Highbury Infant School and Nursery

Transition 

At Highbury, we place great importance on settling the children into school, whether as a new entrant or as a child starting in a new year group.

This year things have been rather different and we have had to change some of the things that we would usually do as part of our transition process, including our new entrants meetings for parents and class visits for children to their new classes. We hope that in the absence of these, you will find the information below useful.

New starters

Nursery and Reception new starters will be informed in the second half of the summer term about the arrangements for September.  Please note these arrangements may be subject to change if government restrictions alter. The first week or so will consist of a visit with a parent and some shortened sessions to ensure a smooth settling in period.  

As yet, we do not know what government restrictions will remain in place for schools in September. It may be that children continue to operate in bubbles and have staggered start and end times of the day. We will let you know as soon as these arrangements are known.

Please click the relevant presentation below for parents: 

Please click below for the relevant presentation for children starting in nursery or reception with photographs of the staff, classrooms and key areas:

Details of our school uniform are included in the parent presentation, but click here for details:

Highbury school uniform

A copy of our transition booklet appears below. If your child is going to be in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 in Highbury in September, we are asking you to complete this with your child at home and return it at the beginning of the new school year. In the first few weeks of the new term, they will get a chance to share it with the adults in their class and we hope that this will establish a deeper, fun and more personal link to the child outside school.

Anything the child wants to draw or write in the booklet is fine; photographs are also a great idea!  You can of course scribe for them, add extra things, or write things yourself but be aware that the booklets will be read together in school and so we ask that you write in clear, child friendly speak about things that you have already discussed with your child, particularly around any worries they may have.

We hope this booklet will prompt some gentle conversations with the children at home that might allow you to both reflect and give us better insight to what makes them happy and we thank you as ever for your support with this approach.  We repeat the process at the start of each new academic year, as things are likely to change as children mature and move to different adults and situations. 

Click below for a copy of the booklet to complete:

Transition booklet

Please also see www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/startingschool for more useful information about supporting your child as they start school.

Please also see some useful leaflets:

I'm starting school here

Here I come here

Getting ready for school here

Children returning to a new class at Highbury

Children who are returning to a new class at Highbury in September 2021 , will be  given the opportunity to meet some of the staff who will be in their new class and will also be shown their new classroom.

Please click below for the relevant presentation  for children going into the various classes. These include photographs of the staff, classrooms and key areas:

A copy of our transition booklet appears below. If your child is going to be in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 in Highbury in September, we are asking you to complete with your child at home and return it at the beginning of the new school year. In the first few weeks of the new term, they will get a chance to share it with the adults in their class and we hope that this will establish a deeper, fun and more personal link to the child outside school.

Anything the child wants to draw or write in the booklet is fine; photographs are also a great idea!  You can of course scribe for them, add extra things, or write things yourself but be aware that the booklets will be read together in school and so we ask that you write in clear, child friendly speak about things that you have already discussed with your child, particularly around any worries they may have.

We hope this booklet will prompt some gentle conversations with the children at home that might allow you to both reflect and give us better insight to what makes them happy and we thank you as ever for your support with this approach.  We repeat the process at the start of each new academic year, as things are likely to change as children mature and move to different adults and situations. 

Click below for a copy of the booklet to complete:

Transition booklet

Useful Resources

Using a visual day planner may help ease your child back into school after the summer break. 

Please click here for a Day Planner

Please click here for some symbols to help children in the Foundation Stage

Please click here for some symbols to help children in Key Stage 1

 Please click here for a visual letter to the children

There will be a gentle start to the term for everyone, whether they are new to Highbury, or returning to a different class.