Is your child due to start school, move school, move phase or key stage in September? The lead up will have been very different this year. What are you most concerned about as a parent?

[ChildEd]

Thank you for reading on, I'm working to support the education system.

What do you feel would help your child? What is your school doing to help, given changes of normal transition due to COVID.

I'm most worried about the lack of information about how they intend to open. My child will cope going to an unfamiliar building (starting secondary) and meeting new people. What she will struggle with is not knowing the arrangements for when she's going, can she walk with friends, etc.

Lack of information right now is hard. DC1 duebto start reception. We have no idea how or when.

And any kind of social distancing measures scare me. DC have been at nursery all the way through with no measures for them, only for the adults at drop off. If there is any suggestion that children will be expected to keep away from each other and not hug each other or play together or that teachers won't be ae to give them any kind of physical comfort I'm going to be really worried.

So, we are identifying that good communication is key from home to school; of course during normal transition for a child to start a new school, this is always the case, just even more vital now.
I will say keeping parents informed is difficult in terms of last minute changes to government guidance but schools can let you know that although there is a plan, that might need to change.

There are some great ideas from you, it is always valuable to ask those that we are providing for, 'how is it for you and how can we meet your needs' (needs of the child)
Virtual and face2face meetings could be planned. Virtual or socially distanced meet ups too, lots for us to consider under safeguarding arrangements.

This is really useful in gaining information about child needs and also finding out about the good work that schools are doing in a creative, virtual way to support new starters to their school.

Child ( both children) moving key stage. For year 5 into year 6 dd I think it would be helpful if there teacher transitioned with them. It would mean a smoother transition for them. ( I know this won't be possible everywhere but I do think it should happen with year 5into 6 as they will be doing SATS.
For my year 8 into 9 I'm not so worried but I'm glad that OFSTED now favour a 3 year ks3 as this means even if things are completely back to normal in September then the foundation of his knowledge won't be too disrupted. Other than that more stretching challenge ( the oak academy stuff, is shit really basic and the quizzes at the end are 3 or 5 questions)
As a teacher I would like the ability for year 6 to have a transition day. Even if it's only 1 form at a time and is half a day. I know my school are preparing a virtual tour of the buildings. I can't imagine sending my child to a place they've only viewed on an open evening, and I say that as an adult who has worked in lots of very different schools.

DappledThings I have a DC in Reception, and the school ought to be able to give you the kind of information in your second paragraph, because surely it will be the same as for the children currently in Reception.In all schools I have heard of there is no expectation that young children will social distance from other children within their bubble, I have heard different things from different schools about the level of contact between adults and children, but hopefully the school will inform you on how this will be at some point. Maybe try the school website, all the information for current parents about how school will be as it opened to Reception, year 1 and year 6 this week is on our website.

DS is due to start reception in September.

He probably won't get to look around school or meet his teacher. A virtual tour or meeting is useless where a 4yo is concerned.

The thing that would help me most is him being able to attend ft. I know there's nothing you personally can about that, but it's the truth.

Thanks @happypotamus. There wasnt anything on their website this week but I will email if not by next week.

It's a one-form entry village school so smallish which might make it easier.

DD Y6 has had loads of transition material from her new secondary school - YouTube videos, virtual tours, call from SLT, handbook, activity pack plus they will be going in For an hour at the end of the month to meet key staff and ask questions (outside). Can’t fault them. Just want the school to open fully in September with limited social distancing and full classes.

My DD is transferring from yr2 to yr3 in September, a new school albeit one she is slightly familiar with.
Her questions revolve around who will be my Teacher, what friends will I be with and what happens at lunchtime.
As a parent I'm concerned at the pressure on Teachers who will need to identify where 25+ children are with their learning and create individual learning plans. My DD is someone who is not where she should be for y2 so will enter yr3 significantly behind.
Will it just be doors open in September or a staggered approach bearing in mind many offices are not reopening until October and beyond

Slightly further ahead, what will happen with Open Evenings in the autumn for the next round of secondary applications?
Will families just have to blind guess without ever setting foot in them? Will they have to make do with virtual experiences and hope they guess well on finding a school with the right ethos?

DS is y4 and has SENs so I was hoping to get the flavour this year (y5) so its not a rushed decision in y6. At least the timing is not critical for us. Getting the right balance of accademic push and a lot of pastoral understamding is vital, and difficult enough to guage anyway.

Great discussion here, I have in the past developed systems to support transition for new starters. The reminder about school dinners...YES! in meetings with new parents we would share a joke about children thinking about their lunch in a sort of 'never mind what I'm going to learn,,,what am I going to eat' kind of way. (Actually same with school trips, the most exciting part was always the lunch...even if it was on a rain soaked bus)

DD moving schools for 6th form. We have had a conference call with the academic HOY to discuss her options and alternatives, a Zoom call with her head of house and assistant to let us ask any questions we had, a pack of pre 6th form work that was set for their own year 11s as her school isn't doing anything and a letter from another girl in her year who will be her "buddy" suggesting that they chat from time to time over the summer holidays.

