Molly's+Guide+-+ISSUE+2

Molly’s Guide to:
Starting School
“When children start their formal education at
five they will be at different stages
developmentally, with girls usually ahead of
boys, but don’t worry. Given time, all children
should catch up and reach a similar level of
literacy and numeracy.
“It is normal for children to be tired when they
come home from school, particularly at the
start, so they will welcome having a healthy
snack and a glass of milk when they get home.
‘Stepping Stones Pre-School Nettleham
pupils with Louis the hand puppet’
Starting school is a milestone in
a child’s life and can be tough
for both the child and the
parents or carers.
It can be a scary experience for the child
moving from pre-school or day nursery
but with plenty of preparation now before
the big day in September, it’ll be
much easier.
Molly’s Guide talked to three professionals
working in childcare - the Pre-School Learning
Alliance, a Pre-School provider and a mum and
childminder – to ask for their advice.
Susan Hagan, Pre-School Learning Alliance,
Sub Committee Manager for Lincolnshire said:
“Children learn from birth, not when they
start school. Parents must not fret about
whether their child should be reading and
writing or able to sit still behind a desk.
“Children need to know that their parents will
listen to them at home when they want to tell
them about what their day was like at school
and that their achievements will be
celebrated.
“With the move to formal schooling, it is
important that children still have the space
and time at home to enjoy playing with
favourite toys and role-play games with friends
as a means of making sense of the world
around them.
Suzanne Hayden, Early Years Professional for
the Foundation Stage at Stepping Stones Pre-
School in Nettleham says the transition to
school is now much moreseamless.
“We have a much more rounded approach
which makes it much easier for children to
move from us on to school. We do lots of
preparation to prepare both the child and
their parents particularly in terms five and
six,” says Suzanne. “We build links with their
school and invite the schools to come in. The
more joined up approach means it should just
be a case of changing venues.
08 WEBSITE: www.mollysguide.co.uk molly’s guide | Edition 2 | Summer 2012
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