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This document endorsed by many EY charities is helping to get children ready for the transition to school looking at particular skills and knowledge that may help.

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Your child’s journey to school starts at home. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, and that we’re all learning from birth. When it’s time to start school, some children will need more help than others.

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DfE Guidance 'Supporting a smooth transition into reception'

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DfE Guidance 'Supporting a smooth transition into reception'

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Published April 16th 2026

'Starting school is a significant milestone for children and families. A positive transition into reception helps children feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

As the early years foundation stage (EYFS) spans from birth through to the end of the reception year, a shared understanding of children’s development across this period is essential.

This guidance aligns with the sector-led Kindred Squared Starting Reception materials for parents and carers, providing clear, consistent language, expectations and advice to support families and practitioners through the transition into school. The guide highlights practical ways early years settings, including childminders, and schools can work together to support children as they prepare to start reception.

Adults working with young children, whether in early years settings or in schools, play a vital role in helping them feel confident and prepared for starting reception. By building strong relationships across settings, and working collaboratively with families from the earliest stages, educators can support timely identification of each child’s strengths, interests and emerging needs.

This shared understanding promotes an inclusive approach, enabling everyone involved to:

plan effectively

align expectations

create a more consistent, supportive experience that helps children enjoy a smoother transition into school'

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Supporting a smooth transition into reception

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Starting school is a significant milestone for children and families. A positive transition into reception helps children feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

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This is a recorded briefing about the STAIR. The briefing is 16 minutes long. The first half gives context to the STAIR within transition activity and the second half is a walkthrough a STAIR online form.

If you have any further questions about the STAIR, please contact the Early Years Advice Line for guidance at csearlyyearsadviceline@norfolk.gov.uk.

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Reception is a vital foundation year that sets children up for success throughout primary school and beyond.

The DfE are making sure schools have access to the right tools and tailored improvement, including helping every parent to play their part and be confident in their child’s progress.

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The Department for Education ( DfE) offers a range of online and in-person school support and professional development for improving teaching and leadership of reception.

Whole school support

Nuffield Early Learning Intervention

The Nuffield Early Learning Intervention (NELI) programme targets reception-aged children who need extra support with their speech and language development. Children who take part in the NELI programme make on average 4 months of additional progress in oral language skills. This increases to 7 months for children on free school meals. The DfE-funded NELI programme is available to all state-funded schools with a reception class.

English Hubs

English Hubs offer a range of support to local schools, academies and free schools to improve the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure in reception and year 1. Offers include:

Early years stronger practice hubs

Early years stronger practice hubs provide advice, share good practice and offer evidence-based professional development for early years settings. Many hubs have expanded this offer to include reception networks, with some offering funded places on professional development programmes for teachers.

Oak National Academy

Oak National Academy is a free online classroom and resource hub that provides teachers with free lessons and resources for pupils aged 4 to 16, from reception to year 11.

Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools

The Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme is a national programme that brings specialist health and education professionals and expert parent carers into mainstream primary schools to:

support schools to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children

provide early interventions at whole school level

upskill school staff and support the strengthening of partnerships between schools and parent carers

Individual staff training

Early years child development training

The Early years child development training is free online training aimed at building and strengthening the knowledge and understanding of early years educators in the key areas of child development.

The training offers practical advice for supporting children in early years settings and reception classes to thrive. The course has 8 modules, each taking about 2 hours to complete.

National professional qualification in early years leadership

The National professional qualification (NPQ) in early years leadership supports participants to develop expertise in:

leading high-quality early years education and care

effective staff and organisational management

Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Maths Early Years Programme

The Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Maths Early Years Programme is a fully-funded programme designed to improve the subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge for all practitioners teaching and supporting the learning of early maths.

Mastering Number Programme

The Mastering Number Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme and aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from reception through to year 1 and year 2.

Maths Champions programme

The Maths Champions programme is a fully-funded online resource for educators who wish to increase their knowledge of and confidence in supporting children's early mathematical development.

Research by the Education Endowment Fund has shown that children who attend a setting that implements the programme make up to 3 months' additional progress in their maths and language.

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The Department for Education ( DfE) offers a range of online and in-person school support and professional development for improving teaching and leadership of reception. The Nuffield Early Learning Intervention (NELI) programme targets reception-aged children who need extra support with their speech and language development.

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Supporting Transitions And Inclusion Record - STAIR 

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Supporting Transitions And Inclusion Record - STAIR 

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The Norfolk STAIR has been coproduced by early years partners to provide a consistent and efficient record that supports children's transitions within the Early Years Foundation Stage. It has been designed to enable smooth transitions, which recognise children's emotional needs, what support they might need and to capture each child's uniqueness. The STAIR provides a timely opportunity to engage all those involved in the transition, strengthening relationships and building confidence.

From April 2026, the Norfolk Early Years STAIR (Supporting Transition and Inclusion Record) webform, moved from the Granicus platform to the GOSS system. You are now able to save your progress and return to a form prior to submission, by signing in with a MyNorfolk account.

When sharing the STAIR for children with additional needs you should also upload relevant plans, reports or professional advice.

The most important thing is to paint an accurate picture of the child, holding the child's voice in mind. The STAIR should be completed in conversation with parents/carers and shared with consent, in line with your setting's information sharing policy.

The STAIR is generated and shared via a secure web platform. A copy of the STAIR will be emailed to you as a PDF. You can also include email addresses for parents/carers and the onward setting to have a copy sent to them automatically. Alternatively, the STAIR can be saved and shared electronically or printed.

For more information about how the STAIR was created, the key functions of the STAIR, and how to access, save and submit a STAIR, please watch the briefing.

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NOA School Readiness Transition (With subtitles)

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Nasen have now released three new webcasts and supporting documents for Early Years practitioners, SENCOs, teachers, teaching assistants and parents. These resources will support with the transition for all children, particularly those with SEND who are moving from nursery to Reception and Reception to Year One

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Early Years Transition Webcast: Discussing individual needs with the SENCO

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This webcast will focus on a meeting with the SENCO and the difference between children’s short term needs (not necessarily SEND) and long term needs (more likely to be identified as SEND).

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Council for disabled children: A summary of feedback from the Dingley's Promise Transition Training

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Council for disabled children: A summary of feedback from the Dingley's Promise Transition Training

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Skip to the five recommendations at the end if you're short of time.

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Guidance for practitioners conducting annual reviews.

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Annual review of an EHC plan - Introduction - Norfolk County Council

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Changing places in the early years from I CAN

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Changing places in the early years from I CAN

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A transition resource to support young children with speech, language and communication needs.

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Supporting high quality transitions for EAL children and families 

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Supporting high quality transitions for EAL children and families 

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Ways to ensure children with EAL experience high quality transition | Tapestry

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Sejal Payne reflects on the importance of positive transitions for children and families with EAL, and provides strategies to support them

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The Tiny Happy People is now part of Cbeebies Parenting. The site continues to grow and adapt so please do have a look. There are opportunities to become Tiny Happy People champions on the site.

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A collection of activities and things to do with children aged 4-5 years old. Your child may be able to take turns in conversations, use more complicated language, and enjoy playing with friends.

Activities for 4-5 year olds: Playtime games

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Activities for 4-5 year olds - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A collection of fun learning activities and things to do with children 4-5 years. Our collection of fun and creative games for preschoolers will help develop their language and communication skills. Help them learn and have loads of fun while you do.

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Virtual School for looked after and previously looked after children

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Virtual School for looked after and previously looked after children

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The Virtual school for looked after and previously looked after children works to help improve the educational journey and outcomes for children in care, from early years to the end of Year 13. The service also offer support and guidance to care leavers and the staff supporting them.

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Virtual school for looked after and previously looked after children - Norfolk County Council

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The team promotes the educational needs of looked after children and young people

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'No More Tears - Supporting parents with easier drop-offs at Early Years settings'

A webinar recording produced by LGA Early Years, with a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) focus.

