Primary Transition

• Tuesday 18 June 2024 or Wednesday 19 June 2024 - Meet and Greet (by appointment)
• Thursday 20 June 2024, 4:00pm to 4:45pm - Stay and Play
• Saturday 22 June 2024, 11:00am to 2:00pm - Summer Fair
• Monday 9 September 2024 - Wednesday 11 September 2024, 8:30am to 12:30pm - Reception School Induction Days
• Thursday 12 September 2024, 8:30am to 3:30pm - Reception First Full Day of School

What are the transition arrangements?

Pupils will have the opportunity to attend our stay and play session on Thursday 20 June 2024 (4:00pm to 4:45pm) so they can become familiar with their new teachers and their new peers.

Face to face meetings with our families and their children will take place in June. This short meeting will be a chance for us to find out more information about your child as well as discussing any worries that you may have. 

On Monday 9 September 2024, Reception students should arrive to school for 8:25am in full school uniform. They will finish at 12:30pm for the first 3 days. On Thursday 12 September 2024, students will have their first full school day and will finish at 3:30pm. Students will eat lunch at school. If your child does not wish to eat the lunch provided, please provide a packed lunch.

What do I do when I bring my child in the mornings?

The school small red gate opens at 8:25am and you can bring your child to line up outside their classroom door where the class teacher and co-teacher will be ready to receive the children.  Please say your goodbyes quickly, even if it seems really hard as the children are reluctant to leave you. For the first few days in September, we are happy if a parent takes their child into their classroom to settle them.

All members of the Strategic Leadership Team are on duty in the playground and are on the gate from 8:25am. The primary gate closes at 8:35am and if your child arrives after this time they are classified as late which is then recorded in our registers. Any child who arrives after 9am will receive a U code which counts towards absence. If punctuality becomes a recurring problem, it is then referred to our school Attendance Officer.

At the end of the day, the gate will open at 3:25pm and you will be able to collect your child from their Reception classroom door. Please try to be on time as children can get upset if they think you might not be picking them up.

What happens if my child is late for school?

If you arrive after 8:35am, your child will need to enter school via the Primary office. Always let us know if your child is unwell and absent from school. Punctuality to school is very important so children do not miss out on key learning which often takes place at the start of a day.

What do I do when it is not the usual person collecting my child?

If anyone other than the usual adult is going to collect your child, please notify the school office as soon as possible. We will not hand your child over to anyone who we are not authorised to.

What uniform do I need to get for my child?

The children will need to have black leather shoes (no boots please) and outdoor coats that they are able to fasten and unfasten themselves. We encourage independence at all times.

Children are not allowed to wear jewellery, make up or nail varnish at school and children with long hair should wear it tied back as much as possible. Hair colour must be natural colours only – no coloured hair at all or lines cut into hair please.

Please ensure all your child’s belongings (book bags, clothing, shoes etc) are named with their full name. School uniform and PE kit is available from White Hall Clothiers.

School uniform is:

Girls

• White polo shirt
• Black v-neck school jumper or school cardigan
• Black skirt or pinafore dress and black tights /white socks
• Yellow checked summer school dress and white socks
• Black trousers
• Black leather shoes - no boots or trainers / fabric shoes please
• Black or white hijab (no sparkles please)

BOYS

• White polo shirt
• Black v-neck school jumper
• Black trousers / shorts
• Black leather shoes (trainers or shoes with a sports marking ie Nike tick are not allowed)

Every child will need a warm, waterproof coat as the children will go outside every day.

Please also provide a school-book bag for every child which must come to school every day.

PE Kit

• White PE polo shirt
• Black round neck PE jumper
• Black jogging bottoms / leggings / shorts
• Trainers (no plimsolls please as these fall off easily)
• PE bag

On PE days, pupils must wear their PE kit to school.

Please ensure everything is labelled – shoes and trainers too!

If your child loses an item of clothing or property and is unable to locate it in the classroom, please look in the lost property box located outside in the playground. We discourage toys to be brought to school due to the fact they become lost or broken, unless they are linked to ‘show and tell’ or a class topic.

Our approved supplier is Whitehall Clothiers (77 Camberwell Road, London, SE5 0EZ). Please select the below to view our uniform policy. 

Uniform and equipment

In line with Southwark Councils commitment to give children a great start in life, all nursery or primary pupils are offered free and healthy school meals during term time.

Our catering team prepares a diverse selection of healthy meals, which are rotated each term.

 School Meals

Will my child need a snack?

We provide a healthy snack (fruit) each day in the Reception class. The fruit and vegetables are provided under the ‘School Fruit and Vegetables’ scheme introduced by the government, which provides a piece of fruit or vegetable for each child in Foundation Stage and KS1 free of charge. Water is freely available to all pupils and we ask your child to bring in a reusable water bottle with their name on it.

What happens at lunch?

In line with Southwark Councils commitment to give children a great start in life, all nursery or primary pupils are offered free and healthy school meals during term time. All Primary aged pupils are provided with a free, hot school lunch and the majority of pupils have a school lunch. Menus are displayed on the school office window and are in a 3-week cycle – they will also be on our school website.

Lunch for our Reception pupils is 11:50 to 1:00pm. They are taken to the dining hall by their class teacher and co-teacher who will help the children get their lunch and cut it up if needed. A wide choice of food is on offer (including vegetarian and halal food). Water and/or milk is also available. Please ensure your child is able to eat independently with a knife, fork and spoon.

However, if your child does not like the lunches, pupils can bring in the own packed lunch. Please be aware that fizzy drinks, sweets, crisps and chocolate are not permitted. We are also a ‘nut free’ school due to a number of pupils with severe allergies.

Once the children have finished their lunch, they go into the playground which is supervised by our co-teachers.

