Starting school

This new phase in a child’s life is exciting but scary for many parents. What might we be able to do to ease the transition into this new period of their educational journey? During this phase a child is growing up, which can lead to anxiety for both child and parent if not dealt with appropriately. However, if the transition is handled with care, sensitivity and lots of communication, then it can set a child on the right track of learning for the whole of their schooling.

Children can move to different learning environments in their Early Years development. A child can move from a pre-school setting such as a standalone nursery or playgroup to a school reception unit. Or it may be from a childminder to a school where there is an on-site nursery and reception unit. Children may even attend standalone Early Years units before starting school in Year 1. Wherever the child has come from, positive and effective transition is vital to ensuring that the child settles quickly and builds up relationships with both adults and children to enable continued progress in their development.

Even the most confident and settled child can have moments of anxiety and fear about starting something new. An important element to ensuring that this transitional period of a child’s life is a success, whatever setting they are coming from, is building up relationships with the essential people they will come across. This can be done in a myriad of ways.