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Original poster

Transition day - do new teachers usually attend?

27 replies

littlejohnnydory · 01/07/2015 18:34

Dd is coming to the end of Reception and today was supposed to be transition day, where she spent the day in Year 1. I was expecting she would meet the NQT who will be her class teacher next year (we only found out last week that it won't be the current year 1 teacher). The new teacher wasn't there today and the class just did work with a teaching assistant, nobody spoke to them about next year at all.

I wondered what is normal practice when a new teacher joins the school, whether I could reasonably expect dd to meet the new teacher before September? Dd is anxious about changing class, was still awake at 9.30pm last night due to feeling nervous and had to be cajoled to go this morning with promise of treats after school. I hoped she would be less anxious after transition day but it sounds as though her class didn't have a transition day at all (class teacher confirmed dd's version of events and didn't seem impressed either).

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BrianButterfield · 01/07/2015 18:39

Well, the new teacher isn't under contract yet or being paid - I would imagine it's usual for people to go if they can but they might have another job (an NQT would have finished their training and might be working in a job over the summer where they can't get time off) - they might be on a holiday booked before they even got the job or just have other commitments. You can't make someone turn up to something if they can't get there and aren't employed by you yet!

SweepTheHalls · 01/07/2015 18:40

Very unusual for them to attend. They would be qualifying last week or this week.

Hulababy · 01/07/2015 18:41

Wherever possible the new teacher comes in, ime. Today we had a very initial transition - the next year teachers visited the new classes in their current classrooms.

Next week we have a transition in their new classrooms with their new teachers and TAs.

We have three new teachers next year one on each year of infants, inc two NQTs. Those teachers are coming in for our transition days.

however it isn't always possible
Especially with teachers currently
Working elsewhere. Their own school has to be able to release them and that isn't always possible due to other school Based events.

Maybe their should be a national transition day to allow all teachers the chance to be there!

CherylBerylMeryl · 01/07/2015 18:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

downgraded · 01/07/2015 18:43

No, you wouldn't usually meet the new teacher.

Ours are just trying out the new year group and routine. They aren't set in classes yet so what year group teacher they have for transition day is irrelevant.

They haven't even been told which teachers are leaving yet.

meditrina · 01/07/2015 18:45

It does occasionally occur, but it's by goodwill and good luck, not something that usually happens.

Because they can't just take a day off from their existing post or training.

cariadlet · 01/07/2015 18:46

When we have new teachers (NQTs or teachers coming from other schools) they are usually able to come in for transition days - schools are usually flexible about allowing staff a morning off work for this and most NQTs are available.

If a new teacher isn't able to make the actual transition day, we try to arrange for them to meet the class on another day if possible.

Original poster
littlejohnnydory · 01/07/2015 19:11

Thanks - mixed experiences in replies. Maybe the Head should have communicated what to expect - three classes in the school have new teachers next year, I don't know whether the other two were there.

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DeeWe · 01/07/2015 19:58

Only generally happens ime if they have been out of teaching and are coming back inafter a break. Or if your area does transition day all at the same time (ours does) and they're at another local school who have someone to cover their class for the day.

Mopmay · 01/07/2015 20:45

Some of ours have come previously and some don't. Some may live miles away and be moving for the job in Sept. One of our new experienced teachers is moving 150 miles as part of relocation so won't be seen til Sept. My DDs new teacher isn't there on transition day as the current Yr4 classes have a big event that day

Original poster
littlejohnnydory · 01/07/2015 20:57

All those reasons sound reasonable! I guess sometimes it just isn't possible. It does seem a bit unfair to expect them to go all Summer worrying about their new teacher and for us to hand over our dc to someone we've never met - but if it can't be helped then hopefully they will help the children deal with it in September.

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clam · 01/07/2015 21:19

"for us to hand over our dc to someone we've never met"

Why would parents meet the new teacher? Never seen that in all my long years in school, apart from maybe Nursery or Reception. Transition sessions, in my school, last around 45 minutes and happen within the school day. New teachers are always invited to attend if they possibly can, and part-timers/job-shares come in especially, if it's their day off, but if they can't make it, they can't. Most would try their hardest if at all possible.

