We recognise that starting “big school” can be a worrying time for both you and your child and talking about it certainly helps.
Your child’s key person is always on hand to discuss the transition with you, to guide and support and to help make it as smooth as possible....
In the lead up to your child starting school, we do the following to support them:
Role play: In our role play areas, you will find school uniforms, PE kits and book bags from a selection of schools in the local area which will allow your child to familiarise themselves with what they’ll be wearing, enabling them to dress up and engage in imaginative play surrounding the start of “big school”.
Books and lending library: We have a selection of books about starting school that we read with the children whilst at nursery. And have these in our lending libraries for you to share with your child at home too.
Photos: Your child’s key person will make a book containing photos of your child’s new school. They will contact your child’s school asking for photos of your child’s new teacher and teaching assistants plus your child’s classroom and include any other information gathered from talking to the school to share with your child.
Teacher visit: In the lead up to your child starting school, your child’s key person will contact their teacher and invite them into the setting to spend some time with your child in an environment that is familiar to them.
This will help your child to get to know their teacher before their settling in visits. During this visit, with your permission the key person discusses your child, to help the teacher get to know them as an individual and the key person will give the teacher a copy of their transition to school report, which you will also receive with further information on their learning and development.
Links with other parents: We will seek your permission to share your child’s name and your contact details with other parents who will be attending the same school as your child so that you can make contact and arrange to meet up, to support the children’s transition to school together; should you wish to do so.
Other things you can do to support your child’s transition to school
Walking past your child’s school and pointing out their classroom can help during the transition period.
You could even attend the school’s summer fayre, as this gives you and your child another chance to have a look around inside, while having fun and no doubt your child’s class teacher will be there so you can say hi!
Most importantly, talk to your child. Listen to any concerns that they may have and share them with your child’s key person so you can work together to make the transition period as fun and easy as possible.
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