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Children's Services Improvement team - LGA

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No More Tears: Supporting Parents with Easier Drop Off's (20/05/2025)

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The Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) Education team 

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The Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) Education team 

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The Gypsy Roma Traveller graduated offer of fully-funded support is a comprehensive and flexible programme, providing schools and settings with the guidance and tools to meet the needs of GRT children and young people (CYP).

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The Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) Education Team

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Service Summary: GRT Graduated Offer of SupportA revised programme of support, ensuring Norfolk schools and settings are well positioned to enable all children and young people to flourish.What is the

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New - research and guidance "School readiness matters" 

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New - research and guidance "School readiness matters" 

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Newly published research and guidance around transition into Reception

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With all the talk of ‘foundations’ and preparation for the future, are we losing focus on the value of early years education for children in the here-and-now? Famly’s in-house Early Years Educator, Julia Rose, weighs in on the debate

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In my years of working in the sector, there's nothing that dries out my playdough like being told I'm not a 'real' teacher. The start and end of the debate should really be, "Do you teach?", "Yes,", "Ah! Then you're a teacher!"

Except it's not.

The early years sector is still plagued with the infuriating idea that we simply keep children alive between 8 am and 6 pm, while their parents are at work, and sometimes there's glitter and stuff. If we do a good job of that, at the end, out pops a delightful 4-year-old pupil, ready for their education to finally start, at school.

But why is the early years sector only seen as important when it's viewed as a stepping stone to something else?

Let's get into it.

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The mixed messages about the early years‍

If there's one thing that unites everyone in the early years, it's the knowledge that the first five years of a child's life are insurmountably important. But it's why this time is so important that can create a divide.

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Childcare for parents

In a virtual debate, hosted by Nesta and CYP Now, Early Years Alliance CEO Neil Leitch acknowledged there was "confusion over the purpose of early childhood education." Neil explained that "Sometimes it's about child development, sometimes it's to support social disadvantage, and other times it is nothing more than basically getting parents, predominantly mums, back into the working environment."

The sector certainly isn't short of responsibilities.

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Foundations for the future‍

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood publicly champions the early years as "the best investment we can make for the long-term health, wellbeing and happiness of our society." Their explanation being, "Our future outcomes, whether they be academic, economic or health-related (including mental health), are profoundly shaped by our first five years."

But these efforts to express the importance of our early childhood can sometimes send the message that we only have 5 years in which to define and prepare for an entire lifetime or the opportunity is lost forever. Consider for a moment the message that sends to people who had less-than-ideal early childhoods, or the pressure that these kinds of narratives create for early years educators and parents.

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For the children themselves

We can embrace every opportunity to nurture and support young children and still acknowledge that, " it's never too late to give a child or young person positive brain building experiences." And why? Because buried amongst these conflicting ideas are our under-5s themselves. What about their current health, well-being and happiness?

June O'Sullivan, the Chief Executive of the London Early Years Foundation, believes we should be focussing on " what a happy childhood looks like ". June says, "If you don't understand what pedagogy looks like and what needs to translate to it in terms of the experience of children, we will get locked in that language of school readiness."

Which we'll get into now...

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So where does school readiness fit in?

If you're looking to start a heated debate amongst a group of early years educators, simply sidle up to them and whisper " school readiness ".

Some may share stories of children who started reception unable to complete basic care routines and couldn't sit still for six seconds. Some might lament that they're not supposed to assess 4-year-olds and that school should be ready for the children and not the other way around, thank you very much.

So in the UK, where most children start school at the tender age of 4, which group is right?

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"Don't you just play all day?"‍

For those of us working in the early years, I can understand the temptation to go along with the idea that we exist purely to get children ready for school. School is perceived as where the 'real educating' starts, and so if we're preparing children for that, we might finally be recognised as doing a really important job. Trying to explain that early years is important in its own right is exhausting, so why not just 'borrow' some of the reflected respect from 'Big School'?

But when we know children don't fit neatly into boxes or lists, should we be playing into the idea that a tick-list of things can indicate a child is "school ready", regardless of how neurodevelopmentally appropriate those expectations are? At what point do we trade The Unique Child of the years years for The Generic Fits-Neatly-in-a-Box Pupil of primary school? At around age 4, it seems.

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Developmentally inappropriate demands

For example, children are often expected to demonstrate 'sitting still' as a school ready skill. But Caroline Wright, the Early Childhood Director of Bright Horizons, former Ofsted inspector, and researcher in child development, explains that " A lot of children at 5 have a real difficulty in just sitting still. Physiologically their muscles and bones need to flex and move."

In fact, argues ECE expert Rae Pica, this developmentally inappropriate approach and focus on school readiness is actually harming children.

"Initiatives like pushing children toward 'school readiness ' often bring demands that are beyond where children are at, developmentally speaking. This makes them feel stressed out and frustrated, and that has emotional and physical ramifications for them," explains Rae.

So what on earth should we be doing?

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A better approach to the early years‍

Of course, the early years are critical, but not just as an opening act for the 'main event' of starting school and later life. Early Years educators are not warming up the crowd for a school teacher. And I believe most people actually working within the early years know this well. The early years are a magical time, but not because we're ushering in the next stage or laying the foundation for later life.

Early childhood is valuable in its own right

Learning, joy, and discovery happen from birth and are worthy in the present. If you've ever been lucky enough to see a child take their first steps, there is pure joy in that achievement for the sake of it. We tend not to respond with gleeful hand rubbing and comments about how it's fabulous preparation for walking to school.

And early years educators are teaching. The pedagogy we adopt for under-fives doesn't look like exactly like traditional school teaching because it's not supposed to. Our role is to meet children where they are, celebrate them for who they are, and be ready with the next challenge when they are.

In the early years sector, we must continue to shout from the rooftops that the little lives of our under-fives are phenomenally important. And, while nearly everything we do in the early years has an effect on children's outcomes, it's perfectly valid if the 'outcome' is a smile, in that moment.

The dialogue of preparation, school readiness, foundations and future outcomes has a place, but it can't be allowed to eclipse the value of the early years, deserving of celebration for its own merit.
Get free tools now

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The early years is not just preparation for school | Famly

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Our Early Years Educator, Julia Rose, explores why the concept of 'school readiness' does us no favours in the early years.

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The Virtual school for Sensory support offers a wide range of support to sensory impaired children and young people in Norfolk. The service supports children and young people who have a clinically diagnosed vision impairment or hearing loss.

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Virtual School Sensory Support - Norfolk County Council

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Supporting children and young people with sensory loss

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Starting school is a big milestone for you and your child. Here are some ideas to help your child to feel confident about starting school.

How you can help

Talk with your child about school. It's normal to feel nervous at times of change but try to talk positively about fun and learning with other children to help your child to be excited rather than nervous. Talking about the things that are important to your child is useful - so encourage them to ask questions. Practice using new words such as uniform, school, playground, teacher, lunchbox and home time! Watch this video for ten tips to help your child to be ready for school.

Visiting your child's school before they start is useful but may not be possible at the moment. Most schools have a website where you'll be able to see what the building, teachers and uniform look like, even if you can't visit beforehand.

There are skills that will help your child to settle in as happily as possible, resilience - learning to manage emotions, and self-regulation - dealing with difficult moments. Watch a video on ten fun activities that support personal, social and emotional development.

Learning to communicate is so important, and children need adults to help them to develop their language and communication skills. The best way to do this is by talking, playing, singing and reading with family members. This video has ten ideas to support communication and language skills.

Children are not expected to be able to read or write before they start school, but it is very helpful if they can recognise their own first name written down. This video has ten ways to develop your child's literacy skills.

Numeracy is about counting, numbers, shape, size, weight, time and money. It is a skill that we use everyday when we pair socks, get out the right number of cups or talk about bedtime. This video has ten ideas for supporting your child to learn early numeracy skills.