Actually therefore a lot more transitional input than DC1 who changed last year and got basically nothing in advance of the start of term.

I think for me it's the feeling of 'we can't expect children to just accept going back to school, whichever year they're in, when we have adults who are also worried about returning to work'.
The fears for both maybe similar if that makes sense.

DS1 is year 4 but we live in an area with the pointless middle school system. He's August born so will have just turned 9 when he will be going , alone, to a new school which he has seen once.

Because the primary and middle start at the same time I can't take him (DD is y1), he has to cross 2 roads and lots of his friends aren't going to the same school. He has tics which have really escalated due to anxiety.

I understand why schools are not reopening fully but why can't they open for a few days over the summer, not for teaching but to get groups of kids familiar with their new school? Maybe do a fun activity, meet their teacher?

Everything @Anotherunimaginativeusername said!

My DD is due to start reception this year; it's looking increasingly likely that her nursery won't have her back at all, as they have to reduce numbers to meet the guidelines over space. She's had no contact with any other children for 3 months, as she's an only child, and I don't know what to do to prepare her for school. I'd love some advice on what I should be doing now to help her get ready, and what basis school is likely to be (pt/ft) so I can work out what childcare we're going to need.

I feel like we've just been overlooked and I don't know what to do.

I have a dc starting reception in september. I would prefer for the school to go back in as normal. None of this social distance nonsense.
We have so far had no communication from the school except the usual forms to fill in.
I luckily already have a dc in Y1 so I know what to expect usually but I imagine other new parents are getting a bit anxious.
It doesn't help the head is spending all his time trying to accomodate conflicting and last minute Gov. mandates with little warning.
My Y1, by the way is not going to back in school yet because the school can't fit him in. So how on earth is this going to change in september?
I'm getting quite cross about it.
It would be better to reopen all the schools now in the normal manner, excepting 'at risk' kids. Allow them a fortnight of normal schooling and transition. With the expectation of closing again if it doesn't work. Keeping 2m apart in an enclosed space will not stop you contracting an airborne illness.

My son starts school in September. His school is doing a virtual "meet the teacher" next week. Not sure what else they are doing to support the transition. My older son is moving from year 1 to year 2 (he's currently attending in a key worker bubble). They have asked us to email 3 friends who they would like to stay with next year (they mix classes each year). I am happy with the school and believe they are doing all they can but it is a shame that my youngest won't have the usually transition days etc.

We are in the same situation as TotallyKerplunked (although I quite like first, middle and upper as a schooling system 🤷)

Daughter also August born.

I am so angry that the government has washed their hands of children in this situation. Year 6 have gone back to the middle school for what reason? Surely in a three tier system year 4 should be back in instead?

We have had little communication from the middle school and nothing from the first school about transition.

And obviously we don't even know if the children will be going back to their new school in September.

It's sad, confusing and frustrating for all of us.

Like a previous poster, I have a child supposedly starting school in Sept. He's an only child who is naturally very shy. I'm concerned this long break from interaction with peers will be detrimental to his social development. As an august born, we've already deferred his entry for a year for exactly this reason and now I feel like why did we bother?

We've had no communication with the school at all apart from the set of forms to complete. Except they sent two sets inexplicably. Which suggests a lack of communication within the school as well as with parents which bodes well.

3.5 year old supposed to be starting school nursery. I have no idea what's going on or what is to happen. I haven't met the teachers or seen the classroom. I don't know what to expect so can't prepare my child.

He'll have been on his own without company from other children for six months by September.

Child moving to Alevels in 6th form.One doing GCSEs next year.

I’m guessing you’re not really interested in secondary, nobody seems to be.

3 things which if not provided will be a travesty. 1)Secondary in full time from September.
2) a decent appeals system as previously promised for this years GCSEs and Alevels( apparently not going to be provided which is appalling)
3) decent mental health support for the severe stress, anxiety and misery many teens are going through particularly those in exam years

There is nothing positive about the situation so not sure why the thread has to be.

Ta00 - just about the 'can do' to make as much difference as possible given the situation.
Teachers/schools have been accused of 'not bothering'. I am part of team of people who are bothering, with a focus on the issues surrounding new starters.

Honestly? Give me and my children confidence that school will be open fully, as normal, in September. If government regulations don't allow for this, lobby the government, hard, to remove their ridiculous social distancing measures for children which are totally misguided and make no difference since children don't spread the virus. HTH.

Yep this. 2m apart will make absolutely no difference either way.

I have 3 in different settings come september.
Youngest starting nursery (hopefully) no issues really other thrn there will be no distancing
11 yr old starting secondary a few video from head teacher. Luckly she has walked round the school once during open eveing,but no actual transition plan in place, dobt even know if they will be going at this rate which pits them being in now pointless.

Oldest (19) hopefully moving to specialist college from mainstream. Have tried during lockdown to complete a new assesment for his echp to determine where hes attending. Unlikely to have a finial answer till july, his echp was meant to be finalised in march. No transisation for him, so that will unsettle him. And dont even know if they will be open if we get a place. That or he wont be education for the foreseable which will cause its own issues