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A booklet covering possible concerns parents may have as their child/children goes to nursery, reception and primary school.
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A PARENTS GUIDE TO TRANSITION
nursery-reception-primary
Talking with your child
Your child may be anxious about what to expect on the first day at school. If so,
one way of helping them is to talk through their fears:
. explain where they'll be going, what they'll be doing and for how long
. answer questions and iron out any fears by asking what they think the school might be like
. emphasise the things they may enjoy doing
. tell them that you or their carer will be there to meet them at the end of each day
Don't dismiss your child's fears - things that seem obvious or silly toan adult can seem like terrible obstacles to a five year old.
In the weeks before school starts
Getting your child prepared for big school
. Involve your child in choosing things they need for school like school bags or uniforms
. visit the school with y our child so they become familiar with the building and the local area
. most schools have arrangements to support your child's transitioninto school which you may want to find out about
What if your child has trouble makingfriends?
Tips
. Encourage your child - talk to him about friendships, share
positive memories of your childhood friends and ask your child's
views about his.
. Teach social skills and sociable behaviour - explain to your child
how to understand non-verbal and verbal cues, for example,
someone smiling at him or making a jokey remark. Your child may
be misinterpreting these and miss opportunities to make friends.
Your child may overreact to teasing, or pressure others to play
when they've said "no". You can even use role play to show your
child, for example, how to make eye contact and to smile to show
he's friendly. Your child could also practise saying something like:
"Hello I am Sam, would you like to play?"
This can cause enormous anxiety.It's right to worry if your child seemsupset by a constant lack of friends.This can mean they're morevulnerable. Shyness or aggressioncan prevent children from makingfriends, but there are children whoare neither and who just seem tobe loners.
Not all of these children aretroubled by it, so it's important notto overreact. While the vastmajority of children do rely heavilyon their friendships, there aresome who seem quite happywithout this, and many grow intoresourceful, creative adults.
. Teach basic social rules - not to snatch things, or hit others and
how to share – “Sharing is caring” and co-operate, and ensure
your own behaviour gives a good example.
. Make your child's friends welcome in your home - don't judge your
child's choices too harshly or force him to play with children you
choose.
. Make an effort to talk to other parents at school - this encourages
children to get to know each other. Maybe arrive five minutes
early at the start and end of each school day .
. Find local activities, where your child will have opportunities to
make friends outside of school, such as cubs, a drama group or
swimming lessons.
. Show love - this is invaluable as it helps bolster your child's
confidence, even if there are occasional friendship difficulties.
Never show up your child or tell him off in front of friends.
. Try not to interfere too much in matters connected with your
child's friendships and social life - he should have the chance to
sort these out in his own way whenever possible.
The School Secretary
Generally this is the person that you will mostly approach forinformation about the school. Information about free school meals,report illness and absences to, pay dinner money to, pay for schoolsuniforms; make an appointment to see the Head Teacher, if you haveconcerns about your child’s learning.
School secretaries are very busy people and are not just there tosupport parents. However if you have a question or queries they arethe people to ask they have a wealth knowledge about the school.
How to find out what’s going on within school
Most school now have web pages here your will find loads of information
about school’s policies, expectations, what’s planned, how to get more
involved. Some even have educational worksheets to download that you
can complete with your child. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer at
home you could visit the local library and use theirs.
. School notice boards - most can be located near the reception area of school.
. Get into the habit of checking your child’s school bag – letters often end up at the bottom and are over looked!
. Attend parent’s evening – this provides a great opportunity to find out about your child’s progress.
. Check out if your school has a parent coffee morning – great to find out what’s going on – after schools clubs, summer schemes and also a great way of making new friends.
. Read the school news letter.
Schools really value parent’s involvement! You know your child betterthan anyone. Children love seeing you in their school!
Personal belongings
It’s never a good idea to send your child into school with personalitems – toys or games as they can get lost or broken which couldupset your child.
Please remember to label all your child’s clothes – Schools sweater,PE kit & coats. Fabric pens are great for this!
