1. On arrival Collect your child’s name badge
Sign sheet for home visits and put your address and telephone number

2. Induction procedures for children and parents
Elburton School
Induction procedures for children and parents

3. Information pack School prospectus Powerpoint notes
Agenda for induction dates
PTA booklet
Useful games booklet
Home-School agreement
‘Klub Kidz’ before and after school club
School uniform application form
Early years grant form
School admission application form
Infant sports day invitation

4. Induction dates Thursday 27th June
Home visits by Miss E Hawkings, accompanied by Mrs J Puckett, Thursday 13th June, Monday 24th June, Monday 1st July 2013
Thursday 27th June
Playtime and storytime 2.15 – 300pm [children only]
Thursday 11th July [children and parents]
Heather Eastmond [school nurse], Jo Williams FSW and Mrs S Lakey [Inclusion Co-ordinator] to meet parents pm in the Hall.
Infant Sports Day Friday 14th June 1.30pm

5. Preparing for school As your child gets ready for school…..
Three important things to do….
1. Give your child confidence
2. Make sure your child can build relationships
3. Make sure your child has the basic skills that are needed to do well at school

6. Preparing for school
Starting school will bring a big change for your child, who is used to being at home, looking to you for guidance and support.
You have always been at hand to help and make suggestions in all your child has done.
The teacher will naturally continue providing this type of care, but will have to do it for all those in the class.
This means, of course, that your child will have to share the teacher with other children.

7. 1. Give your child confidence
A child who feels confident about going to school will do better than a child who feels nervous.
You want your child to go to school thinking that this is going to be a good thing to do, and to feel happy about the adventure.
So as the time approaches for starting school, talk to your child about school but try not to make a statement about it unless you know it to be true.

8. 1. Give your child confidence
Children get confidence about going to school if they hear good things about school life.
Tell your child “You are really going to enjoy school”.
Please do not use school as a threat – it could put him/her off.
Talk about the children he/she knows at school.
Gradually accustom your child to the idea that one day he/she will be going to school with friends
He/she might like to walk to school occasionally and see the children coming out.

9. 2. Make sure your child can build relationships
Being at school is about being with people.
That means other children of the same age, older children, and of course adults in the shape of teachers.

10. 2. Make sure your child can build relationships
Helping your child to relate to children
It is always helpful to let your child meet and get to know as many children as possible before going to school.
When children play they have to co-operate which involves agreeing what they are going to play.
Guide your child when he/she is playing but whenever possible you should also try and let the children just get on with each other, that is how they learn best what other children are. If they can do this without an adult helping then they are taking the first step towards independence.

11. 2. Make sure your child can build relationships
Helping your child to relate to adults
We all relate to different people in different ways. Your child will talk to a teacher in one way, an uncle in another, a neighbour in another, and you in another. Learning the different ways of dealing with adults is an important part of growing up.
Introduce your child to adults that you meet
Get your child to say hello. Encourage the adults to ask your child simple questions and encourage your child to answer. Try very hard not to answer for a child.
When other adults are around do try and get your child involved with them

12. 3. Make sure your child has the basic skills that are needed to do well at school
If you have encouraged your child to become independent, this helps towards a happy, confident start.
Please encourage independence in:
washing hands
using the toilet, including urinals for boys
dressing and undressing – boys need particular help with their trouser zips and girls with their tights
using a handkerchief or tissue
using a knife and fork, or eating a packed lunch
asking for help when necessary
sharing and taking turns
encourage your child to try new ideas

13. Starting School First week
Wednesday 4th September 9.30am meet at the patio door
Collection of children at 12.10pm at the patio door
Thursday 5th September onwards am at the patio door

14. Starting School
When your child first starts school, he/she will find it reassuring if you bring him/her into school to find his/her classroom and teacher.

15. Saying goodbye to a child can be a problem
If when you say goodbye your child prefers you to stay, don’t worry
Make sure you leave quickly
Children always settle and enjoy the day
We will telephone you

16. When you return after leaving your child, say hello in a positive way
Please make sure that you return to school in plenty of time to meet your child coming out
He/she will be looking forward to seeing you and needs to know that you will be there
Be pleased to see your child and try and give him or her your full attention

17. Helping your child to become independent at the start of the day and home time
Book bags
Leave them at the door in the morning, this allows them the opportunity to hang up their own coat and sort out their belongings
Let them wait with you at the top gate or in the playground in the morning and from there they can walk in to the classroom
When they feel ready, let your child walk to the playground or the top gate
Tell their teacher first as she will have a list of independent children

