How do you manage new intake?

[tinkerbell1403]

Hi All,

Just after some inspiration regarding welcome visits/open days for children who will be starting in September. In the past we used to contact parents from our waitlist and book in a visit for them to come into the preschool. However, this year we will be asking parents to attend an open day to come and see the pre-school. My question is if any other settings out there do an open day, do you have parents register their children for places there and then or do you allow them to take the registration forms away with them. Also we usually do our welcome talk with parents individually when parents attend a settling in session but have considered doing a group talk with the parents on the open day.

Any feedback on how other settings manage this would be most appreciated

[zigzag]

Each child and parent is invited to come and spend a morning with us before they begin. During that time they will meet with key worker and fill out an initial assessment together, be given a welcome pack and bookbag etc.

[Fredbear]

Hi this is how we do it at our sessional preschool.

Parents contact us to register.

This can be filled in online, or completed when they come for a visit.

We then make an appointment for them and their child to visit.

Child then goes on our waiting list.

Once a place is available and accepted, they have 2/3 induction visits to the setting as well as a home visit is arranged.

No opportunity for open days I'm afraid.

But we do have a Funday on a Saturday which all children on our list are invited too.

[mrsbat]

We have an open morning every year when the older children all visit the schools they will be attending in September - we normally only have about 10 children in for the morning so staff are free'd up to speak to parents. The morning lasts from 9.30-11.30 and parents turn up any time between those times. I generally do the 'talk' about the EYFS, key person, what's needed to bring, sessions times, fees etc and I kind of do these in small groups once a few people have arrived.

Parents tend to take the registration forms away (although they can fill then in there and then if wanted) then send them back. We advertise it so we never know how many people will come but I also contact all the people who have already registered for September so they can come along too - must admit it's so much easier doing it all on one day rather than lots of individual visits and seems to work better for the parents and children too however people can also come for a morning with their children if they can't make the open day or if they are starting at another time of the year and would miss the open morning

[blondie]

we have an open day 10-2 when all who will be starting with us are invited to come along - this is done once the pre-school has finished for the summer we put out some of the resources/activities that will be offered to the children for them to play with.

the parents have already been sent a letter with their sessions on together with a letter giving lots of information about the preschool and frequently asked questions as well as registration form.

they bring the completed form with them - they are introduced to their key person who will answer any questions,talk generally about the pre-school etc.,

it works well for us.

[Guest]

We have an open week and the paperwork is sometimes done during that week if we don't have too many people visiting at the same time.

[korkycat]

We always try to get new starters to visit beforehand, send out an 'All About Me' with confirmation of start dates and only start 2 newbies a session, especially in September. We request that parent plans to stay for all or most of first session and this gives them a better chance of learning about us and vice versa. Paperwork is done on first session - the first 2 weeks are pretty low key anyway as the numbers gradually build up. We would also rota an extra staff member if children are struggling to settle. This is mainly 2 year olds. We also try to start some of the 'just turned 2' in the summer term if spaces allow. This has been a lot less stressful for everyone.

korkycat

[MarshaD]

It's our first year. We ran two open days before we opened. The first was like a fun day the second was just like a session. Neither was very well attended but the second one was much better than the first in my opinion. Had been thinking of holding an open day this term but have decided not to. We are just doing show rounds when an enquiry made. Paperwork is taken away usually, but have odd one or two who do it there and then.

 

We offer a home visit and ask parents to be available to stay at least for first session. We haven't put a limit on how many starters a a session but it has naturally worked out to be one or two.

[tinkerbell1403]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I like the idea of sending out the paperwork beforehand for them to bring in with them when they visit. Originally we were just going to invite our waitlist to the open day but both managers are in agreement that this should go out to the wider community to see if we can get numbers up.

 

I think we will go down the route of a "fun day" with lots of activities and make and do so the children have things to take away. That will give me good opportunity to speak with the parents whilst the children are playing