We recently held our Pre-School Graduation ceremonies across all our crèches in Links Childcare for our children who will be moving on to Primary School in September. And it truly was an emotional day.
Emotional for Educarers, staff and of course, our parents. It was also such a proud day for all. This was our graduates’ final stage with us before transitioning into Primary School or ‘Big School’ as they like to call it.
During the Links Childcare Graduation Ceremonies, we watched the graduates perform their singing and dancing with such precision and skill. They proudly showed their mums and dads their artwork which they have been working hard at throughout the year. And to watch them interact with their friends in pre-school and learn how to share and work together as a team and to challenge them in small ways is truly a joy to witness.
Most of our pre-school children have been with us since they were small babies, and it has been an incredible journey for our parents and Educarer’s alike, watching them grow up and reach their milestones.
From the Baby Room right through to our Pre School Room, our Educarers work with the Links Curriculum that’s child led and based on the Aistear framework. The framework is based around the children’s wellbeing, identity & belonging, communicating, exploring & thinking. Our Educarers base their daily teachings on these elements, and in whatever activities they are doing with our children, the Links Curriculum and the Aistear Framework is always at the forefront.
How we Support your Child’s Transition from Pre-School to Primary School
Here in Links Childcare, we are very conscious of the importance of support, guidance and sensitivity at the time when a child is transitioning from any level of education to another. This is no different for the child who is transitioning from pre-school to primary school. With this in mind, we work with our children from day one to help them transition as smoothly as possible.
It is important to remember that transformative transitions are not just a once-off event. They are prepared for over several months and even years. Your child develops various aspects of independence, from sitting comfortably on a chair, using a spoon, to holding a crayon and being confident enough to express an opinion. With each aspect, he or she is getting ready for the next stage – getting ready to move on to Primary School.
Some things we do across our ten Link Childcare crèches to help ease this process include:
- A member of our team will visit the local primary schools
- Children will visit their primary school and meet their new teacher or principle
- Principle visited to the crèche (see below photo of visit from Principle of Carysfort National School)
- Our Educarers will read stories about going to school and show them photos of their local school
- Using a Transition Resource Box with school related items
- Role Play – at “big school”
Links Childcare Transition to Primary School Policy
Links Childcare has a dedicated policy on transiting to Primary School. It might be useful for you to take a look at this as a parent, to better understand what we do and have done with our children to help with this important milestone.
Good Luck to our Pre-School Graduates
Taking the Big Step from Pre-School to Primary School –
Moving on from pre-school to primary school is such an important time for our children. Different surroundings and different faces at the start to different ways of learning. But we know our children will take it all in their stride. We are lucky to have a lot of our children continue to be a part of the Links Childcare family, as they are join our After School Club in September when term starts.
With those who are moving on, we wish them the very best of luck in “big school” and we hope they will remember all the fun times that they had with us in Links Childcare.
They will always be a part of the Links Childcare family.
Early Childhood Ireland also has a useful guide to starting primary school. We have included it here for your information.