Most of all, celebrate this milestone in your child's life!

Further resources

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Looking forward to school - Norfolk County Council

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Starting school is a big milestone for you and your child. Here are some ideas to help your child to feel confident about starting school. Talk with your child about school. It's normal to feel nervous at times of change but try to talk positively about fun and learning with other children to help your child to be excited rather than nervous.

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Preparing your child for starting school 

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Preparing your child for starting school 

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Admissions to Reception classes in Norfolk

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Admissions to Reception classes in Norfolk

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This link takes you to Norfolk admissions for Reception classes 2025. Parents can be signposted here to find support with the admissions process and key dates.

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Admission to reception classes - Norfolk County Council

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Apply for a reception year place at a primary or infant school

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English as an additional language (EAL) for Early Years

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English as an additional language (EAL) for Early Years

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Resources, advice and guidance for supporting EAL children and families in the early years in Norfolk.

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Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

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English as an additional language (EAL) for Early Years - Introduction - Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

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Identifying & supporting children with SEND in the EY's - Reception Classes

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Identifying & supporting children with SEND in the EY's - Reception Classes

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A quick guide to support staff in Reception classes to work with children with SEND.

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These activity cards from Hertfordshire have ideas around different activities that support skills and learning that will help with the transition into school perhaps that can be used during the summer.

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Separation Anxiety Getting Organised Your Own Feelings Out of School & After School Care Starting school can feel like a big milestone for your child and for you. Even if your child has been used to nursery or preschool, some children will find it hard to make the change.

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The value of play in transition from EYFS to Yr 1

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The value of play in transition from EYFS to Yr 1

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Rebecca Underwood, Avanti Schools Trust, UK

Have you ever been fortunate enough to have watched children play - to observe them captivated in a task that they have complete ownership over? If so, you will fully appreciate the infinite value of play and its major significance as part of a broad and balanced curriculum for primary aged children.

Play - those uninterrupted, spontaneous moments of joy and discovery. That is how children flourish, how they make connections with what they already know and how their self-confidence radiates to all around them. With evidence behind us, (Fisher, 2020a; Whitebread et al., 2012; Piaget, 1945), we must let go of the notion that if children are not at a desk, then they are not learning. Fisher states that 'play is a word that chills the hearts of some headteachers, and senior leaders, particularly those who have never taught young children in their careers' (2020a, p. 62). Whitebread's research also confirms this attitude and claims that '"play" is sometimes contrasted with "work" and characterised as a type of activity which is essentially unimportant' (Whitebread et al., 2012, p. 3). Surely no one can agree that this can be true within a child's earliest years? When children play, no matter their age, some degree of learning takes place. Fisher highlights that many 'skills that children continue to learn through play are those that are rehearsal for the skills they will need throughout their lives' (2020a, p. 66). With this in mind, the transition phase between Reception and Year 1 should always include and advocate play. Transition should be seamless and well-structured and given ample time and priority. There should be no play 'cut-off' points, but rather a shift in the type of 'play' that is offered. Effective transition is a process rather than a one-off event. Some children are eager and well equipped for the formality that the Year 1 curriculum presents; however, others may be hesitant simply due to their own personal journey or, more recently, due to the restrictions of the pandemic. We must always start with the children themselves - their needs and interests.

It is pleasing to know that the EYFS Framework 2021 acknowledges and promotes learning through play. 'Play is essential for children's development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems.' (Department for Education - a ministerial department responsi... More , 2021, p. 16) The framework goes on to state that practitioners should 'promote the learning and development of all children in their care, to ensure they are ready for year 1' (p. 7). For the transition process to be truly effective, it needs to be meticulously planned and clearly communicated to all those who matter: teachers, classroom support staff, Year 1 staff, older children within the school, parents and carers, grandparents and, of course, the children themselves. I wonder whether we can embark upon this process with greater understanding of how 'purposeful play' can successfully bridge this gap and ensure that all children are inspired and looking forward to the challenge of Key Stage 1.

Vygotsky claims that cognitive development is directly related to play and 'provides rich and varied contexts for developing skills such as observing, organising, recording, interpreting and predicting and develops natural curiosity and stimulates imagination' (cited in Esteban-Quitart, 2018). Alistair Bryce-Clegg (2022), inspiring educational EYFS consultant and advocate for play in Key Stage 1, states that 'play is a self-initiated opportunity where children are motivated by engagement and curiosity to use every aspect of their creative and critical thinking brain to consolidate and rehearse what they already know whilst actively creating new knowledge'. Although difficult to define, everyone knows 'play' when they see it and children from all cultures and economic backgrounds can engage in play; a child's universal language. Piaget (1962) suggested that play is a form of assimilation (1962). For me, childhood is synonymous with play. The most important life lessons can come from the experiences that children have while playing. It is personally directed, intrinsically motivated and chosen with a great deal of autonomy. 'Play in all its rich variety is one of the highest achievements of the human species, alongside language, culture and technology. Indeed, without play, none of these other achievements would be possible.' (Whitebread et al., 2012, p. 3)

What children are actually doing when playing is bountiful: they are problem-solvers, collaborators, detectives, investigators, artists and delegators. Play inspires them to pretend, create and imagine. Staff too are integral to the process at every juncture. All staff must be on board and ready to intervene and support individual children. They must provide, guide and oversee an abundance of meaningful, educational experiences that promote progress at every opportunity. When given a degree of choice and freedom, children are able to manage information, think, solve problems, be creative, work with diligence and purpose, and make decisions. Through play, children discover a slew of emotional skills and learn how to process the world around them. Maria Montessori states that that 'Play is the work of the child', and I believe that it is pivotal to a child's development, no matter the age. They are able to manage their own knowledge and understanding, they think and solve problems independently and make on-the-spot decisions while working alongside peers, building positive relationships and managing their own emotions. That's what it's all about!

I am an advocate for sophisticated play, which, at its simplest, means providing time to play. The greatest three years of my teaching career occurred in a mixed Reception/Year 1 class, where play was at the heart of all we did. There was choice, freedom, exploration, discovery, practice, consolidation, excitement, challenge, spontaneity and fun, and children in Year 1 wrote with flair about experiences that actually happened, created science experiments and spoke like real authors right before my eyes. They taught me how to be a learner! The children worked diligently, they progressed radically and craved learning challenges because they were ready for them. When a child's experiences are developmentally appropriate (Copple and Bredekamp, 2009), meaningful (CODC, 2018) and enjoyable (Pritchard, 2018), children will engage and learn with greater efficacy (cited in Fisher, 2020b). By assessing the children frequently through questioning and observing their actions and listening intently to their conversations, I was able to plan activities for all children that were relevant and that impacted their learning at every opportunity. My marvellous classroom support teacher and I worked together in unison and would enhance learning opportunities by adding appropriate resources and setting up daily challenges, which the children led with gusto. They were three very magical years; the children soared and so did I. I could see the benefits of play right before my eyes and soon welcomed visitors from all over the UK into our classroom to share our successes. I rarely said much to convince others; just watching the children and listening to their 'never give up' mantras and key explanations were enough.

Children innately observe play around them and join in when prompted, invited or ignited with intrigue, watching and listening before jumping in with curiosity, tapping into their prior knowledge, making those constant connections with what they already know. Effective practitioners value play and are able to provide safe but challenging environments that support and extend learning for all.

