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Posted

We have really good transition with local school. All Reception staff visit us during summer term and we walk round to spend time in the classroom. The problem is its not quite as 'secure' with other schools. I try really hard with letters, phone calls and encourage parents to ask the questions. Children are invited into visit, but not with pre-school staff. We have received photo books this year which are really useful.

 

We have worked at hard at getting the level right with this child - talking about the change but the things that will be the same. We have lots of books, uniform. We had adult education in to do a session for parents about school readiness.

  • Like 1
Posted

Yes, how do we get the 'peaked too soon' children to really benefit form the last term at nursery? We try to give them more responsibility - jobs, helping fetch things for younger children etc. But we haven't got it right. Wet days can be very bad - noisy and stressful for everyone

I find that a problem too, sometimes I just have to get them out and a run around regardless of the weather.

  • Like 1
Posted

Conker, have the school been receptive to this? Some of our schools are 'one visit' and you've had your lot

We are lucky that we are a small rural playgroup and all our children go to the local primary. The reception teacher started last year and is lovely and with the new headmaster starting this year we have worked it out between us to try this.

It will be interesting to see if this makes a difference when they start september

  • Like 3
Posted

I agree - our outside space is crucial at this time of year - but I would like to be able to provide more challenge. It's not necessarily about making things harder - it's about building their confidence to tackle problems I think. i'm think of some problem solving activities - building dens and bridges, that sort of thing - things they are interested in but that they will need to engage their brains with

Posted

Me too conker, just as I'm thinking up my response, another 3 replies appear...ha will get there in the end.

 

 

We used to do our all about me at home visits, and I've found a cyclical culture shift around this in recent years...anyone else found this? We used to do loads, then settings stopped doing them, then schools did, then some started again, and now most of our schools and quite a lot of our settings do.

Posted

Me too conker, just as I'm thinking up my response, another 3 replies appear...ha will get there in the end.

 

 

We used to do our all about me at home visits, and I've found a cyclical culture shift around this in recent years...anyone else found this? We used to do loads, then settings stopped doing them, then schools did, then some started again, and now most of our schools and quite a lot of our settings do.

Our primary school are implementing this for the first time this year - will be really interesting to see how it all works out

Posted

With regards to school transistion, the children go on visits and the TA (used to be the teacher) comes to visit the setting and collects general info on the children from us. Luckily most of the children have got siblings already at the school and so they know the building well from dropping off and picking up. The school has also left us a big book with pictures in, which we look and talk about with the children at group time. We give parents the leaflets on Getting ready for school, which has obvious but useful onfo which parents often forget -like not sending them in shoes with laces or loads of buttons on trousers etc.

Posted

Me too conker, just as I'm thinking up my response, another 3 replies appear...ha will get there in the end.

 

 

We used to do our all about me at home visits, and I've found a cyclical culture shift around this in recent years...anyone else found this? We used to do loads, then settings stopped doing them, then schools did, then some started again, and now most of our schools and quite a lot of our settings do.

It's the safeguarding issue of home visits that scare me - I've never done them - but I can totally see the benefit. You would need x2 staff, which is a big cost out of the budget, that's the problem. Or would you say that the benefits outweigh the cost? I'd be scared to just send one staff on their own

  • Like 1
Posted

With regards to school transistion, the children go on visits and the TA (used to be the teacher) comes to visit the setting and collects general info on the children from us. Luckily most of the children have got siblings already at the school and so they know the building well from dropping off and picking up. The school has also left us a big book with pictures in, which we look and talk about with the children at group time. We give parents the leaflets on Getting ready for school, which has obvious but useful onfo which parents often forget -like not sending them in shoes with laces or loads of buttons on trousers etc.

That's a good idea - do you have that leaflet? (next week). Do you think the TA comes because of staffing or because they don't value us in the same way as they used to?

Posted

I have done home visits previously for some children , however I don't at present time, mainly due to the cost of sending 2 members of staff out to visit. I do think home visits are of a huge benefit, however I am aware not all parents would welcome a home visit.

Posted

We have made an absolutely enormous castle this week (junk modelling) this has been added to each day and we have just started the painting! :1b Have also put our 'big blocks' (CP) in centre of our room with some 'castle books' for inspiration - wow what a success this has been! :1b

Posted

Den building is a favourite pastime at the moment......now if I could just get the staff out of them! :ph34r:

There was a wonderful photo on Twitter last week of a 'dinosaur den' the children had created a complete dinosaur world with tiny dens and camps for the toys. I'm thinking I might need several den areas in the garden - one for children to camp in, one for superheroes, one for dinosaurs, one for dolls and fairies ....

Posted

We don't do home visits, we wouldn't be able to afford them.I know there are benefits but I also think it puts parents on edge a bit.

I do go sometimes if I'm invited. I had one little girl who asked me to come and see her new bedroom! Mum insisted and we sat on the floor and had a dolls tea party complete with cake!

  • Like 4
Posted

We have made an absolutely enormous castle this week (junk modelling) this has been added to each day and we have just started the painting! :1b Have also put our 'big blocks' (CP) in centre of our room with some 'castle books' for inspiration - wow what a success this has been! :1b

That sounds amazing - did you have a story starter or was it just child initiated?

Posted

That sounds amazing - did you have a story starter or was it just child initiated?

Bit of both - two boys began building a castle last week in small world area - so i just extended that - but yes we have had daily 'story starters' too

  • Like 1
Posted

That sounds awsome Suinny, and I like the idea of separate dens for all the dolls and dinosaurs. We had a delivery of some tables at the hall last week and was I the only one who got excited more about the cardboard boxes they had come in!

  • Like 2
Posted

That sounds awsome Suinny, and I like the idea of separate dens for all the dolls and dinosaurs. We had a delivery of some tables at the hall last week and was I the only one who got excited more about the cardboard boxes they had come in!

Oooh lurve a 'big box' - just full of possibilities! :1b

  • Like 2
Posted

It's the safeguarding issue of home visits that scare me - I've never done them - but I can totally see the benefit. You would need x2 staff, which is a big cost out of the budget, that's the problem. Or would you say that the benefits outweigh the cost? I'd be scared to just send one staff on their own

Totally outweighed in my mind, the insight and relationship you gain from the visit is far far more than what you might get otherwise. We have a number of settings that do their 2 year progress check on home visits.

Yes safeguarding is a concern, you need to think through all possibilities, but in over 20 years of doing home visits (I don't now as I'm not in a setting), I only ever had one refuse, and one that was a bit scary!

  • Like 1
Posted

Totally outweighed in my mind, the insight and relationship you gain from the visit is far far more than what you might get otherwise. We have a number of settings that do their 2 year progress check on home visits.

Yes safeguarding is a concern, you need to think through all possibilities, but in over 20 years of doing home visits (I don't now as I'm not in a setting), I only ever had one refuse, and one that was a bit scary!

That's really helpful, thankyou

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