juliewilk Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hi All We are a nursery (morning and afternoon) in a school where some children will be going up to Reception in September and some will be staying with us. I'd love to hold graduation ceremonies for the children who are leaving but I'm worried that the others will get upset because they're not getting a certificate/hat. Obviously they'll join in with the singing and we'll explain that it will be their turn next year etc. I was just wondering how other people manage this situation and if you've had any problems. Any advice greatly appreciated. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hi Julie, we're open term time only so this is easy for us. We have the end of term party for everyone during the last week and the graduation the next day with just the school leavers and their families there. They all receive a card with their photo on with them dressed in cap and gown. They have a certificate and a small present, usually a book. We have tea and cake and everyone gets a bit emotional buts a its a lovely morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 everyone is invited to our graduation ceremony, but only the leavers wear the cap and gown..............it's not been a problem at all with those who aren't leaving us, as we have a party so everyone has fun ( we had a magician last year, not sure what we're doing this year, though someone has mentioned a stretch limo.... !)..............we'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeytg Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 We do the same as Rea - just invite the leavers and their parents - very emotional day - last year we did a slide show of pictures of the children set to music and there wasn't a dry eye in the room!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliewilk Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 thanks everyone. Really appreciate the responses. Feel reassured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbury Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Hi All We are a nursery (morning and afternoon) in a school where some children will be going up to Reception in September and some will be staying with us. I'd love to hold graduation ceremonies for the children who are leaving but I'm worried that the others will get upset because they're not getting a certificate/hat. Obviously they'll join in with the singing and we'll explain that it will be their turn next year etc. I was just wondering how other people manage this situation and if you've had any problems. Any advice greatly appreciated. thanks We have been holding a graduation ceremony for probably the last seven years. We invite all the children who attend our pre-school plus parents, friends etc. We actually hold it in the church we are attached to and the children wear graduation gowns (made by me without the aid of a sewing machine and sort of like a bat-man cape) and mortar boards made out of cardboard which they keep. We usually get the local mayor to present them with their leaving certificates (something I found on Creata Card). The children who are not leaving are already in church with parents etc. and the graduation children walk down from the back of the church to a special piece of music. They go up to the front on their own and get their certificate and leaving present. After lots of applause and photographs we hold a picnic in the grounds of the church. This may sound a bit scary but we all enjoy it and I have never had a child distressed but if they did refuse no pressure would be made on them to participate. The children who are not leaving are reassured that they will get their turn next year. It's just a lovely time to all get together to celebrate their time with us. It works for us! It originally was a one-off when we did it as a surprise sort of leaving play but everyone looks forward to it now so I couldn't stop it if I wanted to. We do go to church for our harvest festival and Christmas Nativity so the church is familiar to the children and makes their last day a bit special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 The problem we have is that some of the children are leaving us to go to 'proper nursery' which annoys me. I'm all for celebrating the children old enough to move up to school, but does this mean we also have to celebrate the ones leaving for nursery too - which I don't feel like doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjayne Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 But Cait thats not the childs fault - it's the parents and why should the children be denied closure and a positive transition from your setting because parents cannot or choose not to see that your setting and 'proper' Nursery work to the same curriculum ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Yes, I know, they still take part of course, and still get leaving gifts and certificates and stuff, just not quite as much on the 'gift' front. I wasn't meaning we didn't celebrate the 'moving on' aspect, it was the timing of the move that grieves me. I feel for some of these children, really I do, and it saddens me that parents make that decision, that's all I meant - I don't feel like celebrating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Actually I do understand what you mean Cait. it's like celebrating them moving to a competitor, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Well since all our children are leaving to go to school at the end of term we're thinking of having a graduation ceremony for the first and last time. Not sure I can rustle up nine graduation outfits with my limited skills though. Seems an expensive enterprise for a one-off but I'll need to keep thinking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) Thought you might have a past and present day Maz. Might be lovely to see some of your former charges. Some of mine, given how long I have been in the game altogether are taking "A" levels and some have been at University for a year or so. Actually Maz, I think you can hire the caps and gowns, I seem to remember an advert in the back of Nursery World I think offering this service for early years. Edited May 31, 2011 by Panders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Yes, I know, they still take part of course, and still get leaving gifts and certificates and stuff, just not quite as much on the 'gift' front.I wasn't meaning we didn't celebrate the 'moving on' aspect, it was the timing of the move that grieves me. I feel for some of these children, really I do, and it saddens me that parents make that decision, that's all I meant - I don't feel like celebrating So how long will you have had some of these children that are moving on Cait? Do you start them at 2 and they go at 4? and you would rather keep them another 6 - 10 months? