Blog - Nursery Talk

Starting big school

Starting a new job is daunting and for little ones moving on to big school it can also be a bit scary! Here at Boys & Girls Nursery we implement the following to help ease the transition:

• We spend lots of time reading books and talking about what happens on the first day at school. Our home corners are turned into pretend classrooms complete with school uniforms for the children to practice dressing themselves
• Each child is given a job to help out around the rooms to encourage independence – they all enjoy being ‘helper of the day’
• The children enjoy lots of role play where they take it in turns to be the teacher, taking the register and setting rules of the classroom
• Having a ‘P.E session’ in the garden everyday helps everyone understand the importance of health and exercise
• To help our Pre-Schoolers understand that they will be leaving nursery we throw them a leavers party to show them that moving on to big school is a positive and happy time

Here are a few things you can also do at home to help:

Communication – Talk with your child about what is happening, encourage your child to express their feelings and to make new friends. Emphasise that they need to respond not only to their teacher, but also to other members of the school team.

Sleep – Introduce a term time sleep routine. Children need sleep in order to process information they have learned and it also helps them to concentrate. Remember the first few weeks will be tough on them and sleep will be very important.

Diet – Try to avoid sugary cereals at breakfast, porridge, Weetabix and granola are great starts for little ones! Wholesome meals containing a balance of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables are vital to refuel children after busy school days.

Reading – Books are a huge part of school life and early on your child will be given a reading book to bring home – books should form a part of your daily routine, the library is a free service offering lots of lovely books and should be a weekly stop!

Making Friends – Look out for opportunities for your child to play with other children, particularly if you know anyone who has a child in the same class.