• Open Days are held throughout the year, giving prospective families the chance to visit our school and see our learning environment in action.
• During the Spring Term, we run Stay and Play sessions, allowing children and parents to spend time in the Reception setting and become familiar with staff and routines.
• Our EYFS Lead regularly visits our nursery class to meet children and support a smooth transition into school.
• In June, we hold an Induction Evening for parents and carers, where you will receive important information about the Reception year, our curriculum, routines, and ways to support your child at home.
• In July, we will carry out home visits, during which we will visit you and your child in your home environment. Following this, your child will be invited into school for an induction morning. This will give them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the classroom, meet staff, and begin to feel comfortable in their new surroundings before starting school.
• In September, children attend an induction day in a smaller group before starting full-time. This helps them to become familiar with their new classroom, teachers, and other children, ensuring a positive start to their Reception journey.

Starting school is a big milestone for children and their families. At St Ambrose, we take a child-centred approach to transition so that every child has the opportunity to become familiar with our school, build relationships with adults and other children, and develop confidence in their new routines.

We work closely with families and nursery settings to understand each child's strengths, interests and individual needs before they start school. This helps us to plan a positive transition and ensure that children feel safe, welcomed and ready to learn.

Our induction programme gives children repeated opportunities to visit school, meet familiar adults, explore their new environment and practise important routines.

Developing physical skills helps children feel confident and independent as they start school. Strong gross and fine motor skills support everyday tasks such as getting dressed, using cutlery, opening lunchboxes and holding a pencil.

The activities below are simple exercises that you can enjoy together at home. They help to develop children's strength, balance, coordination, movement and hand control in preparation for starting Reception.

You do not need any special equipment — everyday play such as climbing, jumping, throwing, catching, drawing, colouring, cutting and playing with playdough can all help to develop these important skills.

Most importantly, keep activities fun, active and positive. Encourage your child to have a go, celebrate their efforts and allow them plenty of opportunities to practise becoming more independent.

Parents and carers are their child's first educators. We value the information families share with us and use this to help us understand each child as an individual.

Before children start school, we welcome information about their interests, strengths, experiences and any areas where they may need additional support. We use this information alongside information from nursery settings to help us prepare for each child's transition.

We encourage families to talk positively about starting school, practise simple routines at home and support children to develop independence with dressing, toileting, eating and looking after their belongings.

If a child needs additional support with transition, we will work with the child, family and other professionals where appropriate to put suitable arrangements in place.

Before starting school, you can help your child by practising:

• Putting on and taking off their coat.
• Using the toilet independently.
• Washing and drying their hands.
• Opening their lunchbox and drinks bottle.
• Tidying away toys and belongings.
• Listening to and following simple instructions.
• Talking about their feelings and asking an adult for help.
• Sharing books, stories, songs and rhymes.
• Talking about their day and what they have enjoyed.
• Encouraging independence and having a go before asking for help.