Beginning Nursery or Reception is such an exciting time for a child and also their parents, this is often their first experience of school. We understand that it can be an emotional time for children and parents so we have a transition plan in place to support this important time.
Once you have confirmed your place at Honilands we will contact you to welcome you to our school and inform you of our Transition plan for your child.
Welcome meetings:
In June/ July you will be invited to a welcome meeting where you will meet the Early Years teachers and Phase Leader and will be informed about your child’s upcoming year in Nursery or Reception. This includes looking at an example timetable (structure of the session/day), expectations, uniform and much more.
Meet the teacher:
We feel it is important for you and your child to have time to get to know your child’s new teacher and for the teacher to find out about you and your child. We will therefore invite you to a school visit. During the meeting you will be asked to complete an induction booklet which involves information such as your address, emergency contact numbers, doctor’s surgery etc. The teacher will also explain further information about Nursery/Reception and answer any questions you have. During this meeting we will also share with you the dates for your child’s Stay & Play sessions and their part time start date in September
Visits to pre-schools/ previous settings:
One of the Early Years team also visits many of the local preschools and nurseries to meet children that are joining us. It's a lovely opportunity to find out more about each child and see them in their familiar environment.
Stay and Play sessions:
In September, parents and children are invited to attend a few Stay and Play sessions in their child’s classroom. These are about 40 minutes long and the children must be accompanied by an adult. This is important for developing the children’s familiarity with the setting and new adults. We know that many parents enjoy the opportunity to meet other parents too.
Part time start sessions:
Nursery:
The children will be invited to start Nursery on a part time basis in small groups. If the children are settling well, we then invite them to stay longer at the next session until they have gradually increased to a full half-day or full day session. Your child's teachers will discuss this with you when they meet you. Please see our criteria that we encourage children to be able to do when attending our Nursery: Click here
Reception:
The children will be invited to start Reception on a part time basis in small groups. All children begin on a part time basis for at least a week. The children stay for lunch and then go home at 12:30pm. However, if any children are finding it tricky to settle or are feeling distressed then we adapt this schedule to suit their needs. We will keep you informed about how your child is settling in. All the dates for the settling in timetable will be shared with you in July before your child starts Reception. Please see our criteria that we encourage children to be able to do when attending our Reception: Click here
