Before starting at Busy Bee pre-school we arrange for parents to have ‘Play and Stay’ taster sessions to fit their child’s needs,these sessions are flexible to accommodate other commitments the family may have.
The purpose of these visits is to familiarise parents and children with the setting, to allow time for forms to be completed and to meet staff and other children who will typically be there at the same time as their own children.
Our SENDCo is supernumerary so is always available to discuss any concerns the parents may have at this time about their child’s development.
Transitions within the Setting
Our setting is divided into two groups depending on the age of each child,this enables children to access age/stage appropriate activities/equipment.
We have a designated area for 2-3 year olds (Honeybees),a designated area for 3-4 year olds (Bumblebees) and lots of communal areas where all the children play together. When the time comes for your child to move group you will be notified during the preceding term,this will be done by discussion with you regarding your child’s progress and next steps and via a written report.
Each child will be given taster sessions during the previous term and you and your child will be introduced to their new key person,all children and staff will already be familiar with each other as we operate under one roof.
Transition to school
We understand that moving on to school is an important milestone in your child’s life so we ensure that the process is carried out in a professional, smooth and accommodating way. We feed into any school across the city.
All children’s on line journals are completed by the middle of June and sent to the schools prior to your child starting. We also send copies of their ECAT (Every Child a Talker) sheets and any other paperwork which will be needed by the school.
All this information will be shared with parents/carers before being forwarded to the new school.
We arrange visits to our preschool from the reception teachers from all feeder schools and support parents as they actually visit the school with their child.
Our SENDCo is also our ‘Transition Co-ordinator’ and she ensures that for children with additional needs extra meetings are arranged to pass on all relevant information which will ensure that a clear picture of a child’s needs and provision is in place before they move to their new setting.
During the summer term we introduce local schools uniform,literature etc into our setting and the children are encouraged to explore these and talk about school life.
For some children we will provide books made up of details from their new school involving pictures of their teachers,toilet areas,entrances etc and these will be used at home and preschool to aid the transition.
Staff attend relevant meetings during the summer term with reception staff from every local school, where they can discuss the development and needs of every child moving on.
If our SENDCo has identified, along with other specialist services, that a child is likely to require additional support above what is typically available in mainstream school, for a prolonged period of time, we will ask your permission to apply for an application for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This will be done in time to ensure your child will receive the additional support they need on entry to school.