It is essential that the school are provided with up to date documentation, including medical care plans, if applicable. 

Parents and carers with parental responsibility have a duty to provide these details and to inform the Academy office immediately of any changes, especially in emergency contact numbers. 

What do I need to do if my child needs medication?

We only accept medication in its original packaging with a clear prescription label which can be handed into the school office on the first day of term. All medicines are held in the office including any inhalers. Should your child need medication for whatever reason, a consent form must be completed. Please ensure you inform the class teacher if medication is to be taken as they will take the child to the office for it to be given.

School Day:

                        8:30am         Start of the Day / Lessons start

                        10:15am        Outdoor Play

                        10:30am       Lessons start

                        11:50am        Lunch

                        1:00pm         Afternoon lessons start

                        3:30pm         End of the school day

What will my child be doing at school?

Your child will have daily Phonics (Read, Write Inc.), English and Maths lessons. These will be in the morning. Other areas of the curriculum are taught in the afternoons through ‘Discover and Do’

Much of the curriculum is organised in topics – our Autumn 1 topic is ‘All About Me’. During their time in school some of the children’s learning will be structured play as it is in the Nursery. There will also be periods of teacher directed learning.

Self-registration

When the children come into the classroom, they will find their own name from a table and will add it to the registration board and then practise writing it. This is to help them recognise their name and also to let staff know children are in school. We will also register them ourselves. Please encourage the children at home over the summer to recognise, read, write and spell their name.

Will my child take reading books home?

Your child will start bringing picture books home to practise storytelling. Then when they can recognise and sound out some words we will introduce reading books. Lots of reading together at home helps children achieve well in literacy in school. Your child will be given a reading record and we would like you to read the book with your child and discuss what is happening, perhaps asking some questions. The child’s reading record should be signed and dated every day.  Please add comments when your child has read their book and return book bags daily. Please see your child’s teacher if you have any queries about your child’s reading.

Will my child have homework?

All Reception pupils will have homework. Reading is expected every day at home. Other homework is sent home on a Tuesday and it is expected back in school on a Friday. Pupils will have a homework book and also additional homework on SEESAW, out class online learning journal. The login details will be available in September by the class teacher.

Will my child need a book bag?

Your child needs to keep their homework book, reading books and ‘reading record’ in a book bag – please don’t forget to check the book bags regularly for letters and messages. Pupils’ work is often sent home as well.

Assessment

We make regular assessments via observation in adult-directed and child-initiated learning which are then put on SEESAW for you to celebrate your child’s learning. The assessments form the Foundation Stage Profile, which is submitted to the Local Authority in the final term of the academic year.

Digital Learning Journals

Our online learning journals are the fundamental way we record your child’s progress through the Foundation Stage and we complete these digitally. As part of the ongoing process we record and notate observations, achievements and photographs. Following a SEESAW workshop in early September, we ask you for your contribution to the digital journals, by writing about your child’s achievements at home – for example if they have achieved something special.

What happens if you want to take your child on a holiday in school term time?

No holiday unless in exceptional circumstances will be authorised by the school.

Any that are taken will be shown on your child’s absence reports as unauthorised absence. We work closely with our Attendance Officer to ensure pupils attend our school every day.

Overlapping holidays with the beginning of term also has a negative impact on children as during the first half term of starting school or starting a new class important friendships are made. Continuous sporadic absence also seriously affects children’s ability to make and keep friends as they are often not around to play with.

What should I do if I am worried about my child?

It is always better to sort out any problems sooner rather than later. In the first instance make an appointment to see your child’s teacher, or secondly the Early Years Leader – Ms Shah - who will always be happy to discuss any problems. The time available before school is limited and hectic so issues are better addressed at the end of the school day.

During the year there will also be occasions when parents are invited into school to discuss how their child is progressing.

If you wish to discuss any matter with the Primary Principal, please ask at the school office or speak to Ms Colburn. She is always on the red gate before school and at the end of school.

How can I get involved with my child’s school?

The teachers are always looking for parents to help them in their classes and feel it is a very valuable experience for all. If you could spare a couple of hours each week, please let the school know. We will help with the DBS process.

You can also help from home and we are always grateful to parents who save materials to be used in art and craft work, e.g. buttons, yoghurt pots, corks, lids, shiny bits, foil, ribbon, wool, small boxes, material, cardboard tubes and anything else you think will be useful (please - nothing too big as storage is a problem).

What should my child know before they start Reception?

Please find below a list of things that will really ensure your child is able to have the best possible start to their Reception year. Adults are available to help but please bear in mind there are up to 30 children in each class!

Self-Care/Independence

• I can use the toilet independently
• I know how to wash my hands
• I wash my hands after using the toilet
• I can wipe my nose and throw my dirty tissue in the bin
• I can be away from my parents
• I am learning to dress myself in my uniform
• I can eat with a fork, knife and spoon
• I can open my water bottle
• I can open my lunch box and items inside my lunch (there will usually be dinner ladies and teachers at hand to help)

Playing with others

• I can play fairly with others and I know how to take turns
• I can share with others
• I join in with games and fun with others
• Be sensitive to others feelings

Communication/Speaking

• I can communicate my ideas with my peers and teachers with words and feelings
• I can ask a grown up to help me if I’m unsure
• I can follow single instructions

Learning

• I can recognise my own name
• I can write my own name
• I can hold a pencil correctly using a pincer grip
• I can or am starting to form letters with a pencil
• I can recognise some letters
• I can recognise some numbers
• I can turn a page in a book
• I can name colours and shapes
• I know how to handle and use scissors correctly
• Sing or recite songs

We hope you have found the information in this booklet useful. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions and we look forward to seeing you and your child in September 2024.