Children from Pilgrims recently graced the stages at the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama – performing to delighted crowds as part of the week-long event.
We are so proud of how the children performed, playing confidently and putting huge smiles on the audiences’ faces.
Pilgrims take part in the festival every year and the children really look forward to it, eager to show their talents and musical ability.
Here, Angela Knight, Pilgrims’ music teacher, reflects on this fantastic event.
Festival Fun
This year’s Bedfordshire Festival was wonderful – and I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of watching all the Pilgrims children perform.
It’s an event the school has been part of for more than a decade, and something the children count the days to every year.
I was so proud of every one of them and how they performed, as well as the hard work they had put in preparing to get up on stage.
One of the great things about performing on stage is the confidence and resilience it gives our children, as well as the sense of achievement they feel when they hear their well-earned round of applause.
The children received some lovely comments from members of the public following their performances, many commenting on how smart the Pilgrims children looked.
They all performed brilliantly and should be hugely proud of what they achieved.
Choir
The school choir gave a great performance in the non-competitive class at this year’s festival.
We received lots of really positive feedback from the adjudicator following their incredible performance.
We would like to say a massive well done to everyone involved!
Individual Piano Classes
Children from Pilgrims took part in four piano classes.
They all received some really lovely comments from the adjudicator, who also gave valuable advice on how to make their performances extra special.
Talking to the stage in a solo competition is especially daunting so to have the confidence to perform as they did at this age is a tremendous achievement.
Congratulations to:
Taliyah – 2nd place (Class 78A)
Mia K – 3rd place (Class 78A)
Ara – 2nd place (Class 78B(ii))
Kai – 3rd place (Class 78B(ii))
Chloe – 3rd place (Class 79)
Thank you to all the children who took part – we are so proud of you.
Orchestra and String Ensemble
Pilgrims Orchestra and String Ensemble enjoyed performing in the non-competitive “Have a Go” class, and really outdid themselves.
Both groups received excellent and well-deserved comments from the adjudicator and performed extremely well together.
It was a great experience for them, and a wonderful start for when they move on to larger orchestras and ensembles as they get older.
Singing Classes
One of our children, Jemima, took part in the Year 2 and 3 Voice Class and did a fantastic job performing – achieving 2nd place in the competition and receiving some lovely, well-deserved comments from the adjudicator.
Well done, you were brilliant!
Drama
The children who took part in the drama classes also represented Pilgrims wonderfully, with the Year 1 drama group receiving 2nd place.
The children all showed great confidence on stage and impressed the adjudicator with their expression and enthusiasm.
The Arts at Pilgrims
At Pilgrims, we know how important music and drama are to a child’s development.
With children this age it’s so important to have a positive experience of music, playing together and expressing themselves.
Children at Pilgrims have the opportunity to learn a host of instruments including piano, cello, violin, viola, ukulele, guitar, drums, as well as singing – that’s from Year 1.
In Reception, we have recently introduced a new string method called ‘stringbabies’ which is especially designed for very young children learning a stringed instrument.
Children in Reception are now given the opportunity to take this up from the Spring term onwards.
As a school, all Year 2 children learn glockenspiel which enhances their learning of notation
We put on music assemblies two or three times a year to give the children the chance to play for their parents and guardians as well as their class mates – and the children just love it. It gives them something to work towards too.
Music provides life-long skills, opens their minds to new interests, gives them the confidence to know they can take on any challenge and gives them an enormous sense of achievement.
For more news from Pilgrims see here.
At Pilgrims, we understand the importance of children’s mental health and take great care to encourage our pupils to share and talk about their feelings.
Learning the tools to promote your emotional wellbeing is vital, and the younger you can learn these skills the better.
This month, Pilgrims celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week, which this year focused on the importance of ‘belonging’ to our wellbeing.
Here, Jacqueliine Morales, our Additional Needs and Wellbeing Lead, looks at children’s mental health and how the school goes above and beyond to support our pupils’ wellbeing.
Expressing how they feel
Our children are encouraged from a young age to express their emotions and learn ways to manage their feelings – it’s something I am very passionate about.
There have been some alarming statistics produced by the NHS that show that one in five children aged 8-16 have a probable mental disorder, so equipping children with life-long skills they can use to understand their emotions, and process how they are feeling in a constructive way, is so important.
It’s about being proactive so we don’t need to be reactive later down the line.