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thought you might have a past and present day Maz. Might be lovely to see some of your former charges. We're having a big party after school on the last day of term Panders, when as many of our 'old' children and families as we can track down will be invited. I think I'd like to keep the graduation just for ourselves though, to make it nice and intimate. I've looked at Marston robing and I think hiring might well be the way to go. I wonder if any local groups might do something similar and might like to lend me their robes for a fee? Hmm now there's a thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 So how long will you have had some of these children that are moving on Cait? Do you start them at 2 and they go at 4? and you would rather keep them another 6 - 10 months? Some of them we've just had since Easter 'getting them ready for proper nursery', and some since September The ones who are off to school have been with us a couple of years at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Some of them we've just had since Easter 'getting them ready for proper nursery', Ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 yes, can you see why it's hard to give them all the same leaving gifts and celebrate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 (edited) Some of them we've just had since Easter 'getting them ready for proper nursery', and some since September The ones who are off to school have been with us a couple of years at least We are in exactly the same position..only been with us since Easter, done all the settling in, toilet training, about me sheets, started the learning journal, got baseline assessment from parents for development matters and now have to do a transition document for them to go to the Nursery... alot of time and effort for a few months. We lose children as and when the Nursery at school can offer parents a place. We seem to be a bit of a stand in! Some children we are losing for Nursery are just turned 3 and some have only just settled into preschool...we do all the work by collecting children from Nursery and bringing to preschool for lunch and afternoon, taking from preschool after lunch to nursery plus when child leaves us or starts Nursery but carries on with us we always do transition docs for them. Had no feedback and if child at Nursery and then starts with us we never get anything. Rant over! Can understand that parents want them to go to nursery at school to make friends etc etc and we are able to provide full day care which Nursery cant so helps working parents. As for those that leave us... we sing "Happy Leavers" song, give them a Good Luck Certificate and then give them their file (which has their special learning journal in). Edited June 1, 2011 by marley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yup, that's pretty much it Marley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I feel that this post has become totally off topic and a rant about school run nurseries. i am nursery teacher in nursery within school and also the early years manager. we have children with us for a year, and some for 5 terms. We do our fair share of toilet training, settling children etc and due to the 15 hour offer most of us now do not get more tyhan 15minutes lunchtime. Any children that come to us we are grateful of any documentation, learning journals etc. however, any children that leave us, automatically get theirs sent on to their new setting. we work very hard at our learning journals and are proud to send them off! i resent this comment about getting no information as transition is one of our strengths and we work very hard to share information that will ease transition. Back to topic. We do a graduation ceremony for our Nursery children. we made the hats through papier mache over balloons and then attached the boards but they do not wear gowns. This year i wanted to up the game so was get them to come in to never forget by take that. going to do a soppy speech about the journey the children have made etc, then sing a song - one more step along the world i go? then present scrolls. Then i thought i might give out special certificates, best attendance, best effort, most improved? before finishing with a tear jerker. thought maybe that's what friends are for by diane warwick. the head will probably finish with speech about parental support. then picnic depending on weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Oh dizzydaisies reading about your nursery graduation brought a tear to my eye. I'm not a Take That afficionado but I shall look that track up on iTunes later, and I think I might borrow the idea of singing One More Step. What a lovely day for everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Agree a wonderful choice of songs, we always sing "so long its been good to know you" but i love the idea of "one more step along the way", thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 As for those that leave us... we sing "Happy Leavers" song, give them a Good Luck Certificate and then give them their file (which has their special learning journal in). Hi Marley What is the 'Happy Leavers' song? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I feel that this post has become totally off topic and a rant about school run nurseries. i am nursery teacher in nursery within school and also the early years manager. we have children with us for a year, and some for 5 terms. We do our fair share of toilet training, settling children etc and due to the 15 hour offer most of us now do not get more tyhan 15minutes lunchtime. Any children that come to us we are grateful of any documentation, learning journals etc. however, any children that leave us, automatically get theirs sent on to their new setting. we work very hard at our learning journals and are proud to send them off! i resent this comment about getting no information as transition is one of our strengths and we work very hard to share information that will ease transition. Hi dizzydaisys Sorry it wasnt meant as a stab at all school nurseries (my own village one, where my children went, is excellent)...just the one we feed into. They have recently been OFSTED with whole school and got outstanding for working with others...this just annoys us at the pre-school as they have never made any moves to share info with us although we do forever try. As for the Happy Leavers song its done to the tune of Happy Birthday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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