Starting a new year (transition)

Preschool/nursery to Reception

We want your children to be very happy at school, so we work hard to ensure that the transition from pre-school to Reception is as smooth as possible. We try to visit all the children at their pre-school in the summer before they start with us, to discuss their progress with the staff and to ensure that we are well-prepared to carry on their development at school. Parents are invited to meetings during the term prior to their child starting school. Children and parents are invited into school prior to their start in September, to view their classroom and meet the staff and children who will be working with them.

Get ready to start school!

Before your child starts school, we strongly recommend that you look at the government-backed website startingreception.co.uk, which provides lots of useful information for how to ensure that your child is ready to begin their school journey. We particularly encourage you to practice those steps to independence such as getting dressed, using the toilet and washing hands. As you can imagine, a class of 30 children is very different from the home environment, and we do expect that children can manage toileting and dressing unaided. If your child has a medical need, please speak to us.

Reception to Year 1

In order to ensure a smooth transition to Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) children spend time in their new classrooms in the summer term. Staff liaise closely to ensure that some elements of the EYFS curriculum are reflected in the early weeks of  Year 1. Pupils with particular learning / social needs may have individual induction programmes as required.

Year 1 to Year 2

The children are prepared for Year 2 during the summer term, with activities in the Year 2 classrooms and spending a morning with their new teacher in July.

Moving up from Year 2 to Junior School

We take great care to prepare your child for the next step of their school journey, going up to Junior School. Writtle Infant School children will usually progress to our neighbours, Writtle Junior School, with whom we have close links. From the summer term prior to their transfer in September, our Year 2 children will have a number of opportunities to visit the Junior School.

Our teachers also meet their colleagues at the Junior School to offer any help or information which might be relevant to help ease the pupils’ transition. We hope that this will make the move to their new school as stress-free as possible. Parents of children about to transfer to the Junior school will be invited to a meeting during the summer term. Children with particular learning needs have additional support in order to ensure a smooth transition from the Infant to the Junior school, for example extra visits.