The ‘Stepping Up’ Programme is a transition programme for pre-school to primary school.
The programme was created by the Referral Pathways Sub-Group of the ABC and built on existing partnerships and good practice in our community, between early years services and primary schools. The programme aims to improve child readiness, increase information sharing between early years settings and primary schools to ease the transition and improve outcomes for children, and ease parent/carers’ anxieties about the transition.
The programme has three main components:
Visits
The programme provides opportunities for a series of visits from early years settings to schools and from primary schools to early years settings. There is flexibility for early years services and schools to make decisions what works best for them. The visits include time for the adults to speak and have professional conversations about the children who are due to transition, sharing key information with one another. The visits also include time for the new teacher to see the children in their early years setting and for the children to visit the school with early years staff. In some instances, the early years settings and schools have joined together for special visits to the Zoo or the playground.
Transition Packs
Early years services and schools are supported through the programme to carefully plan events and learning opportunities for children around the transition. This includes packs for the summer to encourage children and families to continue sharing stories, building motor skills and preparing for the move to ‘big school’ with photo books of their new class and teacher.
‘Stepping Up’ Document
The Stepping Up document aims to provide relevant information to ease the transition for a child moving to primary school from the preschool setting. The document is designed to travel with the child to inform their new primary school teacher of any relevant information and includes sections for the child, parent and early years staff. It was developed in line with national and international best practice, including a review of initiatives in Spain, Denmark and Australia as well as looking at existing models from Donegal County Childcare Committee and feedback from the NCCA.
Outcomes of the Programme:
Our evaluations have found that:
- Children are more ready for school – they have visited their new school several times, met their class teacher, been introduced to other children, they are more comfortable in the new environment
- Parents/carers are more confident about the transition. They have also had opportunities to meet the staff at the primary school, they like that there is an existing, positive relationship between the trusted early years’ staff and the new school
- Changing attitudes and enhanced knowledge on the part of primary school teachers in relation to the contribution and expertise of early years staff
- A positive impact on early years staff morale and confidence as they felt that their professional roles were more recognised.
- Key information about children, particularly those with additional needs, shared in a timely way to ensure schools have plans in place to support children from the very beginning.
- Potential transfer of learning between primary school teachers and early years staff in the use of the Aistear framework for play-based learning.
grangegormanabc.com 