2 minute read
Education News
from SE22 September 2021
by SE Magazines
Stepping into School
Education News from Alleyn's | www.alleyns.org.uk
Kristy O’Donnell, Reception teacher at Alleyn’s Junior School, tells us how to prepare our children for their first day at school.
The first day at school is a huge step for both children and parents. During their Reception year your child will develop their independence, maturity, confidence, resilience and curiosity. They will learn by doing things for themselves, exploring, investigating, watching and listening, engaging in discussions, through creative and imaginative play… the list goes on. How can you prepare your child for the first day of this seminal year? There are three skill areas to focus on.
1) Physical
• Dressing independently: practise buttons, zips and shoe fastenings with your child so they can feel confident getting changed. • Playing outside: ‘big’ physical play, such as climbing, will help your child’s brain to develop and improve their motor skills, preparing them for writing.
2) Personal, Social & Emotional
• Sharing and turn-taking: playing games in small groups will encourage your child to understand that others are important and prepare them for sharing toys in class. • Socialising: spending time with other children will support your child in feeling comfortable in initiating play and conversation with their new school friends. • Feelings: little souls have big emotions. It is important that children can recognise and acknowledge their feelings so that teachers can support and encourage them to process them. Ask your child ‘how do you feel?’ when you can see them experiencing different emotions and help them to understand what these are and that they are normal.
3) Academic
• Developing a love of books: if your child sees you reading, they will want to read. Chose a range of stories to enrich their vocabulary and interests. Encourage them to ask and answer questions and use their imagination to think up new characters and alternative endings to the story. • Holding a pencil correctly: practise holding a pencil in your child’s dominant hand using a tripod grip. The wrong grip can be uncomfortable and hard to correct down the line. • Counting everything: build early maths skills by identifying numbers on buses or front doors or counting anything from buttons on coats to how many stairs you climb.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Above all, and fundamental to a successful first day at school, is talking about school. Discuss in advance with your child what you will do in the morning leading up to dropping them off. Listen to any concerns or questions your child might have and give them all the positive reasons why you chose the school they are joining. Explain when and how you will say goodbye and then do it! A positive, confident handover is critical for leaving your child happy and safe. Every school has a different drop-off procedure so if you’re not sure, check with the school how they approach this. Remember, your child will be one of a whole class of new pupils with a teacher intent on settling them all in!
