Home Visits

[Guest]

Hi everyone. This is my very first post on this forum, so go easy on me ;-)

 

I am the teacher in a 62 place Nursery attached to a school. I've replaced an experienced teacher (14 years of service) who was very good at managing the nursery. As a recently qualified teacher, I have very little experience of managment - so this has been the biggest challenge for me.

My headteacher is very supportive and willing to allow me to try out new approaches. One of these approaches has been not to do home visits this year. I must admit the primary reason for this has been logistical - going round to 62 new homes is not a quick process. Additionally, however, I felt that it would be a good opportunity for the parents to bring their children into the setting and meet all of the staff before they come for their transition day in June.

I had an interesting conversation with my Mum last night though, which has made me question this decision. She believes it is a really good way to engage parents and makes teachers seem more approachable. I must admit I'm beginning to feel as though I'm in my comfort zone at school, whereas it's sure to be a daunting place for new parents.

 

To cut a long story short, I wondered what others opinions are on home visits - do you do them, how do you do them, and if you don't do them how do you induct your new children?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

[Guest]

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum.

 

I think I remember this being discussed recently. type 'Home visits' into the search box at the top right hand side of the screen and it will come up.

[Steve]

Hi Mark - Welcome to the Forum! :1b

 

You can find a couple of conversations here and here just to get you kicked off. Hopefully someone will be along at some stage to comment on your perspective, but it's a little quiet here today - could the sunshine have anything to do with this I wonder?

[AnonyMouse_13453]

Hi Mark, I'm Preschool so coming at this from a different perspective. I always like teachers to come into Preschool to engage with children in an environment where they feel comfortable, chat with me and other staff and look at children's special files - they possibly won't get this opportunity on a home visit. We look at children's development profiles and generally chat about concerns etc. Could this be a 'middle ground'?

I do know from comments from some parents that they were uncomfortable with home visits 'What does she want? Is she coming to be nosy and see if I'm a good Mum?' etc. Some other observations were that the teacher wasn't getting a true picture of the child, because the living room had been de-cluttered, the child was tense and warned to be on best behaviour and expected to 'perform'.

 

Some negatives, I know, but hopefully you'll get some positives too!

[Guest]

^{Again from a Preschool view point, we don't do home visits before the children start because a)it was argued that seeing the child on their best behaviour at home with parents "on guard" would not give a true picture as to their likes, interests and true personality and B) staff safety, you don't know what kind of home environment you are stepping into on a home visit until you are there. It may sound extreme but you have to consider staff safety off premises and it was decided it would have to be 2 members of staff at each visit for safety reasons and logistically we could not do this. We have a couple of informal, come meet us sessions before they start and this usually helps parents settle and feel at home as well as the child so when they start it is a smooth transition.}

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Hi mark and firstly good luck with your new role. Well we are a pre-school and this will be the first year that we are going to do them. I have wanted to introduce them for sometime now, obviously only for those that would like them. We do already have a very good induction process, however due to the premises we are in it can be very difficult to have a more private time with parent/carers. We are going in twos, one person will hopefully play with the child, whilst The other person will go through all the paperwork with the parent/carer. We have had a few children in the past with additional needs that have not always been apparent on their visit and parents/carers have not informed us of. Working alongside parents from the beginning can I feel only help everybody in the future. We can also tap into a child's interest, so we can have equipment out to aide their settling in. Will let you know how they go, wish me luck.

[Guest]

I am a reception teacher and visit all 30 at home in september before they come. I do 10 each day with my TA we delay the start of school for 3 days so that we can do it without having to pay for cover. I think home visits are essential and I can only see the benefits-the children still refer to us visiting regularly and I feel I really know the children very well before they start. However, I can see your issue with 62!! is there not a way that you can spead the load as it were and have key workers visiting their children?

[AnonyMouse_11396]

That's exactly what we hope to do next year once my deputy and I have trialled it this year. .)

[Guest]

Hi Mark

 

we also a pre-school and do not do home visits, would like to but we cant afford to do it and i do enough unpaid work as it is

 

We instead have an open evening for new parents (no children) and i talk aboutus, what we do and what we expect and how we work in partnership with parents and a general Q&A session. They complete all their info sheets, i check birth certs. and usually we offer tea and coffee and if im lucky an odd chocolate biscuit!

 

We then have an open afternoon for parents and carers with the children (I am only open mornings) all my staff attend this and the parents and children meet their prosoective key person, we complete 'All about me sheet' and give the children a photo of their key person and hopefully more chocolate biscuits!

 

It works well and the next best thing to a home visit.

[AnonyMouse_42924]

I am looking at introducing Home visits to my pre school setting in September. Does anyone have a letter that they send out to new parents to explain the benefits of these visits? Thanks for you help,

[Guest]

Hi we are a pre - school and I do, do the home visits - I think it is important to do these - my time is precious but manage to get around them all. we have a 54 children on roll.