18. Children can react to returning parents in many ways
They can cry [at the sudden reminder that you have been away]
They can ignore you [because painting is so much fun]
They can just come up and give you a hug
Let the child decide how to react, your job is just to be friends

19. Water bottles
If you wish your child to have access to water during the day you will need to provide a named water bottle
It needs to be brought to school each day and we will return it daily to you for refilling
It should only have water, definitely no squash
It is kept in the classroom and can be accessed by the child during the day
This bottle needs to be separate from their packed lunch drink

20. Snack Times We are going to have a snack time at 10.15 am each day
Free milk each day. Most children have this alongside the fruit snack. Please tell your child’s class teacher if they have an allergy to the milk
Most children eat the fruit provided free by the Fruit for Schools Scheme
But if you prefer to send in a snack this is possible
Snacks should only consist of either fruit, dried fruit or vegetables
All snacks need to be prepared for your child
And brought to school in a small, plastic, sealed, named container
The children will be able to have a drink from their water bottle

21. Meal times Second and Third weeks
Monday 9th September/ Monday 16th September
Children stay for the morning and to eat their lunch
Collection of children at 12.40pm at the patio door
Free school meals. You are entitled to these if you are in receipt of Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance ( no entitlement if you are currently in receipt of Contribution Based Jobseeker’s Allowance), an income-related employment and support allowance (introduced on 27 October2008), Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act1999, Child Tax Credit, with no entitlement to Working Tax Credit and/or the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Collect a form from Mrs D Irvine at reception
The form needs to be processed before your child starts school. Evidence needs to be no older than 8 weeks old.

22. Meal times
Your child can stay for either a school dinner, a packed lunch or a mixture of both
You will receive a letter about the lunchtime arrangements in the first week your child starts school
Packed lunches
If your child brings a packed lunch, please ensure that it is in a suitable container that can be managed easily by him/her and that the drink is in a leak-proof plastic flask
Some wrappers are very difficult to open so could you make an initial tear or cut the top off, this will help your child with the management of their lunch
NO glass bottles or fizzy drinks please

23. Meal times
Payment of School Meals is £2.00 per day. The payment is by voucher only.
Vouchers can be purchased at 8.30am on Monday and Thursday mornings from reception. Only books containing 5 vouchers can be purchased.
Or you can send in a request for vouchers by your child and they will be returned to you via your child’s book folder. Please make sure the envelope with the money is clearly labelled with your child’s name and with reference to School Meal Vouchers.
These vouchers need to be brought to school on the morning your child is going to have a school lunch. If your child forgets their voucher, they can still have a school lunch but please send in the voucher as soon as possible. This will then avoid a reminder letter being sent home from the Kitchen Manager.

24. Fourth week Your children will start school full time
Collection is at the patio door at 3.10pm
For those children born after 1st March there will be the option to be flexible about whether the child should stay every afternoon
For these children you have the option to stagger your child’s full time entry and increase the number of full time days
All children will be full time at the start of the Spring Term

25. Personal Belongings
Please ensure that EVERY item your child brings to school is clearly marked with his/her name
This includes all clothing, lunch boxes, PE bags etc

26. Toys
We do allow the children to bring a small toy to school, to play with during the playtimes.
These toys should not be too precious, special or large.

27. Illness If your child is feeling unwell, please keep him/her at home
We have no facilities for looking after sick children and there is no substitute for mother at a time like this
Telephone messages in the morning are helpful to staff, as they are then aware of absences
Medicines can be administered, but only those that are prescribed by a doctor
A green form needs to be completed for medicines to be given and can be obtained from Mrs Irvine at reception

28. Seeing your child’s teacher
We understand that from time to time you may need to see your child’s teacher concerning a particular problem you may have
If possible, we would prefer for you to come into school at the end of the day, as all the teachers are busy preparing their classrooms before the school day commences and welcoming the children

29. Parent evenings
Formal parent evenings are held twice during the year when you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress
In the first term
To report the outcomes of the baseline assessment
To discuss how the children have settled
A parent/child sharing evening in the Spring term
In the summer term
To discuss the end of year report

30. Behaviour We expect A good standard of behaviour Good manners
Respect for all adults working in our environment

31. And finally We hope that this afternoon has been of some use to you
May we ask that you don’t put any pressure on your child concerning any aspects of preparing for and starting school
A worried, anxious child cannot learn whereas a happy, settled child will ask for more and more.

32. Before you leave Check birth certificates
View and order school uniform
Forms to be back to Mrs Irvine at reception by Friday 14th June