Transition at Willow Green

At Willow Green, we recognise the important role that transition plays in ensuring that children are able to deal with the changes that they experience as they move through the school. We consider all points of transition both into and out of the academy and put appropriate strategies in place to support the children.

What do we do to ensure a successful transition for:

New to EYFS at Willow Green

  • Children will be able to visit the setting before the end of the academic year with their parents and meet the staff.
  • Parents will be invited to a welcome night, giving them an opportunity to meet staff, ask questions and become familiar with the running of the unit.
  • All new children will receive a home visit from a member of staff within the unit, including pupil voice and parent voice.
  • New Starter children will have a number of opportunities to visit the EYFS unit at the end of the academic year where they will be able to familiarise themselves with the unit and become more comfortable with staff.
  • All EYFS children will be welcome to attend a drop in session at the start of the year to refresh their memory.
  • EYFS Lead will hold a session for parents to talk about the EYFS curriculum and provision on offer.

All children will receive a Book bag with some special resources inside.

Children who are moving up between EYFS and Year 1

  • Practitioners from FS2 and Year 1 collaborate to share information and good practice.
  • Year 1 teachers are given time to familiarise themselves with both the EYFS and the children in the phase before transition takes place.  Year 1 teachers are very knowledgeable about EYFS curriculum and have undertaken EYFS CPD.
  • FS Practitioners to share children’s data with Year 1 Practitioners and talk about the current cohort on a termly basis. This includes phonics trackers, EYFS termly assessment, observations and Children’s Characteristics of Effective Learning.
  • FS Practitioners to share analysis of data which will allow Year 1 staff to identify children who have not achieved the ELGs in areas identified by the school as a priority e.g.  phonics, reading and writing.
  • Curriculum provision in Year 1 to reflect both the needs of the children still working within EYFS and also those accessing National Curriculum, thus enabling practitioners to close the gaps in children’s learning and also challenge all learners.
  • Collaboratively, FS and Year 1 practitioners to identify potentially vulnerable children e.g. summer born children, bottom 20% and those with SEN/cause for concern.
  • FS staff to share folders, work and pertinent information about children with Year 1 staff.
  • EYFSP overviews and Development Matter overviews for all children are passed from Foundation Stage to Year 1 staff.
  • Timetable of transition for the Summer Term (term 2) to ensure that transition is not an event but a process which includes opportunities for children to become familiar with main school staff, routines and expectations.

Towards the end of the academic year in FS2, the following activities take place to ensure the transition from EYFS into Year 1 is as seamless as possible for all of our children.

Story time transitions. Year 1 Practitioners make regular visits to the Foundation Stage to read familiar stories. EYFS practitioners also take the Foundation Stage children to Year 1 classes to have a story in their soon to be learning environment.

School assemblies. EYFS children begin to attend KS1 assemblies to become increasingly familiar with whole school routines and a larger audience. Year 1 Practitioners sit with EYFS children in the hall during this time.

Transition meetings for Parents/Carers. These are delivered in the hall or classroom areas and also involves a tour of KS1. Additional transition meetings are organised for children with learning difficulties if needed. Multi agencies may also be involved with this. Transition books unique to children’s specific needs are made for children who may need additional support with the transition process. These are shared with Parents/Carers, as well as EYFS/Year 1 Practitioners.

Whole school transition week. During this week each year group move up to their new class. This enables relationships to develop further as well as routines.

Children who join us with previously identified SEND needs

When pupils, with an identified SEND need, start at Willow Green the school follows a rigorous process to ensure that the child receives a smooth transition and that his/her needs are accurately identified and any necessary provision in in place before the child’s start date. The process for the admission of children with SEND needs is outlined below.  

Prior to the child’s start date, the SENCo will gather information about the child’s needs, current targets and provision required. The SENCo will speak to other professionals. This includes the SENCo at the previous school, if the child is transferring from another primary school, and also includes any external outside agencies that may be involved with the child.

The SENCo may also arrange a visit to see the child in their current setting, if appropriate. The SENCo also gathers information from the parents or carers regarding their child’s needs. In addition, the SENCo speaks to the child (if the child can communicate appropriately) in order to gain his/her views.   The SENCo will then use the information gathered to prepare for the child starting at school. This may include but is not limited to plans for a phased transition, risk assessments and personal evacuation plans. Once the SENCo has made any relevant arrangements, a start date will be agreed and shared.  

Before the child begins school, parents or carers and the child will have the opportunity to have an orientation of the site and to meet key members of staff. This is available to all new pupils. If a bespoke transition has been arranged, this may not take place in the usual way. Parents or carers will be invited to complete a questionnaire about their experience so far, in order for the leadership team to continuously evaluate the admission process.  

When the child has started at Willow Green, follow up work by the SENCo begins. This involves the SENCo looking at the child’s work and having conversations with the child and the child’s class teacher. This is done within the first three weeks to quality assure the information that was gathered prior to the child’s start date.  

Each child will then receive termly review meetings in line with the academy’s usual process for reviewing SEND pupil’s progress and provision.

Children who are moving up into a new school year

  • In the penultimate week of the year each class will join their new class teacher on a daily basis to take part in a short activity session, such as reading a story, a PE activity etc.
  • Each class teacher during this week will receive medical, dietary, safeguarding and academic updates from the previous class teachers.
  • Children move up to their new classes towards the end of the term. The time in their new class includes transition activities and some curriculum teaching.

Children who are in Year 6 and are moving on to secondary education

  • Pastoral Leads from feeder schools come into school and meet children on an individual basis. Each child is discussed with the class teacher.
  • Open nights for feeder schools are signposted and promoted to parents by Willow Green.
  • Children with SEND or Vulnerable children have a bespoke package of transition that may look different to the core offer.
  • Children attend secondary transition week in the penultimate week of term.
  • Children take part in transition units offered by the secondary school and information is passed up if requested.