Why is starting in Transition class so important?

Making the right decision for your child’s education is never an easy process. When is the right time to send them to nursery? Which nursery should I send them too? What type of nursery setting am I looking for? Most importantly, how will I facilitate a smooth transition from Nursery to School?

To provide you with a little insight into some of these questions, we had a little chat with a current Hatherop parent who has a child in one of our Transition classes.

Why did you choose to start at Hatherop before Reception?

This was so important to me because my eldest really struggled to settle in to Reception at a different school.  The jump from nursery to school was too overwhelming for him and as a result his first half term was quite a battle.  This was upsetting for me as his mum as I hated the thought of him not enjoying school. 

At Hatherop, J spends a small amount of time on a weekly basis going into Reception. This is done throughout the whole year to allow him and us to get to know his teachers and environment. For me, this is enormously reassuring to know he is exposed to a gradual settling in process.  As a parent, you always feel so much pressure and guilt about making the right choice for your child and this has certainly taken away any worries I had about his move to Reception next year.  He is already asking about when can he move up to Reception class and is so excited about it!

What made you choose Hatherop Castle School?

The home from home environment really appealed to me.  It was a very hard decision to go back to work after 5 years at home with the children and prior to finding Hatherop I was feeling very guilty about leaving my little one somewhere he was unfamiliar with.  When I found Hatherop, it was such a relief to be able to drop him off and have him scooped up with a big hug from Mrs Riley and welcomed into the classroom for the day.

The free wraparound care was also a huge incentive and provided me with the flexibility to be at work.  Being able to drop him off at 8am and collect at 4.30pm allows me a full day at work, knowing that he is having a fabulous time in safe hands.

How does he spend his days?

He is a very active child and needs a lot of exercise and stimulation! With 22 acres at Hatherop he has more than enough space.  His days are spent enjoying forest schools in their own forest, climbing and exploring in the back garden and wolfing down seconds every day in the dining room!  He loves that he gets sports lessons with our Director of Sport, Mr Bailey on the Astro turf. 

There is a wide range of topics he loves learning about and is currently learning about space and the planets, which he is fascinated in.  He also does a huge range of table work and is always making, drawing or building something and he is always so proud to show me his work at the end of the day when I go to collect him.

A combination of all these elements has allowed me to settle back in to work with the peace of mind that J is thriving at Hatherop.  He comes bounding out every day telling me what a great time he has had.  Knowing that he is already settled in to school life and is excited about the next stage is wonderful for us all as a family unit and we cannot wait to see what adventures Reception brings!