5 yr old ditching class -- age or personality?

[jandjmommy]

We homeschool and the kids attend T/Th enrichment classes (gardening, art, science, etc.) at a charter school. DD turned 5 in Oct; she will be in K next year but I went ahead and signed her up for K this year as well so she could have her own spot in the classes (which she begged for).
The school is very rustic -- like being at camp! -- and very family friendly; there are always tons of moms and younger siblings around. This makes DD feel very comfortable (like she's around aunties and cousins), to the point that she wanders out of her classes to check out what's going on outside.
I usually stay on site but tried to leave a few times to run errands. Each time I was gone she didn't make it to the next class on her schedule.
Lesson learned: she is too little to choose class over playing on the playground. My fault entirely for pushing it. She does love the classes but I think loves exercising her freedom [when I'm off site] as well.
So for the remaining few weeks of the semester I'll stay on site 100% so I can keep her safe; if I have to run errands I'll take her with me instead of leaving her at the school.
All that to get to my question!:
Do you think her behavior is simply due to being a young 5? Or perhaps more just her personality (very independent)?
I'm hoping that by late Sept (she'll be nearly 6) when classes start up again she'll have the desire and/or will to stay in classes.
Feeling conflicted: I don't have any desire to put my kids in the care of the school (i.e., I don't need a break) but both kids tell me flat out that they don't need me to stay with them during classes. Obviously my choosing to stay (or not) is not their decision to make, but I don't want to smother their desire to be independent.
Thoughts?

[Domina]

:cup

[Auroras mom]

My six year old won't do classes. They make her feel anxious.:shrug3 I don't think it is an age thing necessarily, just a personality/preference thing.

[Katigre]

I'm confused about why there is no one supervising her going to her classes and that the instructors/parents don't notice she's missing or not where she should be. That would make me ask some questionsabout administration of the coop or how this situation would be handled (b/c it's totally normal for a 5 yo to want to play instead of go to their class! And that is the point where the adult in charge talks with the child and explains that they'll do ______ class right now and they can play on the playground during lunch/break/etc...).

[cheri]

Yes, I'm also confused and concerned about why she would be able to wander out of a classroom. That doesn't seem safe to me.

But related to what she is doing... I think that it sounds more like a personality thing than her age. Not all kids wander out the door to the playground. Some kids really like a classroom setting and it wouldn't even cross their minds to leave.

[jandjmommy]

It's a very relaxed setting! The tone is completely positive/gentle; since so many parents stay on site it is normal for the kids to go in and out of the classrooms, or to skip a class here and there. The times she actually left mid-class I was right outside so I directed her back in.
Parents can leave the school if they sign the kids in, but kids are not supposed to wander about if their parents are not on site, and there is not supposed to be a break in their schedule (no direct supervision is offered except during lunch.)

A teacher offered to help make sure she got to her classes but I don't feel that's her responsibility (tho very sweet!); she did send a kid to go find DD one time when she noticed DD wasn't in class.

[AmyDoll]

I still think that's unsafe. Clearly your child (age or personality) is not ready to stay in her classroom. I would either stay with her or pull her out and try again next year.