Advice For Time With New Reception Class

[Guest]

I'm after advice - what do other people do when their new class visit?

 

I'm an NQT this year, and because of unavoidable circumstances, missed out on the experience last year so I'm quite nervous about the prospect.

 

My new class are visiting for the afternoon on Thursday - it is a very small group as the school is soon to close - only 10 children - 8 which I know quite well as they are in the nursery class and the other 2 are unknowns, all we do know is that they have no English. To add to this, I have my new TA coming in to spend the afternoon with us so I don't have the benefit of being able to bounce off each other as I would with my current TA.

 

I look forward to your superb advice as always!

Annette

[Guest]

hi. We had 2 half day visits as we have a large intake of 45 children. We set up varying activities that the children could choose from and had a session outside playing ring games, then had some juice, fruit and toast, then more playing until they were ready to go. It was great, a good chance to meet the children and the parents. I'm an NQT too, just had final report today. Yay.

 

Good luck and have fun!!!!

[catma]

It's always a bit wierd and I've done it for years!!!

The children (and your new TA) will be a mixture of curious, excited, shy, nervous....... for those that come from the nursery can you get a member of the nursery staff to come with them? This will reassure them. Will Parents be visiting too? Maybe they can come and stay, especially for the 2 new children. Can you find out what languages they speak and get some books/activities in their language? Is that information on their enrollment papers? I used to set out activities that they can easily get straight on with, and had a small mat time (interactive story/songs/rhymes) at the end of the session. They'll probably flit from thing to thing at first and be into everything as it will be like a magic toyshop so it's a good opportunity to explain some rules as you go like how to put something back if you're changing an activity etc etc.

 

Another good thing to do is to have your camera ready and take photos so that you have their portraits ready for name pegs or other things you use photos for in september. You can also use them in september to talk about when they visitied and what they remember as a good intro activity.

 

Hope that helps. Just think, In a years time they will be telling you how anxious they are about visiting Y1!!!!!!

[Susan]

What a lovely small group!

Just have a lovely relaxed chatty afternoon, allow yourself time to talk to the children even the ones you already know and allow them some getting to know the classroom time. I ususally have dough, drawing, puzzles, threading as table top activities plus home corner and carpet toys. These activities are "safe" in the new environment and aid childrens security. You also get a good overview of the group as a whole as you are not concentrating on mopping wet floors etc.

If it is really nice, you could go outside although this is not a paryiculary good way, in my experience to interact with the children and can be difficult to control when you want to tidy up. But your setting may lend itself better to this than mine has done!

You could take the children for a tour of the school if there are ares you will use that they are not familiar with and make sure they know where to find the toilet.

Depending on the afternoons structure you could have a talking time and a story and rhymes are often nice!

 

Have fun!

[Guest]

Just wanted to say thanx to everyone who have given advice, your suggestions are pretty much what I'd thought about doing but it's just good to have support from others who are in the know!

[Guest]

hi Annette,

im glad you raised this as like you im an NQT starting in reception, really anxious!

ive got to meet my children on the 15th july abd have 18 children starting. its good to read the replys, gives me a little confidence.

 

cheers