NEW STARTER INFORMATION

Welcome to Long Lane

We know that it can be both exciting and challenging when your child starts school and we want to make you feel as confident and possible so that the start for both your child and family can be a positive one. We prioritise your child's transition in a number of ways to support a smooth start in September and to ensure that you feel a sense of belonging and community. The more we know about your child and their needs, the more adjustments we can make, all adding to our commitment to early intervention and ensuring that all children are able to thrive from their starting points.

We can offer the following transition strategies prior to your child's September start by way of support;

Open days to visit the school – school tours
Visits to see your child playing in the Nursery or childcare setting
Home visits – if a new family but also for existing families if requested
A parent information evening to meet the staff and have a look at the environment
Transition play dates – these can vary depending on need and we are happy to make reasonable adjustments for different circumstances
staggered starts to ensure that children do not become overwhelmed
further meetings with the teacher or SENDCo as required

Meet the Foundation Stage Team
Rainbow Class

Mrs Whitehall

Miss Penn

Starting Summer 26

Mrs S Clarke

Mrs M Churchill

Mrs M Joseph

Rainbow Class page

Learning Partnerships:

school and home

A strong home–school partnership is essential to supporting every child’s academic and social development. As a school, we are committed to an equitable approach that recognises the diverse needs and circumstances of our families, and we take a therapeutic approach to home learning that prioritises wellbeing, relationships, and achievable progress.

Parents and carers play a vital role in their children’s education, and when families and school work together with shared expectations and open communication, students are best placed to thrive.

By working collaboratively, we can foster confidence, resilience, and meaningful learning, enabling strong academic growth alongside positive social and emotional development. Please see our Home Learning Page.

Home-School Agreement

School Rules and Conduct

Starting School

At Long Lane, we believe it is important to make the transition into school as smooth as possible and creating a good partnership with parents is essential. Parents and children are invited to an information session where they can meet staff and see the foundation stage classroom. We try to visit as many children as possible in their nursery or pre-school setting and each setting will be given a transition booklet to help the children become more familiar with their new school.

Additionally, as part of our transition, children will have the opportunity to join us for a ‘stay and play’ session and home visits are arranged for all the families, which will take place in September. You will be asked to sign-up for the 20 minute visit at the ‘Open evening’, which is held in the Summer term each year. The child’s class teacher and a teaching assistant will carry these out. A home visit provides an opportunity for the child to meet staff in their own family environment and allow parents to ask questions or discuss anything about their child enabling us to meet their needs more effectively.

Children will have a staggered start in smaller groups over the first few weeks of term.

We believe this is the best structure of entry for the children and whilst we understand the implications for working parents, we appreciate your understanding of the importance of a smooth transition. Sometimes it is more suitable for a child to start part-time and build up to full time attendance over a number of weeks or months. This may be the case for children who have not already attended a pre-school setting on a full time basis, a child who is summer born or is not thought to be ‘school ready’. This will be discussed on an individual basis.