Transition to Ravenscroft from home and other settings Policy

Aim

To ensure that a smooth and happy transfer to Ravenscroft Nursery School is achieved by all the children.

Objectives

To prepare the children for their transition and help them view this transition positively

To provide opportunities for the children to meet their new teacher and support staff in the nursery.

Operating Policy

Ravenscroft Nursery School wishes to be seen very much as a part of the local community and establish good links with the neighbouring playgroups, Surestart settings, mothers and toddlers and home settings.

Therefore throughout the year the nursery will be involved in some activities with the staff and children of these settings where possible.

This will ensure that the children beginning Nursery In Sept are familiar with the school, thus easing the transition process.

Such activities may include being invited to the school concert dress rehearsal, fun day and play day visits.

In term three, we hold an open evening event for new parents, during which information is given about the school, the staff, the curriculum and other practical issues. Advice is given to parents on how to talk positively to their child about starting school. A range of paperwork/forms including a uniform order form is distributed on this open evening and we encourage parents to bring their child along to the school to return these/try on uniform for sizes, thus creating informal opportunities for the children to become familiar and comfortable with the school and staff.

The settling in process for each child is carefully planned to ensure that a home visit, appropriate settling in group and staggered/progressive settling in is facilitated and that the settling in process follows DENI guidance on settling in periods in Nursery Schools/Units.

For children with identified additional needs, further home visits from staff and visits to observe the child in their pre-pre-school setting may be arranged with parental consent. Where a child with SEN is transferred to mainstream, we will endeavour to have relevant supports in place which might be required over and above our Inclusive Environment provision e.g. individual visuals/timetables/schedules.

Where possible, contact will be made with settings such as Surestart, Bloomfield Playgroup, Orange Pips, Daycare to gather information which will help staff to settle in each child and individually plan their transition to Nursery. Care will be taken to utilise and build on information contained in any transition reports or documents.

Visits will be made to settings which traditionally cater for larger numbers of children for whom Ravenscroft is the transition Nursery School.

Due to the large number of settings, it is not possible to visit all settings on a yearly basis but Ravenscroft staff will endeavour to visit each setting every few years where appropriate.

An invitation is issued to all of our new children to attend the School fun day which is held in June, again, offering an informal opportunity for each child to become familiar with the school and staff.