Play embraces children's total experience. They use it to tell stories; to be funny and silly; to challenge the world; to imitate it; to engage with it; to discover and understand it; and to be social. They also use play to explore their inmost feelings.
(Jenkinson, 2002)
Children thrive when their needs are met across all domains, including emotional, social, language and physical needs, as well as throughout their own personal learning journeys. Julian Grenier, EYFS expert, says that 'the early years are the crucial time for developing children's enjoyment of learning, their engagement and motivation. It's an important time for children to develop their ability to persist and show gritty determination.' (2020, p. 2)

Effective pedagogy must meet the needs of each child, while meeting the requirements of the different statutory frameworks - in this case, in relation to outcomes at the end of the EYFS and also at the end of Year 1. Children need challenge in their play and opportunities to expose strong characteristics of effective learning towards the end of their time in EYFS. Children's enjoyment of play means that it is highly motivating, which, in turn, encourages greater concentration and perseverance (Whitebread et al., 2017). This is why play should also be a part of Year 1 and beyond. Practitioners know the age-related outcomes and control the content of what is to be taught, and so allowing children to lead their own learning while simultaneously acquiring life skills such as resilience, failure, persistence and success is surely beneficial to all.

It's true that we have a destination and goal for these children to achieve the expectations of a [Year 1] curriculum by the end of the year. How we do this is so important.
(Avanti Institute, nd)
Children need to believe that their intelligence grows with their efforts and that they can bounce back from setbacks with confidence, and they should listen to feedback with intrigue. This positive 'growth mindset' (Dweck, 2017) works alongside a play-based provision in Key Stage 1, as positive, confident children who never stop learning are leading the way - in the things that they do, say and believe. Dweck states that 'without the right mindset, nothing is possible. But with the right mindset? Everything is possible.' The culture, environment and high expectations must not be a shock for the Year 1 children or their parents in September. We must all realise the critical role of play in empowering young children and promoting their understanding within the variety of curriculum areas.

If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning.

There is still a place for discovery, curiosity and play in Key Stage 1 (and beyond), and therefore play must not be forgotten or used as an 'add on' or reward within those first few weeks. Instead, it should be an integral part of their daily routine, with learning across the seven areas at the crux of every single child's action. Children engage in learning when they are the decision-makers and when their imaginations are ignited. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (Esteban-Quitart, 2018) indicates that it is with the help of more knowledgeable others that people are able to progressively learn and increase their skills and scope of understanding. These quality and timely interventions involving purposeful questions and our genuine 'wide eyed' comments are crucial for allowing children to feel unique and important and to fuel the fire for their ever-changing interests. For them to get lost in play, we must understand the true value of play. As Usha Goswami, Professor of Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge argues, 'children think and reason largely in the same way as adults. However, they lack experience, and they are still developing important metacognitive and executive function skills.' (2015, p. 25) They need to experience a wide range of emotions on a daily basis in order to learn from them, and they can do this through the mistakes that they make, the frustrations that they overcome and the successes that they encounter and celebrate.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services... More (2017, p. 26) stated, 'Most Year 1 teachers spoken to said that the EYFSP provided only shallow and unnecessary information about a child's achievements.' Therefore, the EYFS and Year 1 staff teams need to work together at every opportunity. They need to be in and out of each other's classrooms, having weekly meetings to discuss the children and analysing data and progress wherever possible, and SLT and parents should also be on board at pivotal points. Year 1 children need continuity of experience in order to flourish.

As children move from the EYFS into KS1 they need continuity of experience, with the ways in which they learn successfully in their Reception class continued into Year 1. This does not mean that what they will learn will be the same, but howthey learn should be very similar and familiar.

(Birth to 5 Matters, nd)

While time constraints and teacher workload may negatively impact transition programmes and push them to the bottom of the to-do list, it is important to note that effective transition that starts in EYFS will pay dividends in the long run.

Getting transition right is essential for ensuring that children are able to build on the learning and development fostered within the Early Years, providing them with a strong foundation from which they can flourish in all areas of the curriculum and beyond. This is not as simple, however, as recreating an exact replica of the EYFS environment in the Year 1 classroom. It is about careful preparation and communication, ensuring that best practice is shared between the key stages. There has to be a distinct understanding of what high-quality learning in Year 1 looks like and how this relates to the practices and pedagogies nurtured in the Early Years.

Children need to feel excited as they move up into Year 1. Successful transition between Reception and Year 1 is also essential for the wellbeing of the children. Play supports the foundations of children's wellbeing for life (Howard and McInnes, 2012; Allee-Herdon et al., 2019). Children are curious by nature and driven to learn. They investigate, explore, create, imagine and ask why every step of the way because they have a thirst for knowledge.

Let them play...

The world's greatest discoveries have been made because people were playing around with an idea. The freedom of thought allowed for by play may unlock the learning potential which more confined approaches to the curriculum leave behind.
(Taylor and Baulter, 1993, in Northern Ireland Curriculum, 2008, p. 5)

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The value of play in a successful transition from Early Years to Year 1

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Rebecca Underwood, Avanti Schools Trust, UK Have you ever been fortunate enough to have watched children play - to observe them captivated in a task that they have complete ownership over? If so, you will fully appreciate the infinite value of play and its major significance as part of a broad and balanced curriculum for [...]

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Early years transition leaflets and information

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Early years transition leaflets and information

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7 downloadable leaflets to help support the various transitions that children may experience in the EYFS:
1) A guide for Mums, Dads and carers
2) From home to early years settings
3) Between settings, rooms and key people
4) From Early Years settings into school
5) From EYFS to Year 1
6) A guide for Mums, Dads and carers - from out of school clubs to early years settings
7) EYFS children using out of school clubs

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Supporting Transition and Inclusion Record (STAIR)

The Early Years Learning and Inclusion Service has worked with partners to coproduce a record to support children's transitions. The STAIR has been designed to enable smooth transitions, which recognise children's emotional needs, what help they might need and to capture each child's uniqueness.

The STAIR is optional, and settings may use their own versions if they prefer. The STAIR is in 8 short sections. Privacy Notice, Child Details, Transition Information, Developmental Progress and Contact Details should be completed for every child. Learning and Inclusion Needs, Professional Involvement and Plans should be completed where additional information would be useful in making adjustments to ensure transition is successful. When sharing the STAIR for children with additional needs you should also attach any relevant plans, reports or letters from professionals.

The most important thing is to paint an accurate picture of the child, taking into account the child's own views. The STAIR should be completed in conversation with parents/carers and shared with consent, in line with your setting's information sharing policy.

A copy of the STAIR will be emailed to you. You can also include email addresses for parents/carers and the onward setting to have a copy sent to them automatically. Alternatively, the STAIR can be printed and delivered by hand or forwarded via email.

The STAIR online form can be completed using this link https://forms.norfolk.gov.uk/service/Supporting-Transitions-and-Inclusion-Record

Ideas, information and resources to support practitioners, families and children with transitions in the Early Years. This includes the STAIR, publications, videos to share with families, research and book recommendations.

EYFS Transitions in Norfolk (padlet.com)

Below are some downloadable leaflets to help support the various transitions that children may experience in the EYFS. Please note that due to Covid-19, some of the practices described in the leaflets may not be possible. Settings and schools must prioritise health, safety and hygiene requirements at all times.

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Early years forms and leaflets about children progressing from pre-school to school, etc

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Key points:

Transition is a process, not an event

High quality transitions recognise the importance of feeling “known”

Some children are particularly vulnerable to at times of transition

Transitions are opportunities for professional dialogue

The key person makes essential connections

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Key points:

High quality transitions recognise the importance of feeling "known". Key to a high-quality experience for all children in the early years is ensuring continuity between home, key people and all the settings that make up children's individual learning journeys. In today's society children may have many out-of-home experiences, through childcare, toddler groups, family day care and more than one nursery, and they may appear to straddle change with ease. But while transitions may occur with great frequency, not all children navigate these comfortably or happily.

Transitions include not just movements between one setting and another in a linear way, but movements "horizontally" from one room to another within the same setting, moving to a more structured part of the day such as lunchtime, or moving from home to childminder, to nursery and back again all in the course of the same day.

When transitions in the early years are managed sensitively it lays the foundations for positive feelings towards the many other transitions children will face through life.

