Pastoral Care is at the heart of The Villa…
Settling in
Settling young children into a group environment is a major priority. We are very aware of the emotional vulnerability that many children feel on entering a new setting. We believe that children with high self-esteem, who feel confident in themselves and their own ability, have a head start in learning.
It is in their first few years at school that children first learn to function as a member of a large group outside their family. We aim to provide an environment where children can develop the skills needed to cope with the emotional, social, physical and intellectual challenges they will meet, as they grow older.
Nursery Transitions
There is a transition during the summer period for all of our nursery children. Some of our children who are school age will go to formal school education, whilst there is a natural progression for all of our other nursery classes.
During the months of July and August, the children start doing visits to their future classes, which could be either Butterflies or Dragonflies. This will take place accompanied by one of their present teachers to help with their settling in.
The children become very familiar with their future environment during these visits, as well as having the opportunity to meet the new team of teachers that will be looking after them for the coming year.
The 1st of September of the year after their settling in, all the children will start at their new classes.
This transition process will positively encourage all the children to start with their new classes at once, giving them the opportunity to bond, and make new friends from the very start.
During the transition period, the child’s key workers will be communicating to the parents which classes the children will be transiting to, and offering if needed to go and visit the new classes and meet the new teachers.
As always, when changes are necessary, our main priority is that the children are not unsettled in any way.
Transition to School
Many of our children move on to out Pre-Prep and take part in a range of transition events where staff visit the children in their Nursery classes as well as visiting their new classroom. In July, they are invited by the current Reception children to come to a Teddy Bears Picnic where they have a chance to play with their new buddy and explore the school before they start.
For children who are moving onto other schools we try to arrange for staff from that school to visit the Nursery and share transition records with their new setting.
Discover more about our nursery admissions by clicking below: