Moving from a Scotland to England, son starting school in six weeks....

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

So, my life was sailing by according to plan, when my husband suddenly got a job offer in the wirral......

Yesterday I was told my son will have to go straight into reception (In Scotland he's not due to start until August)

How to I prepare him for starting school in six weeks time! It's bit of a shock...I'm not sure how behind he'll be.

Anyone done the same move?

I suggest you get the jolly phonics activity books

www.amazon.co.uk/Jolly-Phonics-Activity-Books-Set/dp/1844141608/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418975338&sr=1-1&keywords=jolly+phonics+activity+books

And the jolly songs cd

jollylearning.co.uk/jolly-shop/jolly-songs/

English child spend the first term leaning their letter sounds and how to blend. Have you contacted any schools to ask them for advice. Today is the last day of term so might be better to wait until after Christmas.

When is his birthday? He could possibly go part time until he is 5. Does he attended nursery in Scotland? I've found Reception to be very similar to nursery (lots of free play etc)

I really wouldn't worry about him being behind. It's only been a term. There will be a huge range of abilities in Reception anyway.

I'm also not sure I'd buy any phonics books. Apart from anything else, there are lots of different schemes and he might get pretty confused if you make him practice the actions in jolly phonics and it turns out they do something completely different at school.

On a practical level, work on using the loo independently and getting dressed and undressed (for PE) if he's not already doing that. Go to the library and get some story books about starting school - there's loads. Talk to him about the kinds of things he might do.

As soon as you know which school he's going to, get in touch with them and talk about how to help him settle in. Would you have moved house far enough in advance for him to visit the school and have a settling-in day? Ask about a part time start if you think that's a good idea.

But do also bear in mind that there's a pretty good chance the school will have had a child start "late" before. Kids arriving from other European countries quite often come from somewhere that has a later starting-school age and they really do catch up quickly. And the other kids will probably find a "new boy" very exotic and exciting so he won't be short of potential friends!

Thanks for all your helpful posts....I'm officially no longer worried!

Good point about the practicalities.....he can dress and undress independently, toilets perfectly....and yes, the starting school books. Will have to come out.

Emotionally he's tres immature...cries a lot if other boys are aggressive in his presence but we're already trying to coax him out of that.

We have tine to go see the school after Xmas, then he'll start after feb half term. Have checked that he'll be able to trot in for half days the first week, then boom, he'll be full time sob

Really aware that this is as much about adjustment for me too!!