Some children are particularly vulnerable at times of transition. Moving from a place or situation in which children feel "known" into one in which they feel "unknown" can raise insecurities about having their entitlements and needs met. While some children have the resilience to cope with change, others are more vulnerable to uncertainty.

Children who lack confidence or have low self-esteem, those who are summer-born or born prematurely, babies separated from parents for the first time, some children with disabilities or complex health needs, those for whom English is not their first language and those who have simply had to cope with too much change or loss in their young lives may be particularly vulnerable at times of transition.

Many children become particularly anxious about making new relationships, whether those are with other children or with the adults with whom they will spend their time. The support of their friends and friendship groups can help protect children from the potentially negative impact of transitions.

Transition for children who are more vulnerable is effectively supported when they are given additional times and opportunities to make the necessary readjustments to the changes ahead, and when their emotional development and wellbeing is prioritised. Practitioners help by being warm, responsive and by recognising challenging behaviour as a manifestation of feelings.

Transitions are opportunities for professional dialogue both within and between settings, as well as with the home. It is the responsibility of all early years practitioners to ensure that children feel welcomed, gain a sense of belonging and are helped to settle happily.

At points of transition it is valuable to gather the perspectives of all those who have worked with the child such as other practitioners, speech therapists, health visitors, bilingual teaching assistants and educational psychologists. These perspectives enable all those involved with the child to plan for their individual needs more effectively.

Conversations between teachers in Reception classes and Key Stage 1 are particularly valuable in order for the environment, the pedagogy and the practices in Year 1 not to be developmentally different from those in Reception. Reception teachers will have knowledge of children that can support teachers to bridge the transition into primary school effectively.

Effective transition is a process rather than an event, and should be planned as such. Practitioners demonstrate this by enabling children and their families to become as familiar as possible with where children are going and with whom they will be building relationships, before any move actually takes place.

Expectations can be formed over an extensive period of time in the lead-up to transitions. Children's expectations are formed largely by what their families say and how they act, so practitioners need to work in partnership with children, families and communities in a planned and proactive way to make transitions as smooth and seamless as possible.

Practitioners can make transitions more seamless by first visiting children in the setting in which they are known, confident and comfortable. Ideally, this would be the home as the place where children feel most secure and where children can see their parents and practitioners developing warm and positive relationships. Practitioners can also visit the setting that children are currently attending so children meet new adults in a familiar place. During these times practitioners can learn about the child from the parents as well as give information, in order to be fully aware of and responsive to the needs and concerns of each child and their family. It is important that families' concerns are listened to, but are voiced away from the child.

Children then need to visit their new setting with a parent and/or key person so their first experience of any new setting is with a familiar and trusted adult. For all children - and parents - at every transition in the early years and beyond, repeated opportunities for relaxed contact with and visits to the new setting over a sustained period of time can support a positive move. Transition processes that are tailored to meet the needs of each unique child are more effective than a "one size fits all" process.

The key person makes essential connections. When children enter their new setting the task of providing continuity is made easier by a warm welcome from responsive and available practitioners. A child's key person is the essential link between home and the new setting, and is vital in providing reassurance and creating close, supportive, ongoing relationships with families.

It is valuable to consult both children and their parents on how they feel about any forthcoming transition and whether they need support. Parents often have a different perspective on their child than the key person, which can help enrich a setting or school's understanding of the child. In turn, parents and carers can learn much from the setting or school to support their child's development at home.

Connections that are maintained, where possible, with previous Key Persons can be reassuring and offer continuity for children and their families.

Transition includes moving from EYFS to KS1. As children move from the EYFS into KS1 they need continuity of experience, with the ways in which they learn successfully in their Reception class continued into Year 1. This does not mean that what they will learn will be the same, but how they learn should be very similar and familiar.

In KS1 children's learning experiences can remain a balance between learning led by the teacher and learning led by the children. Play is a vital way in which KS1 children continue to learn skills, strategies and attitudes that adult-led learning does not teach.

In order for transition to KS1 to build on the best of the EYFS, it is helpful when senior leaders are sufficiently knowledgeable about child development at this age, to support their practitioners in planning a learning day that is developmentally appropriate.
Resourc es Bibliography
Previous page: Quality improvement and leadership | Next page: A Unique Child: Child development

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Key points: High quality transitions recognise the importance of feeling "known". Key to a high-quality experience for all children in the early years is ensuring continuity between home, key people and all the settings that make up children's individual learning journeys.

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Nurturing Children's Self-Confidence and Security in the EYFS

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Nurturing Children's Self-Confidence and Security in the EYFS

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This article from Early Excellence unpicks how to foster confidence and security in the EYFS, with useful advice for practitioners to apply when supporting children to settle in.

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Nurturing Children’s Self-Confidence and Security in the EYFS

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Learn how to nurture children’s self-confidence & security in the EYFS. Discover key principles & practices for promoting emotional wellbeing.

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Alister-Bryce Clegg suggests some favourite titles and ideas to support children's understanding about starting school.

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Ten Books About Starting School or Nursery

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10 Fantastic, practitioner-Curated Books All About Starting School & Nursery

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SENDIASS support for settings and families

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SENDIASS support for settings and families

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Mindful transitions in childcare - a Community Playthings publication

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Mindful transitions in childcare - a Community Playthings publication

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Kay Albrecht, Ph.D. & Jennifer Fiechtne carefully consider the effects of transitions on children's development, how to support transitions, managing emotions, family partnerships and mindful transitions in this early years article published by Community Playthings.

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Mrs. Lopez arrives in her classroom twenty minutes before her first students are scheduled to begin their day. She turns on the lights and reads over her lesson plans as she finishes her coffee. She plans to make the art centre available at the beginning of the day, so she takes out a selection of paper and markers. She also sets out large cardboard blocks and several fire trucks in the centre of the construction area, providing an invitation for interested children to begin building there. When children start to arrive, she is finished arranging her classroom and ready to welcome them with her full attention.

It's the beginning of the school year in many places, and a time of transition for teachers, children, and families alike. As most of us know, transition is hard! As adults, we mentally prepare ourselves for upcoming transitions, talking ourselves through the upcoming hours and days: "After work, I'll buy groceries on the way to pick up the baby from child care, and my husband can start dinner while I give her a bath. I have a meeting tomorrow, so I'd better be sure to pack my lunch and iron my suit tonight." Before we arrive somewhere, we've often prepared ourselves for what comes next. Like Mrs. Lopez, we build time into our routines for transitions, so that we can feel ready for what's to come.

How to support children during transitions

Research shows us that children aren't yet able to do this on their own. In fact, young children don't think about the future much at all, unless they are worried about it. This developmental fact means that it's crucial for important adults in a child's life to help establish well-planned and predictable transitions, in order to support healthy emotional development. As a teacher, plan to spend energy, effort, and time building relationships with both children and families during times of transition, especially at sensitive moments when children may need extra support.

Three-year-old Elijah is one of the first children to arrive. His face is buried into his father's neck, and he still looks very sleepy. His father greets Mrs. Lopez warmly, but Elijah doesn't look up. Elijah's father explains that their new baby was fussy during the night, and the whole family was awake quite a bit. They are all a little sleepy this morning. Mrs. Lopez invites Elijah's father to have a seat with him in a cosy chair near the library, and to take his time helping Elijah get settled before he leaves. After a few minutes, Elijah sits up, interested in the books his friends are reading nearby. He climbs off of his father's lap and snuggles up next to Elizabeth, who is looking at a book full of animals. Once Elijah is settled, his father gives him a kiss, reminds him that his mother will be picking him up today, and heads off to work.

When children arrive, you can ease the transition into your classroom by beginning each day with a warm greeting and a clean slate, leaving any challenges from the previous day behind. As much as possible, keep the beginning of the day predictable. (This includes providing a predictable classroom environment.)

