Transitions

We are firm believers that every child should have the opportunity to participate in a range of different experiences and so here at Honey Pot, we include extra-curricular activities at no extra cost to the parent. Children benefit from the following classes

BOOK A VISIT

You and your child will receive a key person video of your child’s new key person introducing themselves and showing you and your child’s new room. This will help them get to know their key worker and the nursery environment before they start with us or transition to a new room.

Starting nursery and settling in

When you enrol your child at Honey Pot Nursery, you’ll be offered five hours of free settling in sessions. These sessions are planned in a way which encourages children to have a number of visits to the nursery before they start. Parents will be encouraged to stay in the room with their child during their first settling in session so that children feel secure in a new environment. During the next few visits, parents will gradually aim to leave their child, once their child feels safe enough to explore their new environment. Parents are welcome to go off-site should they wish to during settling in sessions. Each nursery playroom has a phone in it which parents can call directly to speak to their child’s key person. During settling in sessions, parents will be asked a number of questions about their child’s routines, likes/dislikes, current interests and stages of development. Staff use this information to adapt routines and the environment to suit each individual child and also so that the key person can plan fun and engaging activities which are suitable to the child’s stages of development.

Transitions to other rooms

When the time comes for your child to move up to the next room, the child’s age and sage of development will be considered before consulting with the parent. If the child’s key person feels as though the child is ready to move up to the next room, the parent will be approached and asked if they’re happy for the child to begin the transition to the next room. Most room transitions take place in either September or January although there are sometimes exceptions to this depending on space availability in the next room. When the decision has been made and parents are happy, settling in sessions in the next room will begin. Initially, the child’s current key person will visit the next room with the child so the child feels safe and secure in a new environment. Children tend to be familiar with staff members from other rooms as they will regularly see them around the building and in the garden. This seems to help with transitions as staff faces are not unfamiliar to children. Once the child seems happy during the settling in sessions, their old key person will gradually retreat and allow the child’s new key person to play and interact with them. The previous key person will meet with a child’s new key person and a ‘handover’ period will begin during which information will be shared about the child’s routines, likes/dislikes, current interests and stages of development. Once the child has completed an adequate number of settling in sessions and is happy and settled, the child will move into the next room. It may be the case that extra settling in sessions will be provided until a child is content and secure in their new environment.

Transitions to school

Staff will help to advise and support parents when it comes to choosing the right school for a child. Once a child has secured a place at school, the staff will start compiling a list of which child is going to which school. If parents are happy, the list will be made available to other parents so that they can find out if a child from the nursery is going to the same school. Generally, it is the case that a number of nursery children will attend the same school. This information is useful for the parents so that they can help prepare their child. We will contact all of the schools which our children are going to and arrange for a visit to the school or for teachers to visit the nursery. We make photo books and presentations of different schools and these are available to children in the playrooms or on the interactive board. We read stories with children about starting school and talk to them about what to expect. We share information with schools about each child’s interests and stages of development and any other information which is regarded as important. School transition reports are sent to each school detailing where children are up to developmentally and what their next steps in learning are.