It’s not a good idea to send your child to school wearing jewellery –small stud earrings are ok though but check the schools policyon this.
Your child’s clothes should be hard wearing and comfortable – Nopoint sending your child in designer clothes save them for best!Dress for mess!
Make sure your child’s foot wear is suitable for out door play –Velcro fastenings are great!
Punctuality and Absences
It is very important for your child to arrive at school on time everyday. If children are regularly late they miss important parts of theireducation and have to work harder to catch up with their classmates. It is also very unsettling for your child and other children.
It is really important that you arriveon time to collect your child, childrenget really distressed if you are late. Ifyou have an emergency and will belate let school know as soon as youcan. Always a good idea to put theschool number in your mobile phone.
If your child is sick please phoneschool to let the know as soon asyou can. If your child has an illnesssuch as sickness & diarrhoea youshould keep them away from schoolfor at lest 48 hrs. Holidays withinterm time are discouraged in all
schools and you will have to askpermission from the Head teacherin order to take your child out ofschool. Taking long periods of timeaway from school impacts on yourchild’s learning. If you take yourchild out of school for long periodsof time your child could loose theirschool place. Places at schoolsare limited so if you loose yourschool place you will have to findanother placement these can oftenbe out side your locality, whichmay incur extra travelling expense.
Every day really does count!
When Attendance becomes a problem
If your child’s attendance drops below 80 % (38 days missed) TheEducational Department will be informed and you will be contactedby the Education Welfare Service. It is a parent’s responsibility toensure that their child/children regularly attends school. Someparents have been fined and prosecuted for failing to send theirchildren to school.
It is a fact that children who regularly miss school achieve less. If you wantyour child to have the best opportunities in life you will ensure that theymake the most of their education, you will work with them to address theirconcerns , work in partnership with school and encourage good behaviourboth within school and home.
Keeping school informed of any changes
It’s really important that you keep school informed of any changes incircumstances – changes of address and contact details. Also private
information – bereavement/relationship breakdowns – Schools don’t judge
but can offer more support to your child and you if needed.
Head Teachers will always make time to discus any difficult issues with you.The emotional wellbeing of your child is very important and can impact ontheir learning if it is not nurtured.
Children need role modelsrather than critics.
-- Joseph Joubert
School Lunches
All school lunches are healthy and balanced. Children will have differentchoices of meals on daily basis. All schools can cater for different dietaryneeds; these include religious observations and allergies. Staff will
encourage children to try new foods however children will not be forced to
eat anything they don’t like.
Free school meals
Parents do not have to pay for school lunches if they receive any ofthe following:
. Income Support
. Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
. Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
. support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
. the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
. Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,040
. Working Tax Credit during the four - week period immediately
after their employment finishes or after they start to work
less than 16 hours per week
If you are entitled to free schools meals ask the school secretary fora form.
Applying for help with school uniforms
Families who are on benefits or on low income could be entitled to clothinggrants or vouchers from their local authorities to assist with the cost ofschool clothing - Please talk to the school secretary about this.
After The first day
If your child has been to a nursery or reception class, they may have hadsome preparation for primary school and so their transition may be smooth.However, they might still find their initial weeks a period of change andstress.
Your child may be more tired than usual and need time to relax. You mayfind that rather than becoming more 'grown up', they may regress orbecome more difficult or defiant, in response to the stress of a new routine.
Your child may also have concerns about making friends or be morewithdrawn than usual.
What you can do
In order to provide support or help your child through what cansometimes be a difficult first phase, it may help to:
. set aside time with your child to talk about school and take an interest in what they have been doing
. listen carefully to any worries your child might have
. find out as much as possible about your child's school and what happens there during the day
. try to keep a regular routine at home to keep stress to a minimum
. make sure your child knows what is happening on a day-to-day basis and is informed in advance about any changes to their routine
. encourage your child to build friendships with children in their class
. keep positive as some problems may be resolved as your child adapts to a new way of life
If you cannot sort out problems your child has by talking to them, you mayfind it useful to talk to your child's teacher about your concerns.