We teach our children three things – emotional resilience, emotional literacy and emotional intelligence. By teaching them these three things, and the vocabulary to talk about their mental health and emotions, we equip them with the tools to handle their feelings long into the future.
Belonging
Children have a desire to belong – being part of a family, a friendship group, a school class or a club, for example.It’s something we encourage at Pilgrims, that sense of belonging.
For our very young children, this could be bringing in items from home to help them settle in. It could be a comforter, or a photo of their family, something that makes them feel at home wherever they are.
It’s all about creating a strong partnership between our families and the school, so children feel they belong and know there are people always there who will listen and support them.
Kipsy the Caring Caterpillar
Over the years, we have worked closely with charity Making Me, using its brilliant Kipsy the Caring Caterpillar programme.
This includes a number of ways to engage children with their mental health, including our Kipsy Caterpillar club and our feelings flowers.
The Caterpillar Club is a fortnightly session where a story related to an emotion is read aloud to the children in a circle.
Each session, we say to the children: “Feelings are just feelings, they come and they go. We don’t have to be afraid of our feelings, we just have to know what they are and use our words to talk about them with someone we can trust.”
The idea is to normalise talking about our emotions and to promote feeling comfortable sharing our feelings.
At the end of each session we have something called calm time, where the children practice breathing techniques to calm their minds.
We like to tell them they are like a snowglobe shaken up, and that sometimes for learning we need to let ourselves settle and have a calm mind.
Feelings Flower
As part of the Making Me programme, one of the first things pupils do when they come into class every morning is put their feelings flowers on the wall.
A flower is placed on how they are feeling at that moment – happy, sad, angry, worried or ok.
It’s a useful way for our teachers to know how each child is feeling that day, and gets the children into the habit of sharing their emotions.
The children can change their flower placement at any time during the day, and are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult, or our Talk Time champions, if they are worried or angry about anything.
Talk Time Champions
Our Talk Time champions are key to helping our children express their emotions and works alongside our feelings flowers and Caterpillar Club programmes.
At Pilgrims, we have five dedicated Talk Time Champions – whose job is simply to listen.
They are there to give the children the time and space to talk, and the children can find them by the caterpillar sticker on their lanyard. The children are encouraged to speak to them about anything.
It could be they are just excited because it’s their mum’s birthday, but it could be something that’s playing on their mind, like their grandmother has been unwell.
Our Talk Time champions give the children an outlet for their feelings, a trusted adult they can share their emotions with.
We also run a Nurture Club for years 1 and 2.
It’s a group session for a maximum of six children, a safe space where they can talk about feelings in more depth.
Children can often feel more comfortable and at ease at the Nurture Club and find it easier to contribute and express their feelings in greater detail.
Children’s mental health is thankfully being taken more seriously now, particularly from an early age, and it’s something in which Pilgrims are leading the way.
Children at Pilgrims will be keeping their eyes peeled for feathered friends this month as they take part in the Big Schools Birdwatch.
The national RSPB scheme, which runs from January 6 to February 13, will see schools across the country record the number and species of the birds that land in their grounds.
The information will feed into the wider Big Garden Birdwatch, the world’s largest wildlife survey, providing a detailed snapshot of bird activity throughout the UK
This is the third year the children have taken part in the event, and they are as excited as ever to join in the fun.
Here, we look at the project and what the children can expect to get up to in the coming weeks.
Eyes open
Over the next few weeks, our children will take part in the Big Schools Birdwatch, using Pilgrims’ brilliant outdoor classroom and our forest school area to get the best views.
Taking small groups of pupils out for 20 minutes at a time, the children will scour the school grounds logging the birds that land.
With help from their class teacher the children will note which species of bird they see – whether it’s pigeons, blackbirds, blue tits, thrushes, finches or robins – and the number that touch the ground.
The results of the birdwatch will then be compiled and sent to the RSPB, providing valuable data for their national survey.
Feeding time
For the children, the fun doesn’t end at the birdwatch.
Back in the classroom, they will create their own birdfeeders to feed birds both at school and at home in their own gardens.
Reception children will make theirs out of Cheerios threaded on a piece of raffia, which we will place around the school grounds to create a delicious biodegradable treat for the birds who visit.
Year 1 will use ice cream cones, coating them in Trex (vegan lard) and dipping them into birdseed, while Year 2’s feeders will be made from pinecones.
We hope taking home a birdfeeder for their gardens will inspire the children to keep birdwatching at home, learning even more about the huge variety of species that live in the UK.