A NQT would have finished at Uni by now, but may well have other inflexibke commitments.

Emochild · 01/07/2015 21:42

Our transition day is tomorrow, along with the majority of the city!

Usually new teachers come if they are either NQT or coming from another school within the local authority

The parents don't meet them though

Original poster
littlejohnnydory · 01/07/2015 21:43

If they were already teaching in your dc's school, you'd know them, is what I meant - I met the Reception teachers before my dc started (2 different schools) and the class teacher before they moved schools (a third school). I think it varies between areas though - round here is pretty rural with small schools, the norm is that parents visit schools beforehand. When we moved away temporarily it was a huge shock to me that some schools have specific open days and won't allow prospective parent visits - but that's quite normal in big cities, I think. Depends what your norm is. I don't love the idea of handing my dc over to a stranger though, although I knew someone was going to pick me up on that as soon as I wrote it! My concern re transition is more for dd to meet her teacher and feel happy and settled about next year (I predict that she won't want to go to her new class in September if she hasn't met them).

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littlejohnnydory · 01/07/2015 21:45

Yes, this was a whole day transition, every class moved up and year 6 to secondary school, county wide (sorry, assumed that's what happens everywhere).

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Hulababy · 01/07/2015 22:33

Our parents do meet their children's new teachers/TAs. We do one transition that involves drop off in a morning into the new classrooms, lasting til playtime. Our normal
Morning involves parents coming into classes anyway, so parents meet new staff that transition day.

wooldonor · 01/07/2015 22:41

My DC is getting a new teacher in September but as far as I know she isn't coming into the school before that. Not an NQT so I assume she can't just miss a day at her current school. I can see why it's not always going to be possible.

Am I right to think that if they've only just appointed someone they aren't necessarily going to have had the best ones to choose from.

Mopmay · 01/07/2015 23:07

Out transition day is next week and whole school does a day in new class, new playground (for some years) , new hall etc. Nursery go into reception etc Yr6 go on a trip ... But our school has 760 kids, 24 teachers, 30 odd TAs and loads of support staff ...

Mopmay · 01/07/2015 23:08

All the local schools have transition this week or next but all on different days.

noramum · 02/07/2015 07:09

In Infant we had an open enveing where we could have a last look at the children's work books and yes, met the new teacher, for a 5 minutes chat. Hardly a "I know the new teacher".

DD attended one 1/2 day when the reports came out and they were to,d which teacher they got.

In Juniors, different school, we met the new teacher for a couple of minutes during the parent evening but DD spent several lunchtimes there (school is next door) plus one full day. She will go into Y4 in September and I don't even know how the Y4 teacher are called or look like as they come out via a different entrance.

I have no problem as I am hardly at school anyway and so far was able to see somebody when necessary.

InexperiencedDisneyMum · 02/07/2015 08:17

Not normal for new teachers to come into school in my experience. Unless they were newly qualified they would be teaching in their current school. At our school they all move up and see the new classroom but not necessarily the teacher.

Clayhead · 02/07/2015 08:22

New teachers have always come into the various school my dc have been at. DD went to her secondary transition day this week and her new to the school teacher was there all day too.

Hersetta427 · 02/07/2015 12:47

I our local schools, transition days are all the same date and time so teachers always attend their new schools to meet their new class.

Seems to work well.

teacherwith2kids · 02/07/2015 18:22

Just done ours. New teachers attended - etiquette seems to be for receiving school to pay supply to old school. So my school paid supply for 2 new teachers, and was paid supply for the leaving teacher by their new school.

Open evening after school on transition day, all parents welcomed in to meet new teacher and wander round the school as a whole.

AmazonGrace · 03/07/2015 00:20

NQT starting in September at ds school, ds has met the teacher three times.

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