TRANSITION

Transition occurs in many parts of our school as we prepare our children for the educational changes they will experience.

Two-Year-Old Provision and Nursery

Choosing a nursery is a big decision for parents and we welcome prospective parents into school to see our engaging environment, to discuss provision and to meet the staff and the children. Children’s transition into nursery is carefully planned, in consultation with parents, and the number of new starters on any one day is limited.

New starters will receive a phone call from the nursery staff. They will receive important
information about the school as well as a school brochure.
New starters are all offered a short play session with a parent to see the setting shortly
before they start.
Parents are invited to a Welcome Liturgy in the first term of starting Nursery as well as
regular stay and play sessions.

 Reception

Prospective reception class children take part in a 2 day transition into their new class. During this time, they can try school dinners and meet their new teachers.
Parents are invited to a new starters meeting in July to learn about the reception routines, expectations and curriculum. Parents can also try a school lunch with their children.

Y1-Y5

All children take part in 2 transitions days before the end of summer term to get used to their new classrooms and teachers.
Parents in Y1 and Y5 are invited to informal meetings to discuss the next year’s group expectations and routines.
Y5 parents are invited to open days and face to face meetings with the headteacher of
St. Peter’s Catholic Academy.

 Transition to Secondary School

NPCAT is keen to work with parents and carers of our current Year 5 pupils to ensure that every child who would like a place in one of our rapidly improving secondary schools has the best possible chance of getting one. As we belong to the NPCAT family of schools, we have strong partnerships with these schools, especially St. Peters Secondary School, and transition is planned to enable our children to start their secondary education as smoothly as possible.

We adopt the Step7 approach so that parents and pupils are supported in their journey from Year 6 to Year 7 in one of our NPCAT secondary schools. Children and their families are given the opportunity to attend open evening events ahead of submitting secondary school preferences to the local authority. Children visit their new schools in July. Transition days usually last between 2-5 days. Teachers from the feeder secondary schools visit the children during the summer term. Teachers share information with the feeder schools about the children. The children receive lots of support with social and emotional resilience during this important time in their life.