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Preparation for 'Big School!
One of our biggest strengths as a preschool is our ability to support your little one’s transition into ‘big school’.
At Westwood Preschool, we have the wonderful opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the First School to ensure a smooth and positive transition into formal education.
Our location
We are located on the First School site. That means children will become familiar and comfortable with the walk through the school gates with the older children, so it will all seem less daunting by the time they get to school age.
We work in close partnership with the Reception class teachers to make sure that the handover from our care to theirs is seamless. Mrs Steele is the Early Years Lead for Westwood First School and is a trustee on our committee.
Continuity & security
The Reception classes (Classes 1 and 2) are located right next-door to our Butterflies Room, which means that the next step is a familiar sight for our little butterflies, helping them to visualise spreading their wings into ‘big school’.
This continuity helps children to feel safe, happy, and undaunted as they take their first steps into Reception. We help our children to prepare with classroom visits, school uniform ‘dressing up’, and all important ‘learning to learn’ skills covered during their time in Butterflies.
Our curriculum
Our curriculum encourages the development of early skills such as mark making, name writing, number and letter recognition, early phonics, and countless opportunities for STEM-based play (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics).
We work closely with our parents to meet the individual needs of our children, and we support children with additional learning needs to access the Early Years curriculum to the best of their ability.
Our little graduates!
The last day of preschool is always an emotional and proud day, which we celebrate with a graduation ceremony and party!
We develop strong bonds with our little ones, and parents often worry that their children will miss us when they start Reception. We’re happy to reassure them that the Reception playground is right outside our Butterflies room window!
We spend a lot of time each September waving to our graduates, and cheering them on as they settle in!
“The manager has established strong links with teaching staff from the adjoining primary school. They work in close partnership to ensure a seamless approach in supporting smooth transitions to the next stage of children's education.”
Ofsted Inspection Report, 2023
Preparing your child for school: advice for parents
We encourage independence and learning-to-learn skills in our children, and we see a marked improvement in these skills when they are also being supported at home.
Read more about how we prepare your child for school, and for some helpful hints and tips for you to support your child as they take their first steps towards formal education.
Admission to school
You will need to apply online for your child’s school place. Attendance at Westwood Preschool does not mean that your child automatically has a place at Westwood First School. Please visit the Government website for more information.
Clothing
Encourage your child to take off and put on their own clothes. This is easier with clothing that doesn’t have complicated fastenings, and with Velcro fastenings on shoes.
Bags & coats
Encourage your child to take responsibility for their own bags, backpacks and coats. While it’s easier to carry and hang up your child’s belongings at home, it’s hard for us to do with a large group, and it will be a daily requirement in school.
Reading
Books and reading are a big part of Early Years education. Encourage your child to read as much as possible. In the early days, this may be as simple as sitting still to pay attention to a book for a few minutes, turning the pages, and being responsible for looking after the book without damaging it.
Mark making
Help your child to learn all-important fine motor skills in preparation for writing by encouraging art, craft and mark making. Any play involving fine motor movements is helpful, as these will help to develop the coordination and strength needed to hold a pencil in the adult-style pincer grip.
Don’t worry if your child is holding crayons in a fist or like cutlery – this is completely normal and necessary, as the structures of a child’s hand aren’t developed enough to mark-make in a typical tripod grip until they are at least 3-4 years old.
Separation anxiety
We find that most children deescalate quickly from the upset of being separated from their parents. It’s a very normal aspect of child development that our staff are well trained in, and are fully equipped to handle. We usually find that prolonged goodbyes and obvious anxiety from parents tend to make the situation harder, so a quick and calm handover is almost always preferable.
We will work closely with you to address any concerns you have, and to ensure that your child adapts well to the routine of drop-off.
Are you worried about your child’s language skills?
Many parents find that attending preschool is wonderful for helping their children to develop language skills.
Should your child be showing signs of a language delay, we will put support in place for them. We can support a referral to Speech and Language Therapy services if necessary.
For tips, advice and support for language development, visit Stoke Speaks Out.