There is a full programme of events to help children joining the school.
During the summer term the new Reception class have a gradual transition programme to familiarise them with their classroom, staff and routine. For pupils new to the school the teacher and teaching assistant will support each family individually to help them settle happily into the class.
Settling starts informally, with the older pupils in Leweston Nursery joining Reception for their regular walks around the grounds. They also start to join the Reception class on a Friday afternoon for ‘Golden Time’ from January.
From the start of the Summer term all new pupils are invited to attend a weekly settling session in the Reception classroom. These sessions are the perfect, gentle introduction to life at Leweston and enable the children to start in September without the worry of the unknown.
When September comes, we welcome our new pupils to an afternoon tea on the day before term
starts. During this time, the pupils go with Mrs Cheyne to find their new peg, and their drawer and to remind themselves of their classroom. This means that, come the first day of term, they have already established a sense of ownership over their environment.
Each Reception pupil is allocated a Prep Six ‘buddy’ who is responsible for caring for them like an
older brother or sister. They will check on them at playtime, listen to them read and support them in whole-school events.