This month our policy of the month is:  Transition to Primary School.

Please offer any comments by replying to this post.

Transition to Primary School 

The transition from pre-school to Primary One should be as smooth and pleasant as possible. 

Children

Throughout the year we aim to familiarise the children with the school building, its environment and people in it.

Nursery staff take small groups of children as ‘messengers’ leaving nursery and going to other areas of the school:

• office, janitor, HT, DHT, other classes

Children make weekly visits to use school equipment and facilities:

• gym/ dining room for physical activities
• P1. Green Unit for use of interactive whiteboard / AV room
• library
• morning class join infant assemblies (when appropriate)
• both morning and afternoon children attend special presentations or participate in whole school events

A more concentrated programme of activity takes place during the summer term.

 Whole class make use of school environment:

• the sensory garden
• playground
• sports field

The theme ‘Starting School’ takes place in the nursery.

Display / discuss items required for school –  school uniform, school bag etc.

Children will produce a piece of art work to display in their P1 class area for their arrival in

August .

Nursery staff take children on visits to the P1 class area to become familiar with the ‘new’

surroundings. Pupils who have not attended Cults Nursery will be invited on a pre-school visit. P1 teachers visit children in Nursery.

A series of visits to the school playground for ‘playtime’ will be initially out with normal school ‘playtimes’ and will be supervised by nursery staff. This will be followed by playground visits accompanied by infant classes.

Staff accompany all pre-school children during nursery hours to the dining room for snack and the children are made aware of routines involved in school lunch.

Composition of P1 classes –  to be taken into consideration

• special needs
• behaviour
• friendships
• age
• gender
• maturity

Pre-school Transition – Transfer of Information 

Information on individual child’s experiences including strengths, difficulties  and interests so that primary staff can plan for continued development and progression in learning.

Each child will have:

• Evidence of progress in Nursery through Interactive Learning Diaries including assessments, drawings and photographs of the child and classmates engaged in nursery activities during their preschool year

• Children to visit P1 and spend time in unit familiarising themselves with surroundings
• Verbal information to be passed on to P1 teacher

Parents 

Complete ‘Phoenix’ enrolment forms – information about child from parents.

Visit to P1 class area / meet infant staff with Management Team

Induction Talk and Induction into Primary 1 Booklet