Growing up or starting school is an important milestone for children. And their family.
When everyone knows what to expect, the child is more likely to feel confident and happy about moving into a new room at the Cubbyhouse. Or onto to formal schooling.
Open communication and strong relationships are the key. Information sharing between families, early childhood settings and schools, before children start helps for a smooth transition.
Children in NSW may enrol in Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five years of age on or before 31 July in that year.
Children also transition between the rooms, as they become older. Moving from babies to school age. As well as across the day within the room, the program and the daily routines.
Smooth transitions for all children, staff and families is the aim.
In Centre Transitions
We encourage the children to spend time during mornings and afternoons in family groupings. Then they are familiar with the Cubbyhouse as a whole. This will develop relationships between all children, educators and families. And will ensure smooth transition as everyone is already known to each other.
As children from the baby room turn two and children in the toddler room turn three years we try to move the children up.
The educators assess the child’s development and readiness to transition. Then talk with the families about moving their child to the next room. Discuss with the director the availability of positions and possible time frame for this to occur.
The children will spend short periods of time in the next room. When they are ready they can start to spend a whole day in the next room.
Routine Transitions
The children are included in the routines of the day. They are given a signal before its time to change from play to lunch. Or inside to outside play time. We use games and rhymes to move from one place to the next to make it a fun and educational experience.
Transition to ‘Big School’
As a child reaches the year before school entry the educators assess the child’s readiness. They talk with the family about school readiness skills. Our teachers use the program to prepare for the transition to school. Discussing primary school through the daily routines and program. Information and ideas are passed onto families to prepare them all for the change. The educators talk with local schools. This ensures orientation and transition to primary school occurs in a smooth manner. This will make it a positive experience for child and family.
Leaving Cubbyhouse
When a child leaves our centre, their developmental profile is passed onto the family to share with any new carers or educators.
Children’s individual needs (health, development etc) will be taken into account during the transitioning process.
It is so important to get this process right. And support all children to be confident and curious learners!
Useful websites
http://www.transitiontoschoolresource.org.au/tts-content/families
http://www.transitiontoschoolresource.org.au/
