School transition days - cancelled

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

Have primary (reception or p1) transition sessions been cancelled where you live?

Our school says this has had to happen on guidance from the council. I just wondered if this is happening nationally or only in our area?

It's such a shame for the children, their needs are being placed at the lowest possible priority and it's just so unfair. Hospital admission rates are barely rising even with the recent rises in cases. It feels like every excuse is going to be made forever to prevent a return to normal for children.

Transition days (primary to secondary, SW) still on here at the moment but I'm watching closely and half-expecting them to be cancelled.

DD's secondary has the new Y7's in the school for one day on their own at the start of term before the rest of the school return, so if the transition day is cancelled they will at least have one day to themselves.

NW here and so far y7 transition is still going ahead and 10 day summer school July/august.
She also went on her y6 residential last weekend.
It’s a shame different schools are interpreting the guidelines so differently

My 4yo met his p1 teacher in the playground for 15 minutes, that's it. I wasn't allowed in the playground, had to leave him at the gate.

We’re in a fairly low case area, and advice from the county is that transition days should only go ahead if schools can guarantee the integrity of existing bubbles. Our town has therefore cancelled all transition events for first, middle and high schools.

I’m not clear yet whether they are able to have the normal transition day with their new teachers for next year within the same school.

My son is going into reception and they have had 3/5 stay and play sessions so far. The final one will be a transition day where he is in his new classroom with his teacher and the children who will be in his class (3 form entry)
I am in a London Borough.

Trust me no-one would want to go to my kids secondary right now as half the school are out isolating or with Covid. Really not a sensible idea

Totally agree 'petty ways in which kids are fucked over'. There is no reason why they couldn't go ahead - even an outdoor picnic in school grounds where reception teacher could meet new children and get them feeling part of their new school.

What has been evidence since March 2020 is a sad lack of ambition/ creative thinking when it comes to ensuring children have day to day normality and what they need in terms of community/ stability.

Transition days aren't 'new' - and children also go to primary younger now than they did 40 years ago so actually they are more important.

A 4 year old needs to know what is going on - my 4 year old was still 3 when she did her visits to primary - it was vital she got it into her little head before summer what would be happening after the long break.

yes kids will 'survive' yes they are 'resilient' - but resilience is actually built on a foundation of security - children really benefit from all of these things and it is a real degredation of their day to day lives to see them taken away.

And re covid and secondary - as secondary age children don't get sick from covid (on the whole) and as most adults are now vaccinated - there really is no reason they should still have to isolate. Many senior doctors and public health experts are criticising ongoing isolations.

If we had let go of ludicrious covid restrictions in secondary we wouldn't then have to worry re. visits from other kids. these children are all legally allowed to mix in parks/ at pubs/ in family homes - why on earth do they have to follow draconian restrictions and isolations at school.

My daughter's 2 transition days at the secondary school I teach at have been cancelled. As it happens cases are on the rise again in our school ( only time we had none was when pupils were wearing masks !). Her primary have told us sports days for each class will happen without parents.

DS had his cancelled last year, if it gives any comfort OP, they were all in the same boat when they started Y7 and they seem to have managed OK. Not that I'm agreeing with the decision, but just to try and provide a bit of reassurance. School were fantastic in trying to ensure Y7 weren't too disadvantaged by it and did a great job under the circumstances.

Year R transition day cancelled here - to be honest though I've always found it hard to take them before summer and then explain that they're not starting for another 2 months - they then end up either over excited all summer or worked up into a worry as it's so long before they actually start.

Transition days didn't exist in my day. In my primary school I joined an established class (I have a summer birthday), and I was the only person from my primary school to go to the secondary school (intake of 150). I survived - I think.

Sad where it has been cancelled, as the transition from primary to secondary level is a significant step in any child's life.

Yet another consequence of the inactions of the worst Prime Minister and a Health Secretary both of whose brains seem to be in their trousers.

Yep my daughter's transition day in to reception has been cancelled. We were lucky to at least take her to see her new school this week to meet her teachers but only for about 30 mins. Would have been much better for her to spend some time there with her new class. Especially as she has sensory difficulties and has bern finding it very difficult to cope with the concept of starting a new school.
I think it is appalling when the Government are so willing to let 60,000 people in to a football stadium!

I live in Scotland and P1 transition was done virtually - we got a couple of videos of the teacher reading a story, a video tour of the classroom and a video of what to do at the start of day 1.

On day 1 DS has to be handed over to the teacher at the school entrance by one adult only. Parents are not allowed inside the school and DS has never been inside either. I'm hoping this might change over the holidays if restrictions are lifted further.

Pre-COVID there would have been three school visits, a parents evening and a home visit by the teacher.

All cancelled in our borough, primary and secondary, indie and state.

Independent going ahead here but state cancelled

I'm sure the kids can survive nicely without transition days.
Not really essential, are they?

Yeah. Dd currently in yR can go and meet her Y1 teacher and see her classroom. But the Y2's can't go across to the junior school, same for the current Y6. Such a shame for them.

It's happened here op and I have a very anxious year 6 that didn't get to look around secondary schools when they should have and now won't get any move up days. Dc's mental health is already being negatively impacted by this whole shit show and I'm fuming at the decisions being made by the government. They are allowing several 100 football fans to congregate for upcoming games, but my child cannot visit a school at a pivotal moment in his life. I also have 2 other DC that ha been negatively impacted by the last 18 months or so. It's highly unfair.

I'm sure the kids can survive nicely without transition days.
Not really essential, are they?

I'm sure adults can survive without the football, not really essential is it?

Nursery induction cancelled here in a London borough.
I’ve declined the place. I don’t want my child in the bubble environment, with all these rules, isolations, home learning etc.

I’ll keep them home with me until reception. Tbf they should probably be having that peer group interaction in a school to prepare them for reception but we will have to try and get it from swimming lessons, soft play, farm days out etc. You know, all the things that seem to be operating normally

Yes the council have cancelled them across the whole area, we got a copy of the councils letter sent out through ParentMail.

An introductory session in August or September makes more sense for four year olds... do they really remember much detail about the classroom or teachers from early July or June?

Secondary school, meeting new classes and finding their way round... they need it more. And Yr2s moving over to junior schools.

My DC’s secondary transition day has just been cancelled