The National Curriculum
The National Curriculum is a framework used by all maintained(None Private) schools to ensure that teaching and learning isbalanced and consistent.
It sets out:
. the subjects taught
. the knowledge, skills and understanding required in each subject
. standards or attainment targets in each subject - teachers can use these to measure your child's progress and plan the next steps in their learning
. how your child's progress is assessed and reported
Your child will study a wide range of subjects during their time at primaryschool. Knowing about the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2, andthe subjects that are taught, can help you to support your child's learning.
The National Curriculum, taught to all pupils in maintained schools,is made up of blocks of years, known as key stages:
. Year 1 and Year 2 of primary school are known as Key Stage 1
. Years 3 to 6 of primary school are known as Key Stage 2
Compulsory National Curriculum subjects are the same for KeyStages 1 and 2:
. English
. Maths
. Science
. Design and technology
. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
. History
. Geography
. Art and design
. Music
. Physical education
Schools also have to teach religiouseducation, though parents have theright to withdraw children for all orpart of the religious educationcurriculum. In addition, schools areadvised to teach personal, social andhealth education (PSHE) andcitizenship, together with at least onemodern foreign language.
Your child’s school may coverthese subjects under differentnames, and may teach more thanone subject together under thesame name. This is left up toindividual schools, as long as theyare covering the NationalCurriculum.
Finding out about schools
Before applying for primary schools for your child you will want to take timeto consider which school best meets their needs. The earlier that you startthis process the better. In order to make an informed decision you shouldresearch all the schools in which you are interested. You can find helpfulinformation from a variety of sources, including:
School open sessions
Headteachers welcome enquiries from parents and will be able to tell you agreat deal about their school. Many schools hold open sessions for parentsto attend with their children to have a look around the school and see whatthey have to offer. These sessions often take place in October andNovember. Local newspapers may also give details of these.
School prospectuses
Schools also have their own prospectuses or booklets, which explain whatfacilities they have, and what they aim to achieve for their pupils. (Thisinformation will be correct at the time of publishing but may alter, accordingto changing circumstances, during the year). You should contact the schoolsthat interest you for a copy of these booklets.
Applying for a school place
It is important that all parents/carersmake an application for a schoolplace at the earliest opportunity. Ifyou delay applying until your childhas reached statutory school age,your preferred school may alreadybe full.
If your child attends a nurseryclass, this does not mean that heor she will automatically get aplace in the primary school towhich the nursery is linked orattached. Parents with children in anursery class must apply for areception year place at the schoolin the same way as any otherparents. Some schools requireparents to apply for a placethrough the local authority formand the schools form.
Your emotions
Your feelings will guide your child's emotions. If you approach yourchild's first day with confidence that they'll be fine, using positivewords about school and loving attention, their anxieties will bereduced.
Saying goodbye at school may be very emotional for you. But try to send
your child off with a smile and a wave along with the reassurance that you'll
be there to collect them later. Remember even distressed children settle
very quickly once you're gone, so make your leave loving but brief.
If you're particularly worried, most schools will be receptive if you want to
phone in later to check your child is ok.
Give your child a confidence boost….sometimes starting a new school can knock a childs confidence
Help give your child a boost with these ideas:
. Believe in your child and show it - let her know she's a worthwhile,
lovable individual.
. Give praise and positive feedback - your child measures her worth and achievements by what you think of her. "Well done, that was hard, and you managed it" is music to young ears. Reassure your child that it's OK to make mistakes and that it's all part of growing up.
. Practise active, reflective listening - listen carefully, repeat what
you've heard to make sure you understand and give positive
prompts to encourage your child to continue.
. Acknowledge your child's feelings - and help her express them
verbally.
. Criticise behaviour, not your child - it's very easy to fall into this
trap, but too much criticism tells your child she's a bad person and
is causing things to happen because of her own stupidity. This is very damaging if it goes on for a long time. Be clear that it's an action you're angry about or behaviour you don't like.