Goodbyes are so important - don't rush them! Encourage parents and caregivers to devote a few minutes to a meaningful goodbye, instead of trying to sneak away while their child is distracted. Children's sense of trust and safety in your care can grow when they know that they don't have to worry about being surprised by a separation. These feelings of connection can allow them to relax and transition to learning.

The time when children are making their way into the classroom provides a great opportunity to check in with families about how things are going at home, and find out if there are any outside factors that may help you to meet the needs of the child each day. Knowing one child is in an especially cheerful mood, and another didn't get a great night's sleep, can do wonders in helping you choose the best teaching strategies.

Effects of transitions on children's development

The value of helping children manage stress, including well-planned and supported transitions, is supported by neuroscience. When we experience stress, levels of a hormone called cortisol spike in the brain. Over time, elevated cortisol levels are associated with damage to the brain and the immune system, which can leave us vulnerable to physical and mental health problems. However, when children's anxiety and stress are met with sensitive and supportive care, cortisol levels usually drop quickly and with no lasting damage, and children can get on with the business of learning. The more successful experiences children have with teachers and friends, the better they become at managing stress and transitions in the future. Consider time spent as an investment in children's future ability to tolerate and succeed with transitions.

While arrival and departure times are two of the biggest moments of transition in a school day, there are many smaller transitions during the hours children are in your care. Every time we ask children to stop doing one thing and start doing another (for example, moving from eating lunch to playing outside), that's a transition! Each of these moments provides opportunities to support and scaffold children's development.

Managing transitions in childcare mindfully

As your plan your day, build in time for mindful transitions. First, look for ways to reduce the number of times you ask children to change gears. Block schedules and long stretches of child-directed play, both indoors and outdoors, reduce stress and help children build the new friendships that are crucial to social and emotional development and well-being. These growing relationships are especially important for children with cautious temperaments, those in a new setting, and those who are just starting school or care outside the home. During these stretches of play, encourage conversation between children-don't require quiet. Theorist Lev Vygotsky helped us to understand that children learn best from a competent peer, and from talking about what they are doing while they do it. When they are talking, they are not just building friendships, they are learning!

Helping children to manage their emotions

As children get to know each other, some conflict is inevitable. Remember that self-control and self-regulation are developmental skills - young children cannot access them without your help. Scaffold their emerging abilities by setting a few clear limits (for example, touch friends softly, ask a teacher if you need help, and use quiet voices inside) and enforce them consistently. When boundaries are predictable, children often feel less need to test them, and can spend more time playing and learning.

When things go wrong, acknowledge children's feelings instead of trying to fix them. Frustration, sadness, and anger are all normal emotions-learning to cope with them is part of growing up. Use validating language, identifying strong emotions as they arise and helping children "feel felt": "Gosh, that didn't turn out like you wanted it to. You look disappointed. Sometimes I feel disappointed when I can't get things to work like I'd planned." Give children room to move through these very natural feelings, knowing they can safely express and manage them, with your support if needed.

When you deal with challenges in your classroom, make your own feelings obvious for children to see. When you feel frustrated, startled, or disappointed, name the emotion and make it clear to children with your words, facial expressions, and body language, so they don't have to wonder how you might feel. This is even more important for children who may have chaotic or unpredictable home lives - they need to know that they are not at risk of you losing control.

Elijah and Hunter are playing side by side in the sandbox after lunch. Elijah moves in closer to get a better look at what Hunter is doing. Hunter turns his back to him, blocking his view. Elijah pushes Hunter, and Hunter hits him. Both boys start crying.

Mrs. Lopez runs over, saying, "Whoa! I think we have a problem here! I'm coming!" When she gets to the boys, she asks about what happened. To Elijah, she says, "You wanted to see, and you couldn't! That's frustrating! Pushing is not safe-you can ask Hunter to move so you can watch."

To Hunter, she says, "I'm frustrated that you hit Elijah. I like you, and I don't like hitting. You can tell him, 'I need some room! Back up!' or you can ask me for help next time."

Arrivals and departures: A chance to connect to a child's family

Finally, use transition times to build partnerships with families. Let parents and caregivers teach you about their children - they are the experts! Ask how children manage transitions at home, and for ideas about what might be helpful in a school setting. Ask about temperament: How active is their child? How cautious? How much does she rely on routine, and how much does she enjoy new activities? A temperament chart sent home can help you find out more. Consider using a "Getting to Know You" questionnaire that asks families to share information about their family structure, their child's preferences, and maybe even a wish or two for their child for the year.

Another simple way to set the tone for an open dialogue is to share with families what you'd like them to call you, and then ask how they prefer to be addressed. This simple invitation opens the door for parents to tell you their preferences and often leads to more communication. These strategies should be part of an ongoing commitment to two-way communication with families.

Building extra time into your arrival and pick-up routines supports a developing connection with families, providing natural opportunities to discuss both successes and challenges. Don't wait until there is a problem to reach out - start building relationships right away. At the beginning of the school year, keep feedback simple and take a strengths-based approach - five positive, strength-related comments for each comment about a concern or problem. There will be plenty of time for more interaction after the school year settles into a routine.

The day is winding down in Mrs. Lopez's classroom. When Elijah's mother arrives to pick him up, he is engrossed at the building centre, where he's stacked big blocks in a tower almost as high as he is tall. Elijah's face falls when he sees her, worried that he will have to leave his project uncompleted. Seeing his distress, Mrs. Lopez tells Elijah's mother that he has been very determined and creative in the block centre today, and invites her to pull up a chair and watch him build for a few minutes.

While Mrs. Lopez tucks Elijah's artwork into his backpack, she is able to greet Elizabeth's grandmother, who cares for her in the afternoons. They chat about Elizabeth's developing interest in animals, and Mrs. Lopez mentions a free children's workshop being held at the zoo during the upcoming weekend. Elizabeth spots her grandmother and comes running. The two happily head home, chatting about the zoo. In the meantime, Elijah has finished his structure. His mother takes a picture of him with it and texts it to his father. Mrs. Lopez helps Elijah pick up the blocks, and hands him his backpack. She wishes them a quieter night, and waves goodbye as they leave the classroom.

Conclusion

As Mrs. Lopez's classroom illustrates, supported transitions are more likely to be successful ones! When you plan for transitions, including individualised responses for each child, you can reduce stress for children, families, and yourself. Time, energy, and preparation in these special moments can build a classroom routine that runs smoothly, where children thrive and learn, and families feel welcome.

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Mrs. Lopez arrives in her classroom twenty minutes before her first students are scheduled to begin their day. She turns on the lights and reads over her lesson plans as she finishes her coffee. She plans to make the art centre available at the beginning of the day, so she takes out a selection of paper and markers.

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SEND and disability in the early years: a toolkit

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SEND and disability in the early years: a toolkit

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Transition is a time of change and can be a source of both excitement and anxiety for children and for parents. Throughout the transition process, young children need to feel secure and confident that their needs, wants, likes and dislikes will be understood.
'Early years providers […] should know precisely where children and young people with SEN are in their learning and development. They should ensure decisions are informed by the insights of parents and those of children […] themselves' DfE and DH (2015) SEN and disability code of practice: 0-25 years, para 1.25
For access to the full toolkit use this link: early-years-toolkit-merged.pdf (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)

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SUPPORTING LEARNERS WITH AUTISM DURING TRANSITION

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SUPPORTING LEARNERS WITH AUTISM DURING TRANSITION

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This booklet covers all transitions including Early Years to school. It considers the micro-transitions that autistic children have to deal with and how we can support this with some advice and guidance. There is also an Early Years to school transition checklist and some other examples and templates you can use.

