Beginning Nursery or Reception is such an exciting time for a child; this is often their first experience of school. We understand that this can be an emotional time for children and parents, so we have a transition plan in place to support this important time.

Once you have confirmed your place at Honilands, we will contact you to welcome your child to our school and share our transition plan.

Welcome meetings:

In June or July, you will be invited to a welcome meeting where you will meet the Early Years teachers and the Phase Leader and will be informed about your child’s upcoming year in Nursery or Reception. This includes looking at an example timetable (structure of the session/day), expectations, uniform and much more.

Meet the teacher:

We believe it is important for you and your child to have time to get to know your child’s new teacher, and for the teacher to learn more about you and your child. We will therefore invite you to a school visit. During the meeting, you will be asked to complete an induction booklet, which involves information such as your address, emergency contact numbers, doctor’s surgery, etc. The teacher will also explain further information about Nursery/Reception and answer any questions you have. During this meeting, we will also share with you the dates for your child’s Stay & Play sessions and their part-time start date in September.

Visits to pre-schools/ previous settings:

One of the Early Years team members also visits many local preschools and nurseries to meet children joining us. It's a lovely opportunity to find out more about each child and see them in their familiar environment.

Stay and Play sessions:

In September, parents and children are invited to attend a few Stay and Play sessions in their child’s classroom. These are about 40 minutes long, and the children must be accompanied by an adult. This is important for developing the children’s familiarity with the setting and new adults. We know many parents enjoy the opportunity to meet other parents as well.

Part-time start sessions:

Nursery:

The children will be invited to start Nursery on a part-time basis in small groups. If the children are settling well, we invite them to stay longer at the next session, gradually increasing to a full half-day or full-day session. Your child's teachers will discuss this with you during your meeting.  

Reception:

The children will be invited to start Reception on a part-time basis in small groups. All children begin on a part-time basis for at least a week. The children stay for lunch and then go home at 12:30pm. However, if any children are finding it tricky to settle or are feeling distressed, then we adapt this schedule to suit their needs. We will keep you informed about how your child is settling in. All the dates for the settling-in timetable will be shared with you in July before your child starts Reception.