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Hi all! hope you can help!

In our LA, we are required to complete a transition document, set out by the Early years team, one each for every child going to school. It is usually 3 pages long and takes up quite a bit of time for the practitioners to complete as well as then trying to get parents to comment and sign and then we need to deliver to all the different schools, getting them to sign to say they have received them (all in all a very time consuming exercise) and we are getting quite aware that the schools don't seem to be interested in them. We also feel that some of the info on them is not really needed and we manage to pass more relevant info on to the schools via a phone call or visit from the teacher.

My questions to you lovely people are:

1. Do you complete transition paperwork to pass onto schools?

2. if so, what info do you include?

3. which LA are you?

Thank you :) 

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Our LA [Essex] try and push their transition passport however, we work directly with the school and they don't want them!  We just work closely with the school and give then the information they actually want/need.

Mostly verbal, and actually makes the whole process quite pleasurable rather than a task.

I just nod and smile nicely to the LA if they ask about them.  

Info includes: Any concerns we have, how they are doing in the prime areas in general, any outside services involved, if they are EAL what level of understanding, ..... and the all important 'independence skills' - they actually ask the parents about this, but seem to prefer our assessment on this one!🤣🤣

During the last half term the children make a simple All About Me book, which we pass on. 

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We do the same- our LA provide TD's- I dont really feel they are fit for purpose- need to be completed and read (they go via secure email- which is a whole other issue!) in Adobe Reader or it doesnt save/show changes. Last year was awful- Parents and then schools coming back saying we cant open them or they are blank!

But hey ho- all but the odd 1 or 2 of ours go to the same school - so we usually give out information to them verbally. Which is far more useful. 

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Its a very good topic to discuss. We are currently in talks with the reception class teachers at the school on site. We would much rather produce a document that has useful information on rather than lengthy statements that the teachers wont read. 

 

Does anyone know if it is mandatory to complete these LA transition documents? Would Ofsted have something to say if they weren't completed?

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Our LA does not give us any documentation to fill out. The statutory framework expects transition information to happen but doesn't give any details as to what that looks like.

we are starting to use a passport type document instead for ours now which is more child centred (for those who don't use tapestry of course)

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4 hours ago, littlerainbows said:

Does anyone know if it is mandatory to complete these LA transition documents? Would Ofsted have something to say if they weren't completed?

Not sure, but we we had our re-registraiton visit Ofsted were very quick to tell me we shouldn't be relying on LA audits/ paperwork as they [LA], usually have there own agenda when creating these, and they do not necessarily  fit in with what Ofsted want to see!

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I send an all about me type document. This includes child's photo, home info, personality traits, likes/dislikes, friends etc.  I also then send a summative assessment for each child.  We used to do a transition report but it was quite a task and I felt it was not relevant as the children were then going to have a six week summer holiday and then possibly slightly regress on starting school. 
Don't stress about Ofsted, you are not doing it for them, as long as you can prove that you have something in place that shares your knowledge of the children and how you share it that is all that matters.
(My LA is Cornwall)

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I completely agree with Zigzag.  Any transition information is to help the child to settle and have a good first experience at school, and to help the school make this happen.  We do all the likes/dislikes/friends/behaviour/personality stuff verbally.  Pre-Covid, this was a visit from the reception teachers.  Last year it was phone calls or Zoom.  This year I think will be a bit of both.  We are in Suffolk and send children to about 12 different primary schools!

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1 minute ago, Stargrower said:

I completely agree with Zigzag.  Any transition information is to help the child to settle and have a good first experience at school, and to help the school make this happen.  We do all the likes/dislikes/friends/behaviour/personality stuff verbally.  Pre-Covid, this was a visit from the reception teachers.  Last year it was phone calls or Zoom.  This year I think will be a bit of both.  We are in Suffolk and send children to about 12 different primary schools!

12 Different!!! 

We've had our first teacher visit today 🙀.  A lot earlier than normal- and a scary reminder of how time is flying by 😳  

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I know, it is a lot!  Some years we've had more than twelve.  We're in a small, rural market town so have children from quite a wide area.  Unusually, quite a lot of the villages still have primary schools, so our children go here, there and everywhere!

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On 17/05/2021 at 18:04, finleysmaid said:

Our LA does not give us any documentation to fill out. The statutory framework expects transition information to happen but doesn't give any details as to what that looks like.

we are starting to use a passport type document instead for ours now which is more child centred (for those who don't use tapestry of course)

Do you mind me asking which LA you are?

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Our LA is Portsmouth and I only discovered this week our transition/transfer document is non-statutory! Have been completing tirelessly for several years. This year we are going to use the front cover with the essential info e.g. name, D.O.B, any additional needs etc and send across with our end of year report. This is our first year using Tapestry so will also be transferring the children over that way.

 

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3 hours ago, Mackett88 said:

Our LA is Portsmouth and I only discovered this week our transition/transfer document is non-statutory! Have been completing tirelessly for several years. This year we are going to use the front cover with the essential info e.g. name, D.O.B, any additional needs etc and send across with our end of year report. This is our first year using Tapestry so will also be transferring the children over that way.

 

Yes, we tend to use the essential information page too.  However I've just gone onto our LA [Essex] website to look for it and I can't even find it now! 😂

The website is so difficult to navigate I think I'll give up looking. The advisors push the documents- but not easy to find unless they send a direct link.... me think's our LA need to do a bit of 'working in partnership' like they keep telling us to!

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1 hour ago, AliceinWonderland said:

Thank you everyone! I had a meeting with the LA last night and put forward my concerns and ideas and so now seem to have volunteered myself to lead a consultation within our LA to come up with a better way/document! Haha no rest for the wicked!

Well done..some of us are leaders others just follow!!

Guess I would start with what the schools want to know !!! Suspect a very short one page summary 🤔 i')) send you mine if you want?

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7 hours ago, AliceinWonderland said:

Thank you everyone! I had a meeting with the LA last night and put forward my concerns and ideas and so now seem to have volunteered myself to lead a consultation within our LA to come up with a better way/document! Haha no rest for the wicked!

I'm so pleased to read that your LA are taking your concerns seriously - but, just a note of caution, don't do their job for them, this is the voice of experience speaking, I have found myself in that position before

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6 hours ago, sunnyday said:

I'm so pleased to read that your LA are taking your concerns seriously - but, just a note of caution, don't do their job for them, this is the voice of experience speaking, I have found myself in that position before

Thanks, yes quite aware and think I possibly am already doing it for them! I am now the PVI rep for the early years strategic group and somehow got roped into being the rep for schools forum too! I can’t say no! Haha I don’t mind really, I’d rather know exactly what is going on and make sure we have a strong voice, am also challenging them on how much they top slice the 2yr funding and how they want to run a new funding portal. Lots to argue about! My mum says I’m gobby 🤣

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