Gransnet forums

Chat

Nursery school children

(11 Posts)
jomo Thu 29-Jan-26 14:19:46

Was reading about a school teacher had to stop her lesson as a 6yr old boy needed his nappy yes nappy changed.as she said she did not go through all her training to do this. What the heck is wrong with parents 😐 that they can't train there own children before they start school...

Overthemoongran Thu 29-Jan-26 14:31:34

In the U.K. a six year old child would be in year one, not nursery school. I taught year one children for most of my career and not once did I have a child in nappies. Maybe there is a health problem, but then surely the child needs a 1:1 assistant. What is the teacher supposed to do, leave the other 29 children on their own while she cares for this one child? Surely not.

Ziplok Thu 29-Jan-26 14:44:28

Yes, in the UK a 6 year old will either be in year 1 or year 2, but certainly not in a nursery class.
Having said that, a child needing to be in nappies at the age of 6 suggests to me that the child has a special need and should, therefore, have someone supporting them in the classroom alongside the class teacher and that person would be responsible for dealing with such issues (though, for safeguarding would probably not be able to change the nappy without someone else being present). The class teacher, however, should be able to continue teaching the remainder of the class. This is how it was when I taught.

LOUISA1523 Thu 29-Jan-26 14:53:42

I would imagine the child had SEN ...and in the uk a 6 Yr old wouldn't be in nursery....there would be TAs in the class to support the teacher

eazybee Thu 29-Jan-26 15:19:18

I doubt if the child had special needs; when they get beyond four having a nappy is regarded as some as a sort of comfort the ed psych told me and this is more like laziness.
A Year One class would have TA in attendance ; not the teacher's job at all.

BlueBelle Thu 29-Jan-26 15:36:08

Mine were all out of daytime nappies just over 1 yr old as soon as they could walk which for mine was between 10 and 13 months then they went into little knickers it was perfectly easy a few days of accidents then bingo They were very proud of their achievements and their new pretty knicks for the girls and the actionman ones for the lads
None seem to have been traumatised by early training
Unless the child has special needs it is pure laziness or a stupid modern trend

Shelflife Thu 29-Jan-26 16:57:04

I started potty training very early with my children. All were clean about dry in no time! I have no patience with the
' Let's wait till they are ready ' brigade. Obviously a child with special needs is a very different story. If parents wait till the child is ready they will wait a very long time! and there will be many 6 year olds in the classroom wanting their nappies changed - it beggers belief!!

Maremia Thu 29-Jan-26 17:08:25

Think there have been issues with the 'lockdown' children. This might be one of them.

Greenfinch Thu 29-Jan-26 17:12:08

I think we need to remember that this is not the norm. My granddaughter is working as a teaching apprentice in a reception class ( age 4+ ) and not one of them needs help with going to the toilet.

Septimia Thu 29-Jan-26 18:08:41

It's maybe not the norm but it is common in my DiL's school, although she teaches reception so the children are a bit younger. The big problem is that there's a limited number of classroom assistants/TAs and there must be TWO people to change a nappy for safeguarding purposes. This often means that teaching is disrupted.

ferry23 Thu 29-Jan-26 18:30:15

If my children were at state school and their schooling was interrupted by teachers or TAs having to stop to change nappies I'd be taking it up with the local authority.

Children are at school to be educated not to have their education disrupted by staff having to deal with personal care.

There needs to some sort of blanket policy in place. I'm sure the teaching staff would rather be doing something else - like teaching.