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Helping you support autistic children and young people since 2007

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A Practitioner guide to support transitions and settling children

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A Practitioner guide to support transitions and settling children

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HklpWWDSyqU

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Transitions and Settling In - a guide for practitioners

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Early years guides from the Anna Freud Centre

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Early years guides from the Anna Freud Centre

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This link contains a series of guides focussing on common difficulties in the early years which may be useful in supporting children and families with transition. Wide ranging topics include withdrawn behaviour, toileting and separation anxiety.

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Early years children can experience a range of difficulties including agression, anxiety, and tantrums. Find out more about some of the common difficulties that arise and how you can help with them.

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Exploring a range of difficulties children can experience.

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Blog post with advice and guidance for getting ready for your incoming cohort.

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The smell of fresh wellington boots. New names to be added to the self-registration board. Displays waiting for the first paintings to be proudly mounted. It must be a new year at nursery.

But the start of term in the Early Years isn't always the calm beginning to the year it should be.

There are new families to meet, new children to settle in, new permissions to be given, and new allergies and medical conditions to support. There are emergency contacts to list, observations to be made, and fees to manage.

Busy parents, busy staff, and busy managers. So how can you make it easier on everyone?

Easy! Get started now.

Take stock of the year

Before getting ready for the new term, it's always worthwhile taking time to reflect on the last school year. Consider the 'wow' moments, make a note of what's worked really well, and celebrate the progress you've made. Take the time to show your staff members you appreciate their hard work keeping everything on track and give yourself a pat on the back.

Now you're ready to focus on development and get ready for the new year.

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Set your goals

Knowing what success in September looks like means having a clear idea of how you want the year to start. Perhaps you're looking to focus on sustainability, streamline admin tasks, update your curriculums, or improve parent partnerships. For inspiration, you could take a look at what other centers in your area are doing.

Whatever you're looking to achieve, setting clear objectives now means more time to plan the changes you need to make, evaluating the next steps as you go.

Support settling in

Starting a new center (or coming back from a long break) is a big transition for children and their families, which you can help to navigate smoothly. Take the time now to evaluate how you want to ease the transition for new children, as well as welcome children back from the summer break.

Do staff members have the time they need away from admin tasks to build a solid relationship with children?
You can free up staff by using nursery management software to take care of the paperwork, so they're free to focus on the children.‍

Are staff spending hours on the phone to reassure parents, instead of interacting with the children?Use a nursery software with a messaging system, so staff can share photos at the quick click of a button, rather than leaving the room for a long phone call.

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Plan for parent partnerships

A professional, caring, friendly team is a must, but are they able to spend time to really getting to know new families? Forming strong, trusting parent partnerships right from the start is key to children thriving at your setting.

It is important to consider how you could super-charge parent partnerships by giving your staff the support, time, and tools they need.

Can parents easily contact their child's key person?
If parents have to ring the office and wait to be put through they might not feel confident enough to reach out. Offering parents the option to send a quick message in a parent app, directly to their child's key person or room leader, saves time and stress.

How do you reassure anxious parents that their child is happy?
Do parents have to wait for the end of the day to know how their child got on? Celebrate children settling in and adjusting well by sharing real-time updates and photos in a secure app. Parents can then use these photos to start positive conversations about nursery with their children at home.

Do parents have access to their child's activities and daily diaries?‍
Giving feedback at the end of the day, especially when children are new, should be a positive experience for everyone. Don't talk over children's heads about how much they ate or used the toilet. Give parents digital access to daily diaries, so that precious end-of-the-day conservation can be used for the real wow moments!

How do you engage parents in the child's learning journey?
Are your learning journals tucked away on a shelf in your setting, only to be opened by families twice a year at parents' evening? Parents can feel a range of emotions about their child's development, especially if this is their first time entering Early Education. From anxiety about whether their child is 'keeping up' to pride about how well their child is learning, parents deserve to share in their child's progress reports and learning journey every day.

Are your updates to parents about child wellbeing?
You know how it goes, the newsletter starts out as an exciting list of what's happening in the setting but turns into a to-do list, as the term progresses. I know, I know, it shouldn't be that hard to just write a name in a pair of shoes, but parents are busy and they want the good news. Think about whether your parent communications just to remind, tell, nag, and (let's face it) beg parents to do something? Instead, focus on child development, achievements, wellbeing, and how to connect childcare with effective learning at home.

How do you engage parents in the child's learning journey?
Are your learning journals tucked away on a shelf in your setting, only to be opened by families twice a year at parents' evening? Parents can feel a range of emotions about their child's development, especially if this is their first time entering Early Education. From anxiety about whether their child is 'keeping up,' to pride about how well their child is learning, parents deserve to share in their child's progress reports and learning journey every day.

Are your updates to parents about child wellbeing?
You know how it goes, the newsletter starts out as an exciting list of what's happening in the setting but turns into a to-do list, as the term progresses. I know, I know, it shouldn't be that hard to just write a name in a pair of shoes, but parents are busy and they want the good news. Think about whether your parent communications are just to remind, tell, nag, or (let's face it) beg parents to do something. Instead, focus on child development, achievements, wellbeing, and how to connect childcare with effective learning at home.

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Get all the information in before the children arrive

There's nothing more stressful for a parent dropping off for the new year (or for the first time) than being hounded for information while they're trying to settle their child.

Instead of adding to your parent's kitchen table pile and your paper files, get the data you need digitally. Parents can access information, fill out permissions, emergency contacts, allergies and other important details before term starts through a parent app, meaning you have all the information you need to provide the best care, ready to go.

Just be sure to use specifically designed software that keeps children's data safe.

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Take your forms online

Having that newly-printed folder of forms was once a start-of-term staple, but think about the time (and trees) you could save by simply having them online.

While cuddling that warm stack of medication forms and accident forms, fresh from the photocopier, is one way to hold onto the summer heat, in reality, it's just more filing for you. Using the right nursery management software means saying goodbye to hours of time-consuming printing and handwriting sheets of paper. Plus, parents get instant updates and can acknowledge forms online.

And the best part? Digital documents can't get crumpled up and lost in the bottom of backpacks.

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And breathe...

Being prepared for the beginning of the new school year means that the first day can be used to greet and spend more quality time with children and parents, welcoming them calmly to their new setting.

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Don't wait for September! Start ticking off your start of term to-do list now and enjoy a relaxing, stress-free summer.

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This summary of The SEND Code of Practice helps us to see how the CODE relates to the EYFS

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A Podcast from Early Excellence focussing on what makes effective transitions work.

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Portage Transition- "All about me" format

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Portage Transition- "All about me" format

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See the report format that Norfolk Portage Service use to support the transitions of disabled children age 0-5 that they work with.
For more information about Portage, see here: Norfolk portage service - Norfolk County Council

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SOCIAL STORIES - TOP TIPS AND THINGS TO CONSIDER

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SOCIAL STORIES - TOP TIPS AND THINGS TO CONSIDER

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This resource from Sheffield children's NHS foundation trusts give some really good tip about what to consider in a social story. It includes tailoring the story, pictures, language and structure to the specific needs of your child.

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Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

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Social Stories - Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

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Social Stories are most effective when they are personalised for your child. Most of the stories here are available for both a younger child (approximately lower primary school age) and an older child (approximately upper primary school to secondary school age) – have a look at both stories and sele…

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The NAS offer some guidance and advice about creating social stories that may help with transitions for children who may find the change very difficult. A social story allows the child and family create a narrative around what will be happening with photos, text, voice recording etc. These different elements will allow the child to get to know new people, new surrounding and a new routine. Used alongside more frequent visits it helps with the anxiety of not knowing and the story helps to keep it all in mind through the holiday time.

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Social stories and comic strip conversations

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Find out more about social stories and comic strip conversations, and how they can help autistic people communicate.

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Family hubs link - support for parents and carers of children and young people from conception until they are 19-years-old. Family hubs can support families with young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, until they are 25-years-old.

