Fear of the unknown is often far worse than reality, and the same can happen when young children are due to move from pre-school (or other setting) into statutory schooling. Negative feelings can easily grow with the help of imagination, and spoil this exciting rite of passage.
Revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum
The revised EYFS curriculum (DfES, 2007) in English schools has been specifically designed to ensure a smoother transition into statutory schooling. Rather than dictating what young children should be learning, and when, the new curricular document gives developmental milestones ranging from birth to 60 months. This means that no matter what kind of setting children are in, they will be experiencing a similar kind of learning environment based on the same key principles.
Although the statutory age for starting school in England is five years, local authorities may vary in terms of their admission arrangements – some may require children to start a Reception class at the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday; others will have a single intake in September.
Because of the more fluid nature of the revised EYFS, some children may not even need to change setting when they turn five. However, even a relatively small change of routine such as moving from one building to another, can unsettle and upset a small child.
Familiarisation with a New School
A key part of schools’ familiarisation process is a preliminary visit. This usually takes place during the latter part of the summer term, before schools close for the holidays. This is extremely useful for both children and their families, as it provides an opportunity for them to look around their new surroundings and meet new faces.
Children should be encouraged to stay and play, so that they can discover the kind of equipment and activities on offer in school (and begin to see the benefits!). It is particularly important to build strong links between home and school, as this will help children to feel secure and at ease. Parents can contribute by pointing out things in the classroom (or Early Years Unit) that are similar to what they have at home (perhaps some Lego or a train track) or by finding things that are particular favourites (playdough, painting or a much-loved Thomas the Tank Engine book.
The familiarisation visits also provide an opportunity to meet other children and families who are nervous about starting school. Although many children are likely to be very shy during this initial visit, they could establish the beginnings of a friendship, or at least get to know some friendly faces.
Starting School Book
A highly effective tool for helping children cope with change, is that of Social Stories. Carol Gray introduced the concept of the Social Story in 1991 in the My Social Stories Book [Jessica Kingsley Publishers] for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who are deeply unsettled by changes of routine.
Social Stories are simple comic-strips or home-made books, which talk about particular issues or situations like starting school. They can be illustrated by hand-drawn illustrations (such as “stick” people), clipart or photographs – for example, images of the new school or the child in his or her school uniform.
The key objective is to make an informative, child-friendly booklet, which can be read and re-read as often as the child wishes, to help build a sense of familiarity, confidence and positive feelings.
A starting school story might cover the following:
- What school is, what it is like and where it is;
- Who goes there and what their names are;
- What happens at school and what it is for;
- What people say/do, what they are thinking/feeling and why;
- What the child him or herself is expected to say/do in this situation.
Talking to Your Child About Starting School
The importance of talking about starting school should not be overlooked. Children will have lots of questions and will need a great deal of reassurance, perhaps going over the same things repeatedly. Patience is the order of the day, however, and can go a considerable way towards reducing a child's anxiety.
Simple, yet effective, steps such as preliminary visits, Social Stories and discussion of fears can all help to prepare children for their transition to a new school, and make it a happy experience for all the family.
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