on application ;0