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Our family hubs approach supports parents and carers of children and young people from conception up to 19-years-old (25 for young people with SEND)

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Early excellence podcast - Nursery transitions, getting it right from the start 

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Early excellence podcast - Nursery transitions, getting it right from the start 

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Podcast from Early Excellence, focussing on Nursery transitions.

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Social story example - Suzie goes to school

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Social story example - Suzie goes to school

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Norfolk libraries for children and young people

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Norfolk libraries for children and young people

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Norfolk library service information for children and young people, including details of summer events and resources for families.

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Libraries for children, young people and schools - Norfolk County Council

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Reading, activities and events for children, young people and their families

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Here is a YouTube playlist with a collection of books to support children to explore some common thoughts and feelings associated with the transition to school.

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📚🧸 STARTING SCHOOL/BACK TO SCHOOL BOOKS 🧸📚

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Here are a collection of books and poems for children starting school or nervous about going to their next class.

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Personal, social and emotional development:

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Personal, social and emotional development:

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NOA School Readiness Personal, Social and Emotional Development (With subtitles)

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NOA School Readiness Physical Development (With subtitles)

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NOA School Readiness Communication and Language (With subtitles)

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NOA School Readiness Literacy (With subtitles)

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NOA School Readiness Numeracy (With subtitles)

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How Every Child Can Thrive by Five | Molly Wright | TED

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Jamel Carly Blog explaining how the Early Years teaches us to handle change for life

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Jamel Carly Blog explaining how the Early Years teaches us to handle change for life

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Jamel Carly explains why every transition a child will face as they go through their education begins with how we welcome them in the Early Years

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How Early Years Transitions Set Children Up For Life | Famly

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Jamel Carly explains how the Early Years teaches us to handle change for life

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Supporting Transitions in the Early Years

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Supporting Transitions in the Early Years

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Written by Anjali Patel

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Change can be a daunting prospect, so how do we ease the process of transition throughout a child's early years? Anjali Patel of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) explains...
Stability is vital in a child's early years, yet change is unavoidable for many young children and they will inevitably undergo a number of emotional and environmental transitions before they even reach school age. So let's embrace the opportunity to help children develop patterns of behavior that they can draw on throughout life. By managing transition carefully, we can ease the process of adjustment, reassuring both children and their families.

Building relationships

Strong, respectful relationships between parents and practitioners lay the foundation for positive transition. For the practitioner, a genuine dialogue with parents provides information, affording opportunities to extend ideas and educational experiences within the setting. As importantly, parents draw comfort from relationships with those caring for their child, while easy, visible conversations between significant adults are deeply reassuring to children. Separation anxiety affects both parents and children, and warm exchanges between practitioners and family members are hugely significant in easing this process.

It's vital to plan handovers between practitioners to ensure that children's needs are met and new attachments are strengthened. Without this we run the risk of children losing confidence, which can lead to a regression in knowledge and understanding. Allowing for special time with a new key person will instil a greater sense of security. This is important for Reception-aged children and those moving into Year 1, as these children still require the reassurance and guidance of a responsive adult to make positive transitions, and a key person can tune in to a child's emotional response to change and act accordingly.

Enabling environments

Environments and routines that encourage shared endeavour, or special time in small groups, are invaluable for children building new friendships and developing a sense of security following a transition. As children progress from home to setting, room to room, join another setting or embark on their journey into school, it makes sense to provide them with familiar resources and experiences. They must feel safe and secure in order to continue to develop, and a homely, stable environment is central to this sense of belonging. If they need only make minor adjustments, children won't lose ground in their learning. They will be more receptive to new thinking and challenges if they have successfully adapted to the environment, expectations and routines.

Families need time to visit and interact with new surroundings, and opportunities to talk with children about what is recognisable and what is exciting. We send out a strong message to children when we make provision for their interests or strong schemas and when we personalise resources. We are telling them that they are special to us, that we are keeping them in mind even when they are not with us, thereby strengthening new bonds.

Effective pedagogy

Play-based approaches used to extend thinking and develop ideas are fundamental to successful learning in the early years. Adults as co-thinkers and partners in play provide the support and challenge children need to initiate their own learning. However, as children progress through the Foundation Stage and into school, there can often be a move towards more adult-directed activity. Y1 teachers often say that independence is a skill they feel children need in order to cope best with transition. Sadly, for young children, less opportunity to initiate learning can result in a loss of opportunity for independence and choice as they move through school. Whilst developing effective transition in one Enfield school, the lead teacher observed that Foundation Stage children, who were competent in activities such as recording ideas and even baking cakes from scratch, found the same activities were predominantly adult-led higher up the school. Children were losing the independence they had developed in the early years - the very skills most desirable in a primary classroom.

At the CLPE we know that the creative, integrated approaches to learning that are best practice in the early years work for children of all ages. We put high-quality literature at the heart of all learning and when this literature-based approach is used from nursery upwards, there is little difference in pedagogy for those children making the transition into Reception and Year 1, other than appropriate challenge. Core skills are taught in fun ways, children are active and artwork and role play is recognised as fundamental to deeper understanding of the world and self. Role play, outdoors, small world play, sand and water are cited by children as aspects of the early years that they miss when they move through the school. Yet, if we use inspiring stimulus to help them to be active participants in leading their own learning, we don't have to dominate their experience with a desire for them to 'sit still and listen'.

Transition in practice

All children experience transitions throughout the day; we plan reassuring but flexible routines to help children cope, and rhymes and songs to inject a bit of fun. We can promote similarly positive experiences when guiding children through more significant transitions - try the following ideas...

● View transition as a process not an event; plan ahead and value the concerns of children and their families. Make transition and the wellbeing of children a priority.

● Request welcome packs from the schools your children will move on to, distributing key dates and information to parents.

● Visit new settings with the children; invite visits from new practitioners and ensure at least a phone call to hand over.

● Transfer assessments, progress reports and learning journeys in good time, and share vital information about a child's heritage, language and social skills.

● Ensure children develop independent self-care skills to manage in a setting with fewer adults.

● Role play experiences such as dressing up in school uniforms, busy playtimes and lunchtimes.

● Remember that lunchtime is a quiet time in most settings, but at school the rowdy nature of playtime can be overwhelming and a total shift in routine.

● Focus on core skills, such as reading for pleasure, early phonological awareness and number, that lay the foundations for lifelong learning.

● Ensure areas are made available for parents to meet and interact as they enter your setting.

● Gain all you can from home visits, small group play dates, liaison with the key person and relationships with parents; a baseline assessment will be more accurate if it relies less on the first few stressful weeks in a new setting.

● Ensure 'special books' are continuously available to families and new practitioners.

● Build in special time in which small groups can be with their key person on a daily basis.

● Encourage children and parents to express themselves throughout the transition process; value their concerns.

● Focus on the language of similarity, not difference - there's a fine line between exciting and overwhelming.

● Approach coverage of new curriculums with equal creativity; play is a child's work.

● Engage practitioners in shared moderation and overlap professional development between settings - bridge the divide and knowledge gaps.

Anjali Patel is an early years and primary advisory teacher at the CLPE - an independent UK charity with a global reputation for high-quality research into literacy and teaching.

You may also be interested in...

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Supporting Transitions in the Early Years | A Unique Child | Teach Early Years

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Change can be a daunting prospect, so how do we ease the process of transition throughout a child's early years? Anjali Patel of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) explains... Stability is vital in a child's early years, yet change is unavoidable for many young children and they will inevitably undergo a number of emotional and environmental transitions before they even reach school age.

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Some providers have found it helpful to gather information and make notes on this word version, in preparation for completion of the online STAIR form. This may be a supportive resource for you & your team to use in readiness for STAIR submissions.

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Advice for practitioners around safeguarding and the transfer of information at transition, including the File Transfer Record and receipt.

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Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

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Safeguarding guidance and reporting - Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

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Information to help early years education providers with safeguarding issues