The Coronavirus has taken over the country and thrown off all our future plans, in particular school and education. So, if you have just found out what school your child will be attending in September, you will have many questions and maybe at a loss to where to find your answers.

Unlike the normal course, of visiting your child’s school before they start to gather information or even teachers visiting our nurseries to build relationships with the preschoolers before their first day, we now need virtual alternatives.

The BBC have collated many guides and information packs online to answer your questions and provide contact details to resolve any additional concerns you may have.

At Kiddi Caru Day Nurseries Group we encourage the children’s development by learning through play. As well as, preparing them for the transition from nursery to school via our School Readiness Programme.

We are aware that many of our Kiddi Caru preschool children may not return to nursery before they embark on the next big chapter of Primary School. So, we are happy to share with you our School Readiness resources to help you to prepare your child for School from home.

Encourage Independence

To instil independence in your child is one of the key aspects to prepare them for the transition to school. We would argue that it is the most important skill you can teach your child as it will support their self-esteem and confidence whilst going into this new chapter of their lives.

Independence is a gradual learning curve that is built upon over time whilst teaching your child important self-care and skills. This includes small activities such as your little one putting on their own coat and shoes unassisted to large mile stones including toilet training and hygiene. Kiddi Caru have created an independence learning journey poster for you to follow with your child to give them the best start for school.

Download

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

This is the framework that Early Years settings will have been following with the children from birth onwards and which continues to be used up until the end of reception at school. So, there should be no major changes to the focus on developmental areas when your child makes the transition from nursery to school.

The EYFS contains seven areas of development which are often interlinked:

1. Personal and Social Development
2. Physical Development
3. Communication and Language

(The first three are the prime developmental areas and apply from birth. They must be fully embedded before your child continues onto developing the other key areas of development)

4. Literacy
5. Mathematics
6. Understanding the World
7. Expressive Arts and Design

The prime areas of development can be imagined as the trunk of  your child’s learning tree, which need to be strong and defined before the branches of the other areas of development can grow and flourish.

Characteristics of Effective Learning:

1. Playing and Exploring
2. Active Learning
3. Creating and Thinking Critically

The three characteristics of effective learning are vital and form the ‘roots’ of your child’s learning tree. They describe the behaviours and attitudes towards learning that we want children to develop. Although at Kiddi Caru, we do not ‘plan’ activities for the three characteristics of effective learning, we look for evidence of these whilst your child is engaged in their play, as they are indicators of strong teaching and learning.

When thinking of School Readiness at home, observe your children in their everyday play and see if you can identify the three characteristics. This might be during their own imaginative and creative free play, or in activities you are working on together. Don’t feel there is a need for formal worksheets or heavily structured, adult led activities. Children learn best through play and having fun. So, you will notice more of the characteristics present in activities such as cooking biscuits, making mud pies, building dens or pretending to be Superheroes!

Activities to support your child’s development

Be sure to download and even print out our School Readiness Learning Map.

Download

Sit down with you little one and discuss what you both feel confident that they can do and what they need more help with.

Every child learns at their own pace and it is natural that they will still have areas of the map that they are still working on. We will be releasing a range of activities and resources over the coming days and weeks to address every section, in order, to help you and your child grow in confidence and to make sure you both feel comfortable regarding their independence in preparation for school in September!

You can start by having open conversations with your child to discuss their thoughts and feelings towards starting soon. There are some great resources, including books aimed at young children about starting school that can be an excellent introduction.