Wealden Times | WT244 | September 2022 | Winter Interiors Supplement inside

Education
Laura Leigh-Hill, Head of Nursery at Bede’s, shares her guide to starting school in September
istockphoto.com/ Pokota Poco
It is that time of year again! Your fouryear-old’s
time at pre-school has come
to an end and they will begin their
school journey, starting in Reception.
This is a big change, a milestone in
their life and it can feel daunting – for
both your child and you! Every child is
different and, therefore, settling into a
new environment may take days, weeks
or even months. No matter how long
it takes them to settle into school life,
there are some steps you can take to
make the transition feel a little easier.
Before they start school in reception:
Help your child to feel familiar
1 with their new environment. If there
is the opportunity, your child should
visit their new classroom and meet their
new teacher. Getting to know their
new surroundings will help to ease any
anxieties they may have about being in a
new place. At Bede’s, during the Summer
Term, Nursery children attend some of
the Reception class assemblies and join
in lessons. Children new to the school
are invited to visit their new class and
teachers in the following weeks. This also
provides them with an opportunity to
meet their peers and for parents to meet
one another. Our Reception teachers also
visit the Nursery children at play and story
times. This means that the children get to
know each other, their teachers and their
new surroundings before September rolls
around, making them more comfortable
and even excited for their new start!
Communicate positively about their
2 new start. Speak to your child about
how they feel about starting at school.
Give plenty of reassurance and listen to
any worries they may have. You can talk
about any of the new extracurricular
activities the child will be
involved with and
the opportunities that they will be able
to embark upon at their new stage in
school life. This should help them look
forward to what’s to come in September.
Make sure your child has everything
3 they need. When starting at their
new school, it is likely that they will
need the correct uniform and PE kit.
Your child’s school should provide you
with a list of everything they may need.
Trying their uniform on will help your
child to visualise the next step and feel
excitement about their new start.
4Help your child with some
independence skills before they start.
There are some skills that are very useful
and will help your child’s transition into
Reception more seamless and stress-free.
For example, helping your son or daughter
to dress and undress and teaching them
to put their shoes on (with Velcro). It
is also helpful if they can be used to
using the toilet independently, washing
their hands, holding and using scissors,
enjoying stories, recognising their name
and writing their name if possible. It is
hugely beneficial if you and your son or
daughter play letter and sound games
(using ‘pure’ sounds) as well as simple
maths games. At Bede’s, we offer plenty of
resources for our parents to help with the
above all before their child walks through
the door in September to join Reception.
5Practise the school run! It may
sound daft, but in the lead up to
the start of their school journey it really
helps children to be as prepared as
possible and simply explaining timings
and travelling to and from their school
will help ease them into that transition
and get them excited about starting
school in September. At Bede’s we are
fortunate to have the beautiful Eastbourne
coastline right on our doorstep, so it’s
the perfect excuse to enjoy a day at
the seaside in the school break whilst
practising your route to your new school!
6It’s a big change for you too...
especially if it’s your first child! You
may be feeling daunted by the prospect
and children can easily sense your
unease. Ensure you have received all the
information from your child’s school so
you feel prepared and organised about
timings, start of term activities. Make
sure you have a list of everything your
child needs to bring on their first day
and also log-in details for any parent
communication portals. At Bede’s
we have weekly round-ups, monthly
newsletters and also ClassList which
give parents a glimpse into their child’s
school day. It’s a great way to help
spark discussions with your child about
what they have been doing at school
and give you the reassurance you need
that they are settling into school life.
If you or your child are worried about
what those first few weeks of Reception
may look like, it is important to note
that you are not alone and there are
many going through the same process
and have similar worries. At Bede’s, we
pride ourselves on establishing strong
links with our parents and believe that
maintaining these links are vital to your
child’s development. Our door is open for
parents to communicate any concerns or
questions at any time. It is our priority to
create a joyful learning experience for all
of our pupils, and we are confident that
all Reception pupils will feel comfortable
and settled within just a few weeks.
To find out more about the outstanding
teaching, facilities and co-curricular
opportunities at Bede’s, sign up for
their Prep School Open Morning on
Saturday 8 October 2022. Book
your place at bedes.org
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