Starting a new school can be daunting for some children and their families. We work hard at Amherst School to welcome new families to our school community, no matter the point at which the children join us.
Our School prospectus gives new families lots of basic information about starting at our school. However, we encourage and welcome anyone considering joining Amherst to book an appointment to look around the school with Mr. Hughes or Mrs. Kadir.
Please contact our Office Manager, Mrs. Heaume, to arrange a visit to the school.
Transition from Pre-school
We work very closely with you and your child’s pre-school (if they attend one) in order to best support your child’s transition to Amherst. We begin by meeting with your child’s key workers, to find out about your child, before going to meet them in their pre-school. If your child does not attend a preschool we can arrange a home visit. Once we have been to visit your child we will email you to invite you both to attend four ‘stay and play sessions where we will get to know the children before placing them into a class.
We recognise that you, as parents/ carers, are children’s first and most enduring educators and we value the contribution you make. We recognise the role that parents have played, and their future role, in educating the children.
We do this through creating good relationships with our parents which begins at your child’s first stay and play in June. We encourage strong parent partnerships by:
Starting in Reception
Starting school for the first time is a very exciting time for your child! Our enhanced transition programme seeks to support both the children and you as parents to feel part of the Amherst community and be confident when leaving your child with us for the first time.
We want your child's Reception year to be unique and to build on the many things you have taught your child already. We are proud that our school is a caring and special place where children grow, learn and flourish. We encourage you, as parents and carers, to share what you know about your children with us to help ensure they have a successful start to their school life.
It will help us and your child if they can do some of the following when they start school. Having these basic skills will help to give your child the confidence and independence to embrace their learning.
It is important to note that all children are different and unique, and should any of the above be challenging for your child, please let a staff member know so we can provide enhanced support for starting school.
Joining Amherst School mid-year or on entry to Year 1 upwards
It is common practice for children to move schools for various reasons, and at Amherst School, we work hard to ensure the transition is smooth.
Before starting at our school, we encourage all new families to visit the school with their children. This allows the family to meet Mr. Hughes or Mrs. Kadir and look around their new environment. At the same time, this allows us to find out some things about your child in preparation for them joining our school. In addition to this visit, we'll contact your child's previous school to get any academic and pastoral information they may hold for your child.
Children joining us mid-year or at the start of years 1-6 will be allocated a buddy from their class. This buddy will support and guide your child through their first days and weeks at Amherst and ensure they have a familiar face to greet them each day. We will choose this buddy based on our information about your child from their school visit and any information shared by the previous school.