Admissions and Transitions

Mobility and Transition

General Transition 

There are many transitions that take place throughout a child’s life. Starting school is a major transition for children and their families. It is a period of change that can be both challenging and exciting. This is followed by transition between classes and key stages, and finally to secondary school. We aim to make these processes as smooth as possible, so that the children and their families have positive experiences, and are able to achieve their potential. We aim to address the five transition bridges: administrative, social and personal, curricular, pedagogic and managing learning, using a range of strategies. Our learning mentors in school are able to provide additional support to those who need it and further support is planned for those with special educational needs- see below. 

Admission to Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) 

Before a child starts in our Foundation Stage parents and children will be invited to the school to complete application forms and sign the home school agreement. During this meeting the Foundation Stage Leader will talk to parents about how the foundation stage is organised and managed and a booklet of information will be given out to parents to take with them. The child will have the opportunity to visit the setting and meet the staff. Following on from this meeting a home visit will be set up. These home visits are really helpful in meeting the child’s social and emotional needs and further information about the child can be gathered, including a photo, to prepare for the start date.

Children in the Nursery will be given different start dates, so that entry is staggered to ensure that there is time to settle each child. Children will gradually increase the time that they stay in the setting, depending on their individual needs, in consultation and partnership with parents. See Foundation Stage Policy for further details. 

Many children transfer from our Nursery class into our Reception class. We find that because the two classes are organised as a unit, this transition works well. The children spend time with the Reception teacher in the summer term before they join the class, and the teachers meet to pass on records and carry out assessments together. This means that the teacher is ready to meet all the needs of the child when they start. When children transfer from another setting into our Reception class we will endeavour to carry out a home visit before they start. Our expectation is that the Reception children will be full time when they start school, unless there are exceptional circumstances. We will take into account all records transferred from previous settings to help ensure that we are meeting the child’s needs. Where appropriate we may carry out TAC meetings prior to children starting in our setting, particularly where other agencies are involved with the family. 

Transition into Year 1 

We recognise that transition from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 can be challenging for some children. In order to help it run smoothly we begin the process in the second half of the summer term, before the children join Year 1. The Year 1 teacher spends time with the Reception Children and meets with the Reception Teacher to go through the Foundation Stage Profile assessments, looking at how these match with the National Curriculum and the Programmes of Study.

While the children are in Reception they begin to use exercise books for some simple activities, to record their ideas. They also take part in some more formal activities together. There will also be some days where they experience set playtimes in the outdoor area, rather than the free flow access that they experience the rest of the year.  These changes are carried out sensitively, with the children’s interests and needs carefully considered. 

When the children join Year 1 in September they continue to use the exercise books that they started in reception, so that there is continuity. The Year 1 teacher plans a range of practical activities and uses a range of teaching styles, for example working with focus groups while other children play, use of carousel activities and use of the outdoor learning environment, to help the children settle into their new routines. Information about the curriculum and changes is given to parents and there is an opportunity for parents to ask questions and find out more about the new Key Stage late in the preceding Summer term and early in the Autumn Term through meet the teacher meetings. 

Transition into Year 3 

We recognise that this is an important transition, where the curriculum changes and there can sometimes be a dip in children’s progress. In order to support transition we ensure that children’s exercise books are transferred between classes and that there is sufficient time for teachers to meet and discuss attainment, as well as other needs that the children may have. 

Transition between classes 

Many of the strategies that support transition in Year 1 and Year 3 are used to support transition between other classes. In the summer term each child visits their new class and spends time with their new teacher. CPD meeting time is provided for teachers to meet and discuss each child in detail and a transition form is completed as a record and aide memoir. This form includes SEN, More Able and Talented, Safeguarding, groupings, friendships and behaviour information. The class tracking data is also shared with between teachers and agreed. Children’s exercise books are passed on to the new teacher so that they can see that the child’s attainment, and the children can be reminded of the expectations when they return in the autumn term. 

Transition to Secondary School 

Support for transition to secondary school begins at the end of the summer term of Year 5. There is a meeting for parents and pupils to support the process of choosing a secondary school. On occasion representatives from local secondary schools may be invited to attend this meeting and answer any of the parents’ queries regarding the transition from primary to secondary school. During the first half of the autumn term appointments are offered to parents to help them complete the online secondary transfer forms where appropriate. Children are offered support for non-verbal reasoning tests, where appropriate, to help them feel more confident in a potentially stressful situation. 

When the children find out their secondary schools in March, we offer support through circle times and through additional groups with our learning mentor. We recognise that this is a stressful time for parents too and offer support to parents, sometimes including support for the appeals process. 

Throughout the summer term transition groups take place with our learning mentors and contacts are made with secondary schools. Visits are encouraged from staff from the secondary schools where the children will be attending. The Inclusion Team where appropriate will support the transition for individual children via the SENDIP.

Children with Special Educational Needs 

For Children with Special Educational Needs and Statements, additional support is put in place. Some children will have a transition book which will be introduced in the Summer Term before they transfer to a new class or setting. The book will detail the changes which will take place. Additional visits may be made to the new class or setting along with the child’s key worker and/ or parents where appropriate. For transition to secondary schools, support is given through the Annual Review in Year 5, so that the Secondary School can be requested in good time and follow up support given. 

Admissions for children into Year 1 to Year 6 

Robert Browning, Snowsfields and Tower Bridge schools serve diverse local communities.  These communities are continuing to evolve and change.  In recent years new communities have emerged, speaking many different languages.

We aim to add something positive to the life of every child who attends our schools, whether this is for one day or for the whole of their primary schooling.

Although part of our school population is stable, a number of children and their families are mobile.  Robert Browning, Snowsfields and Tower Bridge Primary Schools have a high level of pupil mobility and, consequently, is higher than the national average.

PUPIL MOBILITY is defined by Ofsted as “the total movement in and out of schools by pupils other than as the usual times of joining or leaving”.

Mobile pupils are pupils that either begin or leave the federation other than at the usual times to join in Reception or leave in year six.

At The Bridges Federation we recognise that:

• All information regarding health, SEN, EAL and previous school experience will be gathered as fully as possible and used to enable each child to fully access the curriculum.
• All children are entitled to education and access to the whole school curriculum
• Children may join the school for a variety of reasons. Some pupils who arrive during the school term may have experienced difficulties.  These may include being homeless and in temporary accommodation, having attended several schools already and having a disrupted education, recently arriving from another country or being a refugee or asylum seeker who has fled from armed conflict and persecution
• Parents and carers need to be welcomed involved and engaged through the home/school contract so we can teach children effectively

At The Bridges Federation we aim to:

• provide a warm welcome for children and their parents/carers who arrive outside of the usual entry point in Reception and Leaving point at the end of year six, which will reassure them that our school is a safe and caring environment.
• provide children and families with effective multilingual information about our school, the curriculum and the local area.
• ensure that children with known medical or special educational needs are properly assessed on entry to the school.
• record relevant information about a child’s background and previous educational experiences.
• acknowledge and celebrate the skills and knowledge that new children bring to the school.
• ensure that children’s wider needs are addressed through co-ordination with other agencies and services.
• develop strategies to encourage new pupils to make friends and have positive peer support.
• enable each child to participate in the curriculum at an appropriate level.
• monitor how the pupils have settled into school, including their attendance and maintain appropriate records