COVID 19 and Early Years
Starting the first year of School
Starting the first year of school is in itself a challenging step for both parents and children. It takes weeks of effort and adjustment.
What about Our children who start school this year in September? The uncertainty of lockdown makes the transition into reception scarier.
Some children might not be ready
According to a report by ByCamilla Turner, telegraph
Schools are refusing to admit new reception pupils as they say that the coronavirus lockdown means they are not ready to join.
Headteachers are advising parents to keep their children in nursery for an extra year to ensure that they are sufficiently prepared to start school in September 2021.
“Children will have had a significant chunk of their development curtailed because of coronavirus
They have missed out on their final period in early years settings during the lockdown.
Some schools will argue that they are not adequately prepared to take children at an earlier stage of development.
They say they would rather the children stay on longer at nursery, catch up, and then take them into reception next September.”
Neil Leitch, the chief executive of the Early Years Alliance
Children who join the first year will have a different start
Ordinarily, you and your child would get to meet their new teacher at least once before starting school, for example with a meeting at school or a home visit. This year, schools are having to be more creative in introducing children to their teachers. Some schools are doing phone calls or zoom meetings.
while others will get children ready to start school without the usual induction days and teacher meetings.
At Reception teacher Lucy James’s school, Clutton CofE Primary, children are usually invited in for forest school sessions to meet their teacher. ‘This year, we’ve had to rethink these plans, and have made introductory videos and an e-book to help children get to know the faces and places at school,’ she says. ‘We’ve also set up a Google Classroom for new starters where we’re sharing stories and helping children start to get to know each other through fun games and activities.’ ‘All of the teachers I know feel this isn’t the best way to be introduced to children and their parents, but in the circumstances, it’s safest,’ adds Mark Haggis.
Safety precautions leading to a different school environment
For safety precautions, the school’s interiors will be divided up into smaller areas and will be subjected to strict hygiene rules. Once past the gates, children will be spending the day in the same small groups, depending on their age. No more toys from home; specially installed handwashing facilities outside; staggered drop-off and pick-up times; no parents in the school building.
lunch and break times will also be very different so the children remain in their small groups.
This is going to be a tricky time for both children starting school and their parents.
It is up to the governments and schools to make proper arrangements for our innocent children starting school this year and for making this first year of their school life as attractive as possible.
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