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FSF Live chat - Supporting children's transitions


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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

 

I agree - building depth, application, problem solving etc. Last year I was part of a working group in our LA looking at the use of the YR baseline. Have no statistically significant evidence but anecdotally it was interesting to see that in those reception classes from schools which had a nursery the problem solving bits of the CoEL baseline (we used EExBa) scored higher. We felt it was possibly due to children/staff being more familiar with each other. Also, there were questions about independence when choosing resources - in a new setting you might not be sure about whether you could or not!

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This evening we will be talking about how we support children through the various transitions they face during their Early Years journey.

  • At the beginning, how do you manage settling in sessions - are they the same for all children? are your systems the same for all ages? Do you do home visits?No home visits (cant afford them!) staggered start for all ...one new child per session. Under threes slow transition with lots of key worker attachment work 3's depend on child . Some parents may leave for a little bit others may take some time to do so...very flexible!!!
  • Once children are with you, how do you manage changing groups / rooms / key people?one family grouping all in one room free flow
  • In preparation for school what do you do with the children? (rather than the paperwork you complete for parents or teachers) We invite schools in and we go to the schools for their first visit...the more I do this the better the welcome and now have two school requesting us. Parents love it and the children have the key attachment of someone they know
  • How do you manage children who are particularly fearful of leaving you for school? once we've done visits (we can do more than one if necessary ...especially sen...they usually settle quickly
  • How do you manage the children who 'peak too soon' and are very very ready for school during the summer term - how do you keep them focused and motivated?really work hard on the differentiation and set challenges...we try to 'throw' more things at them ...NO NOT BALLS!
  • How do you follow up children after they have gone to school to ensure that transition has gone smoothly? Speak to as many schools as poss in the autumn !

 

 

 

Evening! just popped in...am trying to do learning stories so I can go to goodwood tomorrow!....ps also ALWAYS make sure parents say goodbye...really have a thing about this!

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Evening! just popped in...am trying to do learning stories so I can go to goodwood tomorrow!....ps also ALWAYS make sure parents say goodbye...really have a thing about this!

I do too, no sloping off for me! You end up with a fearful child who thinks mum is going to dissappear every time they move.

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Also, the sheer exhaustion of starting school ... remembering all the different routines and where to sit and put your bag and where to line up!

Do you think we should practise these things as part of school readiness - or do you think it's just inevitable?

It's the same as when we start a new job - it's just so much that's new - relationships, routines, places...I think that parents need a lot more before a child starts that will help them to understand what it can be like emotionally and physically for children. it's not the same just because they were full time somewhere else.

Many parents had their child full time at a nursery can't understand why a staggered part time start is in the best interests of the child - but they are really worn out by the end of a day in full time school.

Cx

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It's the same as when we start a new job - it's just so much that's new - relationships, routines, places...I think that parents need a lot more before a child starts that will help them to understand what it can be like emotionally and physically for children. it's not the same just because they were full time somewhere else.

Many parents had their child full time at a nursery can't understand why a staggered part time start is in the best interests of the child - but they are really worn out by the end of a day in full time school.

Cx

 

I really slimmed down my 'briefing' to parents about starting school and gave them the key things that they needed to get through the first day but also started including what you're talking about as many especially those whose children did full time didn't really believe it. Always starts round about week 5/6 of the autumn term and I regularly had parents who came to talk to me worried because their child had been 'loving it' and now didn't want to go to school and did they have friends and were they being bullied?

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Yes very interesting, we covered a lot of ground that could be unpicked further?

 

 

If you are going to have two conversations going (prefer one personally) is there a quick way to go between the two?

I couldn't do two either! Lucky I didn't go with my original idea of having 3! I shall certainly do some unpicking over the weekend and maybe split out some of the ideas.

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Some great ideas, and food for thought. Our new starters have two 1 hour induction days, have a play, meet the keyperson etc. We also do home visits,. Two of us go, yes it's expensive but worth every penny. We also send out a questionnaire to our new parent/carers in September for their feedback on their induction/ home visit experience.

Have completed 6 today, each one different but wonderful.

I do feel too much hype is attached to starting " big school", and some children do show some signs of anxiousness over this. Keeping it all low key but listening carefully to children helps us to support this. Only had 1 head come to visit the children in our setting this year. Which is a shame. Think we are all up against it this time of year unfortunately.

Happy weekend everyone.:)

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Because September was generally quieter initially on numbers, whenever I could, I sent a member of staff along to the school to meet the new starters on their first day. This was sometimes for a week, and once was for the first month and I had to almost fight to get her back! Parents really appreciated seeing a familiar face in the room, and of course, the children settled so much better.

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