Preparing Your Pre-School Child for Their Next Steps

At the Inspired Learning Group, we understand the challenges that can arise when a Nursery child transitions into Reception.

With the new academic year fast approaching, many children will join their new Reception classes. This can be a daunting time for both parents and children, especially with pupils facing unfamiliar settings and new routines.

To help ease this change, ILG’s dedicated Early Years teams are committed to implementing comprehensive strategies and processes that ensure each child is well-prepared and confident as they move to the next stage of their education. Our nurseries focus on creating a supportive and nurturing environment where children can develop the necessary skills and resilience, making the transition as smooth and positive as possible. We aim to foster a love for learning through personalised attention and innovative teaching methods and build a strong foundation for future success.

Using the knowledge from our nurseries and prep schools across the group, we have curated a list of our top tips for best preparing our children for the move to Reception. Keep reading to find out more:

Streamed Learning

Our schools value equipping our children with the necessary skills that will aid them in adapting to a more advanced Reception curriculum. Sites such as Essendene Lodge School implement streamed learning into their Pre-School timetable.

Sophie Miles, Nursery Manager at Essendene Lodge School, explains, “Children will be grouped with Reception pupils based on their academic abilities in subjects such as English and Phonics. This approach allows children to enhance their academic skills, and receive individualised support based on their academic needs.

As a result of this method, our pupils are able to excel in reading and can independently write sentences by the time they reach Reception.”

Classroom Introduction

Those of our nurseries that are connected to a prep school make a point of familiarising Pre-School pupils with the Reception environment ahead of their move. Gidea Park Preparatory School, for example, has its Reception classroom conveniently connected to its Pre-School room. This proximity and interaction allow for familiarity with the environment to be built amongst Pre-School pupils, fostering readiness for when the time comes to move. There is also a strong emphasis on the cross-over of staff between Pre-School and Reception, allowing for the children to interact with their future teacher long before the transition is made.

Our standalone nurseries also have processes in place to familiarise their children with a Reception setting. Sites such as The Orchard Day Nursery Kew have a variety of effective methods, such as arranging for children to visit their new school, or local schools with their key person, allowing for them to adjust to their future environment.

Whole-School Familiarity

To further assist in helping children become comfortable with the upper school, our prep sites include Nursery children in main-school activities where appropriate to do so.

Nursery children are often involved in whole-school celebrations, including special themed weeks. As well as exposing them to a variety of cultural opportunities, this also allows them to interact with children of all ages.

In addition to this, schools such as Yateley Manor School encourage interaction with the wider school. Nursery children are paired with Senior pupils who come and read to the children every week, allowing them to become comfortable interacting with pupils of all ages.

Parent Communication

ILG schools and nurseries acknowledge the importance of parent and staff communication and see it as vital in supporting a smooth transition to Reception for our pupils.

Parents are very involved in the transition process, with our schools offering Introduction to Reception meetings at the start of the Pre-School year to make them aware of the changes that will begin to occur. Ample advice is also offered, with staff offering tips on what parents can do at home to further support their child’s readiness to start school.

Interested in your child joining an ILG school or nursery? Use our ILG School Finder to discover which of our sites are local to you here.