When young children first start school, it is natural for parents to worry – about whether their children will make friends, settle and cope with separation. In days gone by, turning five years old often signified a transition from pre-school, playgroup or nursery, to school. This was likely to involve big changes – not only in terms of new buildings and different practitioners, but also the nature and “culture” of the environment.
Traditional Approach in Schools
Traditionally, pre-schools and playgroups have focused on play and care; so, too, have nurseries, although feeder nurseries and those attached to schools may also have included school-type taster activities to prepare children for moving on. In contrast, Reception classes in schools (prior to the Foundation Stage Curriculum in England) were often characterised by a more formal approach to learning, with a prevalence of adult-led activities, reflecting notions of what constitutes “real work” within an educational setting.
The good news is that early years philosophy has changed dramatically in recent years. The revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum has introduced an integrated framework which removes the distinction between education and care, bringing much greater continuity across different kinds of early years settings.
Smoother Transition
The EYFS provides a childcare framework for settings with children ranging from birth to five. This means that when children start school, they will encounter a curriculum that is likely to be very similar to any they have previously experienced in terms of structure and underpinning principles.
The effect of this uniformity across different settings should be smoother transitions for children and less difficulty with settling-in. The EYFS is the most child-centred curriculum yet, and promotes a philosophy of developmentally appropriate, play-based learning. It proclaims that “all areas (of learning and development) must be delivered through planned, purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities.” (Statutory Framework for the Foundation Stage, DfES, 2007, p11).
When children arrive at school on their first day, they should no longer have to sit on the carpet waiting anxiously for everyone else to arrive, and for the formal welcome and registration to commence. Instead, they should walk into a class or early years unit that is buzzing with excitement and interesting play activities, which they can immediately enjoy. This will help them to relax and take their minds off the pain of separation.
Key Workers
New children will be introduced to their key worker when they start school (perhaps even earlier during preliminary, familiarisation visits). This is the adult (not necessarily the teacher) who will take personal responsibility for their welfare (along with others in the practitioner’s group of key children). This adult will guide new children through their first day and the settling-in process, and liaise with parents.
Bonding is known to be an important factor in young children’s development, and the “key person” system is highly effective for ensuring that children feel secure and special. Children can build a close attachment to a practitioner and be safe in the knowledge that there is always someone on-hand who will make time for them, and whom they can approach for help when necessary.
Making Friends at School
Settling-in is also about making friends. This – along with being safe – is perhaps what parents worry about most. Children tend to be naturally sociable, however, especially when they are given the freedom to talk and play alongside one other, at their own pace and in their own way. Play-based settings are ideal breeding grounds for this kind of social interaction, and friendships blossom easily.
The role of the key person also involves monitoring the progress of children in their key group. This is done in various ways and the most useful method is that of observations – watching how children behave in the setting, how they interact with their peers and how they engage in play activities. These kinds of observations provide extremely useful information and can highlight areas of difficulty requiring support or further intervention.
Settling into school does not necessarily involve the big upheaval that it used to. Contemporary early years settings – including schools – have a much more child-centred approach to provision, and transitions are, hopefully, smoother, involving progression from one play-based setting to another.
