Starting school is an exciting, yet anxious, time for children and their families. Parents often view going to 'big school' as a marker of just how 'grown up' their children are becoming. In reality, though, many children move from being the oldest at nursery to the 'little ones' again at school.
Understandably, the pre-school setting can feel much 'safer' than the vast school grounds, which include buildings, fields, car parks, bike sheds and playgrounds. To ease the transition, teachers often try to visit children in pre-schools or carry out home visits. Sadly, however, it is increasingly difficult in the current financial climate to pay for supply cover, especially if there is a large intake of children and many pre-schools to visit.
Our school, for example, has a 60-place reception unit and more than 20 feeder pre-schools each year. To see every child in every setting at the time they attend takes almost a month. I have tried it. There is an emotional cost too, as the reception children also need support for their transition out of the EYFS and into the Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. As a result, reception teachers can often feel pulled in two directions at this time of year by having to support transitions both ways.
We have devised a solution that works for us. We visit the main feeder pre-schools in a half-mile radius and call key workers for the other children. If a visit is deemed necessary, then it is followed up. To compensate for the reduction in pre-school visits, we have increased the number of induction sessions that children can attend at school.
These are scheduled at different times (mornings, afternoons and evenings) to fit with the working patterns of families and in different locations around the school (classrooms, woodland and field area or hall area) so that parents and children can gain a wider knowledge of the school and its activities. Our induction visits range from open evenings aimed at parents to play sessions aimed at children with their parent or carer.
Early years settings also have an important role to play in easing the transition to school. Here are some tips for helping parents, teachers and children through the process.
HELPING PARENTS
- Contact your main feeder primary schools to find out about induction sessions and dates, additional school events (such as a summer fair) and actual school start dates for children in September. Also ask the schools to send you copies of their new starter booklet or welcome pack.
- Distribute the information to all parents, making sure that key workers provide any additional support needed to parents with poor literacy skills or English as an additional language.
- In particular, check that the parents know when and where they are expected to go on induction visits. Every year we have instances of parents failing to bring their children to the all-important induction sessions because they got the wrong date or didn't understand the invitation letter.
HELPING TEACHERS
- Keep each school informed about each of your children moving in to reception. Do not assume that schools know which early years setting each child is attending, as the information sent from county administration centres may not be up to date. Schools will also not always know which children and families have English as an additional language, or any other need, until the family or pre-school tell them. If there has been minimal contact or no induction visits - as can often be the case with children going through the appeals procedure - then the children can turn up in September unprepared and unfamiliar with the school and staff.
- Be clear what information about a child you need to pass on to teachers, including transfer forms and special educational needs information.
- If a child has SEN, contact the school SENCO as early as possible after confirmation of a place.
- It is also helpful to let teachers know if a child is not showing signs of being toilet trained, as schools may need to adapt their provision before the summer holidays. Emphasise to parents the importance of their child being toilet trained before starting school - assuming there are no underlying health issues - and support them in the process by working collaboratively with them and health visitors. Remember that in school there are often only one or two adults for every 30 reception children, so it is crucial that a child has developed some independence skills before starting school.
HELPING CHILDREN
Independence, independence, independence. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of a child having a sense of independence when they start school. It enables them to cope with managing their shoes and socks, PE clothes and hygiene needs - as well as giving them greater resilience to cope with change and the self-esteem and confidence to ask for help when required.
Some practical tips that you can suggest to parents are as follows.
- Customise your child's PE bag and rucksack so that they can identify theirs with ease.
- Add elastic loops to your child's coat, so making it easier for them to hook it over a coat peg.
- Add a keyring pull to the zips on of your child's coat and rucksack to enable little fingers to pull them up easily.
- Buy a rucksack with drink holders on the side so that drinks don't spill inside the bags at the end of the day and wet all the child's letters, work or reading books. It makes it easier for the children to pack, too.
- Ensure that your child's uniform is free of complicated fastenings to make it easy for the child to get it on and off independently
- Name all belongings - children get very upset if any of their possessions or 'special objects' are lost. Sometimes that item is a transitional object between home and school and very important to the child, even if it is only their drink bottle.
- Give them a transitional toy, such as a teddy, to take to school on the first few days. We specifically ask families to bring in teddy for a picnic on the children's first day, as it gives us a talking point with each child. Each school will have a different view on this.
- Ensure your child can open all their lunchtime cartons, pots and bottles by themselves, otherwise they will have to wait until an adult is free. Again, remember, there may only be one or two adults helping 30 children. It is a long wait when you are hungry.
As well as giving basic advice to parents, you could also help the children by:
- organising some fun sessions at pre-school about getting ready for 'big' school - for example, a school role-play corner with uniforms from local schools
- visiting your feeder schools in the summer term to get a clear idea of the school day and challenges for young children
- scheduling some workshops for parents about children's development and learning needs. Our local children's centre will be providing some workshops for parents about 'school readiness' during the summer months. Why not suggest it to your local centre?
By being proactive in supporting children's transition to school, you will be able to instil confidence in both children and parents alike. And reception teachers will be eternally grateful too.
Rebecca Fisk is EYFS lead and reception teacher at Bishop Henderson C of E Primary School, Taunton, Somerset
