At Happy Bunnies we are very proud of what we do for the children who are transitioning to school in September. We work with the Local Authority to ensure that we ensure that the children transition as smoothly as possible to school. So I wanted to share with you a blog that the Early Years Team have written to assist us in what we are going to do. Please note this is a guidance not a to do list and it does say you do not need to do them all.
Moving on – going to ‘big school' Life is full of changes and transitions: this can be exciting and positive or worrying and difficult. It's important that we think about the best ways to organise and manage transitions so that every child and their family, with their unique set of circumstances, can feel well supported. Ideally it needs to be considered as a process and not a one off event. Considering the unique child The aim of transition information, and the purpose of the Medway Transition Information document, is to support practitioners in providing parents, receiving schools and practitioners with a picture of the whole child. This includes their needs, interests and stage of development so that the school and practitioners can ensure continuity of experience that meets each child’s individual needs. Sharing information about the characteristics of effective learning, as well as any additional support that the child may require will help practitioners plan in a way that will support each child to settle into their new environment quickly, ensuring that learning and development continues. In this document it is helpful to consider and comment upon the degree to which the child is ready for the move to their next setting or to school.
Think carefully about transition activities that you plan, both throughout the year and towards the end of the children's time with you. It would be good to offer a range of transition opportunities, both for the individual children and for the practitioners that need to communicate about the children's individual needs and development.Inviting practitioners into your setting is a good way for them to see the children in a familiar, learning environment. It also provides an opportunity for the key person to share their knowledge about the child. Other possible ways to prepare children for the transition – Don't try and do them all but think about what might work best for your children:
• Gather photographs of your local schools and their early years environments – make them into a book to share with the children. Talk to the children about what they think will happen or what they will do in school.
• Arrange visits to the schools for the preâ€school children.
• Promote selfâ€service at snack and lunchtime so children are used to making food choices which will support them if they have school lunches and hold picnics for them to get used to packed lunches.
• Share books and stories about school.
• Continue to encourage children to develop independence with personal selfâ€care and when putting on their coats/shoes.
• Include props in role play – items of school uniform, lunch trays, lunch boxes and utensils.
© Medway Early Years Quality Team – 22/05/2015 †If you use this material please acknowledge the source.
