Principles

We recognise that transferring from one setting to another, for any child is exciting, but it can also be a difficult experience. It is our role as educators, to work with feeder schools, and parents, to prepare and support each individual child, as they make the transition from setting to setting.

Our aim is

• To ensure that, the needs of the child are, at the heart of the transition process.
• To prepare children for the next stage in their education.
• To work with local schools, nurseries, and groups to ensure the children understand and know, as much as possible, about the change they are about to make.
• To support parents in their understanding of their child’s next phase of education and how they can best support their child.
• To develop a mutual respect, trust and understanding of each other’s professional judgement.
• To work with local schools, to share data, and moderate expectations and assessments, in order to ensure disruption to the children’s learning is minimised.

How do we support children’s transition to nursery?

• Hold an open morning, each year, which provides opportunities for parents, children, and the wider community to visit.
• Offer parents the opportunity to visit nursery, when they put their child’s name down for a nursery place.
• Offer an ‘adults only’ meeting for parents/carers to meet the headteacher and learn about the ethos of the school, our working practices and routines.
• Offer all families a home visit, by the child’s key worker, prior to the induction session.
• Children and parents receive a welcome booklet with some key information about nursery.
• Offer all children, and parents/carers an induction session, prior to starting nursery.
• Offer parents the option of staying with their child in nursery, until they feel happy that their child is able to cope alone.
• Ensure each child has a key worker, and class teacher who will get to know them and their family, and support individual needs.
• Employ support Teaching and Learning Assistants who help children settle, learn routines, find their belongings and help if they need support with toileting or first aid.
• We have a variety of strategies to help children who require more emotional support to settle into nursery e.g. nursery cuddlies, talking tins

How do we support children’s transition to mainstream education?

• We liaise with and moderate work with feeder schools, to ensure information passed on is in line with expectations, and will be meaningful to the children’s future teachers.
• We have link staff for each of our main feeder schools, who support children’s initial visits to those schools.
• We have created transition boxes containing uniform, photograph albums and book bags etc. The use of these boxes is included in the preparation in the term prior to transfer for the ‘school group’.
• Children borrow the school photograph albums, to take home to share with parents.
• The reception teachers visit to meet the children during their sessions at nursery.
• The link staff support the children on their initial visit to school, with the agreement of the reception teacher.
• Personal transition books and extra supported visits are arranged for children with a special need.
• If the parents request or prefer, and it is in the best interest of the child, we would negotiate a deferred place.

Equal Opportunities

All children will be treated as individuals, and will have full access to our transition opportunities, regardless of their gender, ability, disability, race or cultural background.