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Taster Mornings


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Hi all, Could you tell me does everyone have to have a taster morning. I have 16 new children starting in September How can I fit in this amount for a taster morning before we break up. How do you all bring your new children in the setting. Do you do it bit by bit.I am worried.

Dorinda

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Hi, we do as Panders does , we have visiting slots ( 3 new children a day coming in for a visit - we have 42 new starts in September !) and they all come along for a couple of mornings - we ask their parent to stay so ratio is covered with current children with staff, new children visiting with parent , this also builds their confidence > In September we do start them all together if they are pre school aged (3 or turning 4 ) but start any younger ones ( turning 3 around Sep/Oct/Nov -school in Sep 2013) later after October half term once older ones have settled in . In the first few weeks we increase our staff to 6 members of staff instead of the usual four ( we all do couple extra sessions ) with around 20 children then pull back on staffing once they have settled .

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we asked parents to book a session this term to come with their child.. we had no more than 2 a session and parents stayed, usually found we had one at a time .

 

new term depended on number but we tended to start 2/3 a session and by end of week they were all in.. parents could stay the first session if they had not done a starter one if they wanted..

 

first 2 weeks we had extra staff they all worked a few extra sessions and reduced once children were settled.

 

this varied year by year depending on the children , but it was the basic routine

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We've been running 'stay and play' sessions each week since January, this is just an hour at the end of the day on Thursday when parents can bring along their child for a play - parents stay. Some weeks lots come and some weeks no-one comes!!

 

It is great though - we did it last year and those children who had been to 3 or more stay and play sessions settled SOOOOO much better compared to those who had just been for a 'visit'. In fact it is so successful that ideally I would like ALL children to HAVE to come to stay and play but I know this would be difficult to implement with working parents etc.

 

In September we have organised our 13 new starters so that 2 members of staff have a new key child start in a sessions while 2 members of staff don't...... no person has more than 2 new children start in a given week, so it is staggered over the first few weeks of term. We have also asked new children to arrive at 9.15 (we open at 8.55) so that we can settle the 'regulars' and then give full attention to new children if needed.

 

Anyone applying now goes right to the end of the new starters though so we are now nearly in October!

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Hi we have thirty children starting in September.

They have all visited and had a tour of the setting.

For the past four weeks they have been visiting with a parent/carer to stay and play for an hour, normally on the first day they are going to do when they join.They get to meet the staff, familarise themselves with the building, and have fun.

I sit with the parent/carer and go through their packs and discuss anything unique to the child and family.

It works extremely well, definetly helps with the real start in September as most cannot get in quick enough [bless they seem so tiny].

Definetly worth a try if you can. :o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

quote name='dorinda' date='Jun 22 2011, 18:55' post='296563']

Hi all, Could you tell me does everyone have to have a taster morning. I have 16 new children starting in September How can I fit in this amount for a taster morning before we break up. How do you all bring your new children in the setting. Do you do it bit by bit.I am worried.

Dorinda

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We used to stay open for an extra hour after the children had left and invite new children and their carers to meet all the staff. In September new children started half an hour later and left half an hour earlier for the first few sessions.

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Hi we have 2 introduction sessions at the end of term and 2 settling sessions with mum or carer at the beginning of term and gradually asking mums and carers to say goodbye - I find the children are okay it is the parents !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We invite them in with a parent for a short stay and play this term then stagger starts in September but I can't afford to stagger as much as I'd like due to the loss of fee income.

 

With the funded children, do you claim for less weeks if they don't start the first week of term?

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