. Respect your child's interests, even if they seem boring to you - take a genuine interest in your child's friends, and what's happening at school, and comment to show you're listening.
. Accept any fears or insecurities your child expresses as genuine -even if they seem trivial to you, don't just brush them aside. If yourchild says, "I'm useless at maths" say "You're obviously finding maths a struggle, how can I help you?".
. Encourage independence - encourage your child to take
chances and try new things. Succeeding gives a huge
boost to confidence, and sometimes your child will need
to learn by her mistakes.
. Laugh with your child - never at them.
. Focus on your child's successes - swimming, music,
whatever she can succeed at.
When your own experience of school has been a negative one …..
If school was a negative experience for you try not to let this pass on toyour child. Your own experiences will be very different to that of yourchild’s. Be very positive about their education, show them that you valuewhat they have learnt and encourage them to do well. It’s important thatthey are sent clear messages about the important of education even at thisyoung age.
Home is where the Heart Is
It's no secret that activities at home are an important supplement to theclassroom, but there's more to it than that. There are things that parentscan give children at home that the classrooms cannot give. Encouragelearning at home set aside time to read with your child, makes book andeducational toys available – You could visit your local library.
Guide your child by pointing to thepictures, and say the names of thevarious objects. By drawing attentionto picture s and associating the wordswith pictures and the real-worldobjects, your child will learn theimportance of language.
Children learn to love the sound oflanguage before they even notice theexistence of printed words on apage. Reading books aloud tochildren stimulates their imaginationand expands their understanding ofthe world. It helps them developlanguage and listening skills andprepares them to understand thewritten word. When the rhythm and
melody of language become apart of a child's life, learning toread will be as natural as learningto walk and talk.
Even after children learn to read bythemselves, it's still important foryou to read aloud together. Byreading stories that are on theirinterest level, but beyond theirreading level, you can stretchyoung readers' understanding andmotivate them to improve theirskills.
St. Josephs Catholic Primary SchoolRocky LaneNechellsBirminghamB7 5HA
Tel: 0121 464 8140Fax: 0121 646 8145Email: [email protected] Teacher: Mrs L Howell
St Matthew’s CE Primary SchoolDuddeston Manor RoadNechellsBirminghamB7 4JR
Tel: 0121 359 1602Fax: 0121 333 4392Email: [email protected] Teacher: Miss Paulette Osborne
St. Vincent’s RC Primary SchoolVauxhall GroveNechellsBirminghamB7 4HP
Tel: 0121 675 2359Fax: 0121 675 6912Email: [email protected] Teacher: Mrs J Tibbits
Cromwell Primary SchoolCromwell StreetNechellsBirminghamB7 5BA
Tel: 0121 464 2434Fax: 0121 464 6705Email: [email protected] Teacher: Mrs R Darr
Nechells Primary SchoolEliot StreetNechellsBirminghamB7 5LB
Tel: 0121 464 2102Fax: 0121 646 6953Email: [email protected] Teacher: Mrs D Thomas
St. Clement’s CE Primary SchoolButlin StreetNechellsBirminghamB7 5NS
Tel: 0121 464 4652Fax: 0121 646 3496Email: [email protected] Teacher: Mrs J Howell
Primary Schools within Nechells
Useful InformationName of school:___________________________________________
Address of school:_________________________________________
Telephone of school:________________________________________
Name of headteacher:______________________________________
Name of reception class teacher:______________________________
Name of school secretary:___________________________________
Important TimesSchool starts:_______________________
Morning breaktime:___________________
Lunchtime:_________________________
End of school:_______________________
Other Information
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There is a brilliant child locked inside every student. - Marva Collins
The POD
28 Oliver Street, Nechells, Birmingham, B7 4NX
Bloomsbury Nursey & Children’s Centre
Bloomsbury Street, Nechells , Birmingham, B7 5BX
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