Transition into Nursery

At Oasis Academy Little Explorers, we believe that children's transition into the Academy is the key to successful lifelong learning. We understand the importance of ensuring that children feel safe and secure and believe that the best way to do this is to work together to ensure that every child gets the best possible start. Our induction procedures in the Early Years ensure that children are given time to build solid relationships with adults and their peers and to settle into their new unfamiliar surroundings.

Your child may have already started their settling into preschool Nursery. We do lots of things to make this as easy as possible for you and your child. To help us with this we ask you to complete an ‘All about Me’ for your child’s class teacher. It asks simple questions about what your child likes and dislikes, what your child likes to play with or anything else you feel would be useful for us know about your child. We can then plan activities to help your child develop new skills and make them comfortable and settled into Little Explorers.

Parent Welcome Meeting Sessions

You will be invited to a Parents Welcome Meeting. We know that this first meeting is one of the most important parts of beginning our relationships with your child. We feel that it is important that this first meeting takes place in our Nursery where your child can see ourselves forming a quality home-school partnership. Many children will be coming away from home for the first time when they start school, and we want them to feel safe and secure with the new adults they will be working with. During the meeting we really want to know all about your child and to gain an understanding of how best to support them settling successfully into the Academy. There will also be plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions.

Stay and Play Sessions

These sessions are run by Nursery staff and give families the chance to come into the Academy and meet some of the key members of staff. It is also a key time where you can see the Academy’s facilities and resources. Most importantly, it is a fantastic opportunity for your child to ‘play’ and explore their new surroundings alongside their family or class teacher there with them. This will make the transition to dropping them off much less stressful as they become used to the Nursery and staff. 

Your Child's Class Teacher

All staff and in particular your child’s ‘Class Teacher’ will endeavour to help you and your child feel at home and staff are always available should you have any questions or concerns.

Your child’s class teachers’ main duties will be to assist your child to settle into the Pre-school by:

• Introducing the parents/carers to the Pre-school
• Talking with parents/carers
• Keeping a special watchful eye on the child in the first few sessions
• Assisting the child to integrate and settle well into the Pre-school environment.
• To provide for the emotional needs of the child e.g., to comfort and reassure the child at any time.
• To care for the child’s physical needs e.g., to assist with toileting or snack time as appropriate.
• To identify the child’s needs and incorporate them within the curriculum, ensuring that account is taken of race, culture, religion, language and family values.
• Observing, keeping records, and monitoring the child’s progress.
• Liaising with parents/carers, encouraging them to contribute expertise.
• To develop a day-to-day rapport with parents/carers, informing them of their child’s activities and achievements and being available, at the beginning and end of each session to answer any questions or concerns.
• To contribute information about individual children to the planning of the Pre-school curriculum framework whilst respecting confidentiality, as necessary.
• To liaise in conjunction with parents/carers and with statutory/professional personnel as necessary

Every child at Little Explorers is allocated a class teacher and a teaching assistant.  We will introduce you to your child’s class teacher and teaching assistant. You can also find out information on our information boards in Nursery. Your Class Teacher and teaching assistant will be two of our team members who will develop a close relationship with you and your child.

Having a Class Teacher and Teaching Assistant helps your child to feel settled, happy, and safe. They are responsible for your child’s care, development, and learning.

They can offer advice on things like getting more regular sleep patterns and trying different foods. They will also support you in giving you ideas on what learning you can do at home with your child and keep you up to date with your child’s progress.

Feel free to talk openly with your Class Teacher or message them through the Class Dojo App; we understand that you know your child more than anyone else and we value any ideas you have. When you collect your child, they, or another member of the team can give you feedback about your child’s day and share significant events with you. Although your Class Teacher will take the lead role with your child, all team members will be involved in your child’s progress and achievements during their time at Little Explorers.