11 replies to this topic

[emma21]

Hi there,

I am currently a Reception class teacher but from september will be in Year 1. The school are very keen to enhance the transition from fs to KS1 and I was just wondering if any of you guys could post any of your tried and tested ideas or things to include...eg resources, activities, parent involvement and understanding?

I see the classroom very much reflecting the fs classroom until at least 1/2 term. But any good practice ideas would be greatly received!!!

Many thanks in advance :)

[kermit21]

We have introduced R/Y1 shared assemblies/singing time this term and that has worked well.

[Flutterby]

Hi
I am a FS leader and will be in Reception in September. I am currently on maternity leave so am not sure exactly what is happening this term. In previous years the Rec children began visiting their new classrooms and techers weekly from June onwards. We did this on a Friday afternoon and the Yr 1 children got to go back to Reception for their "Golden Time". The first half-term in Yr 1 was kept very similar to the FS with lots of play based, child-initiated learning. I believe that Yr1 should come down a little to the FS rather than children in Reception being forced into a more structured style before the end of the FS.

I am a bit concerned about what will happen in the future as our KS1 leader is moving to Yr 1 and knows very little about the FS. I am worried that she will be very formal from the beginning. Does anyone know of any good articles/research which stresses the importance of transition? I want to have something to back me up if it becomes an issue!

Flutterby

[jowilliams]

Hi I am the foundation stage leader at my school and we have started taking reception this half term out to play with key stage 1 as ususally they have a secluded outdoor area this seems to be working well. i had a meeting with the parents yesterday explaining soem of the things that the children may find difficult . There are some resources i have downloaded from the TES website on transition i will try and upload them .

Attached Files

•  Transition_Meeting_Notes.doc   25.5K   140 downloads
•  Transition_action_plan_1_.doc   5.55K   135 downloads

[sunbeam]

I feel very passionate about this topic. I have just been part of a research group trialling play based curriculum in Year 1. It has been extrememly successful - particularly for the more able children, which was a surprise to us all as the initial intention was for it to help the summer born children. There will sometime next year be a book about our findings. The person in charge of the project and writing the book is givignt talks around the country to LEA's and head teachers, so you may find that it starts becoming the norm that Year 1 is the same as Reception. The children in my class are much more independent , love to write (even the boys) are motivated learners - it has been a fantastic year. I hope this is of some help, it obviously helps if you have a headteacher who backs you up - which luckily i have

[Centurians]

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to add my "two penneth" to this thread.

I am a Reception Class teacher in a Primary School and believe passionately in the ethos of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. I am just completing my second year in Reception Class (previous years' experience in YR and Foundation Stage Team Leader). During my time at this new school I have initiated many changes to the classroom - provision areas, outdoor play, assessment etc. My FS co-ordinator is the Year 1 teacher. Just over a week ago I was "cornered" in the staff room by the Y1 teacher, she said that over the next two weeks I had to get the children "ready" for Y1!!!! What have I been doing all year I ask myself? I did say, in a very diplomatic manner, that isn't our job to make the school ready for the children rather than visa-versa, but was met with the reply "I know you don't like this, but you are going to have to do it - I don't want anyone wetting their knickers or getting upset".

I did suggest that maybe for the first term at least, there should be some elements of the FS in Y1 but my suggestions fell on stoney ground. So therefore for the past week, and for next week, there has been no outdoor play, very little child initiated activity, and lots of worksheets. I am so cross, is it just me, or should things be different?

Sorry for the rant - but could someone please tell me I am wrong. Incidently, for the last half term I have planned the curriculum to allow the children, who are ready, to be able to work independently on directed tasks, but there are many who are not ready for this.

Feeling desperate!!!

[Marion]

Point her in the direction of "Continuing the Learning Journey" http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs/reso...590_cont_lj.pdf

[Centurians]

Thanks Marion,
I have had a scan of this training document - it sounds just what we need. I will maybe contact my LEA to see if there are any trainings etc. which we could perhaps attend together. For the time being however, I don't feel brave enough to say anything - but thanks for the support.

[ems]

I too wanted to add my thoughts - i feel very strongly that Yr one needs to adapt more and we should not be forcing our reception children to do things to make them "ready" for Yr one. We currently have a class of Yr ones who were clearly not "ready" for the formal curriculum of KS1 at the beginning of the year. They are a challenging class and were clearly not at the stage where they could move on from child intiated and outside play. The problems our Yr one teacher faced this year have really made our head listen and take on board what i have been saying for several years now and after going on some transition CPD training with our Yr One teacher has agreed that the children still need a lot of the outdoor learning, child intiated and learning through play they have in reception. In fact they have even gone as far as knocking down a wall to make the yr one class a bit bigger! We will watch this space!

[Nicbrown]

Sunbeam

I am currently getting ready to move from reception to year 1 and I want to make our year 1 curriculum more like reception. It says in your post that you trialled this in your school and that there may be a book about it. Any chance you could put up some more information about this?

[emz321]

i also feel strongly about the EYFS following through into year 1

also see abcdoes blog for info on tradition and a transition policy, it will back up your position

transition - abcdoes blog

I am a reception teacher and not been doing it long! in september the year 1 teacher is leaving and being replaced by a KS2 teacher who has no experience of eyfs and little of KS1. As their is a removable wall between my classroom and the year 1 classroom i have suggested opening it and having a joint calssroom this has been met with both hostility and come on lets go for it. we are currently bashing out the details to see if it will work and to see if we can convience everyone round, lucky the head is on my side and loves the idea, fingers crossed it will all work out and the year 1's will have acess to continous provsion!

i think its a tuff thing and you have to stand your ground. I have come to except their is some things i need to do to help children with the transition to year 1 for example we are now going to whole school assemeblies twice a week and having a playtime. I think it is a conpromise between reception and year 1 they both have to aid the transitions its not all about reception getting ready for year 1 is also about years 1 getting ready for reception! thats not quite how i wanted to put it put can't think of the words!

now i must get back to report writing and not be distracted by other things!
Emma

[millhill]

Here's some suggestions I found from a DFES document called Seamless Transitions, I used it in my BA dissertation.

Emma (another one!) (who should also be getting on with reports....... 18 down 12 to go!!!!)

Attached Files

•  A.The_Foundation_Stage_Transition_ProjecAt.docx   15.92K   68 downloads

Edited by millhill, 31 May 2011 - 07:19 PM.