Most of our new starters enter Osmotherley Primary School having attended Osmotherley Pre-School. We work closely with preschool staff throughout the year and receive detailed handover of information for each child in the Summer term.
Throughout the Summer term, visits are arranged where pre-school staff bring the new starters to play alongside the current reception children for 30 minutes a week in our outdoor area. The school staff working with the children will swap each week so the new starters will meet all staff working in our class.
Home visits are offered to all new starters where teachers will play in their home environment and chat to parents one on one to offer any advice or reassurance about starting school.
Parents are invited into school for an information evening in May where they will be able to see the classroom and ask any practical questions about starting school.
All new starters are invited to ‘Stay and Play’ visits in the Summer term where, if the child is confident enough, they will be dropped off for one hour to play with the current class.
If any children are due to attend but are not currently enrolled at Osmotherley Pre-School then a nursery visit will also be arranged. The Early Years Lead will contact the nursery to discuss any concerns or any relevant information.
Parents are invited to a parent picnic in July where they can bring their child for a snack and a play in our school grounds after school. This will be another opportunity to meet other parents and swap numbers if they would like to meet in the Summer holidays.
At Osmotherley Primary we have a gradual admission in September where new starters attend for half a day for the first two weeks of the Autumn term to allow the children to settle into our mixed age class gently and with all of the children’s emotional well-being at the forefront of our minds.
We continue the close relationships with parents through face to face and online communication which is detailed further in our EYFS Policy.