A love of nature
The Big Schools Birdwatch fits perfectly with the ethos of Pilgrims and our love for outdoor learning.
We want to instill a love of nature and the outdoors in our children, inspiring them to want to know more about the world around them.
Our brilliant Forest School and outdoor classroom are shining examples of this, giving the children a place to take their learning outside of the traditional classroom setting.
The Big Schools Birdwatch, and the wider Big Garden Birdwatch, give the children the opportunity to learn more about the environment, while helping the RSPB with their vital research.
For more on Pilgrims’ outdoor learning opportunities, see here.
Swimming is a crucial skill for children to learn – not just so youngsters can stay safe when poolside but also as an enriching activity they will love for a lifetime.
At Pilgrims we are proud to offer swimming lessons to all our pupils, from Kindergarten and Pre School all the way up to Year 2.
Here, we look at how important it is that children learn to swim and how at Pilgrims, they will be comfortable in the water from an early age.
Why is swimming important
As a skill, swimming is lifesaving. Being able to stay afloat and get to the side of a pool is a vital skill all children should learn.
Knowing your child is comfortable in the water gives parents the peace of mind their children are safe to splash around and enjoy themselves.
But safety aside, swimming is a great way to stay fit and active, a form of exercise that is as fun as it is good for you.
And that’s the real benefit – giving children a love of the water and confidence in the pool opens up a pursuit they will enjoy throughout their lives.
Building confidence
Children at Pilgrims start in the pool at an early age.
It starts simply, building a child’s confidence in the water and enabling them to dip their head in the water and feel happy getting their face wet.
“Children start their journey with learning to swim at Kindergarten age, with lessons once a week, around 20 minutes long,” said Pilgrims’ Swimming Manager Mrs Kret.
“When they move to Pre School the sessions are increased to a 30 minute session, rising to 40 minutes once a week until Year 2.
“It’s about building their confidence and their awareness and getting them used to the water.
“Kindergarten and Pre School is all about building the foundation, building their confidence.
“Then in Reception we slowly start to teach swimming strokes, kicking, front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke.”
Swimming facilities
The school has two pools, one shallow pool for children to have some fun and splash around, and another 12.5m by 6m pool to learn the basics of swimming.
Younger children start in our shallow pool to get comfortable with the water, and then progress to the main pool when they are developing their strokes.
Learning to swim should be fun – and Mrs Kret and her team make sure the children enjoy every moment.
At the end of each session, no matter their age, the children move to the shallow pool to splash around and play – a perfect way to end a session.
Advancing in the pool
If our children want to take swimming further, and like the idea of competing, Pilgrims have advanced sessions to take their swimming to the next level.
Mrs Kret said: “We have a Swim Squad where, for more skilled children, we work on advanced swimming drills to develop front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
“We also take part in swimming galas, which we host at Pilgrims or attend at other schools.
“We also run an After School Swimming Club, so if parents want to give their children some extra pool time and help them improve their skills and techniques, we can provide that.”
Pilgrims also offers swimming as an activity during our half-term breaks.
Mrs Kret said: ““Children in our Holiday Club enjoy fun swimming sessions, and for those who want to focus entirely on swimming, we offer a three-day Holiday Swim School.
“Here, children boost their water confidence, and it’s also the perfect chance to strengthen core aquatic skills from floating, gliding and jumping.
“Since November this year, Pilgrims has been offering Baby and Parent Swimming lessons, which is an amazing opportunity for parents and their little ones to enjoy their first swimming splashes together “
One of the highlights of the year are Pilgrims’ “See Me Swim” days, where parents can come along and see how their child is progressing.
“These are so fun,” Mrs Kret added. “The children are very excited to show their parents what they have learned.
“We are so proud of the excellent swimming facilities at Pilgrims, our pool facilities are amazing – and the children just love it.
“If our children want to take their swimming further and like the idea of competing, Pilgrims can offer advanced sessions to help them progress to the next level.”
For more information on early years development at Pilgrims, see here.
As the nights draw in and winter approaches, some people find their mental health can be affected.
There are some diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression caused by the seasonal change, while many people simply feel lower in mood than usual during the winter months.
At Pilgrims, we understand children can also be affected by the long nights, so take steps to maximise the time our children spend outside in the daylight and know they always have someone to speak to about their feelings.
Here, we explore how seasonal changes can affect children’s mood and the ways we minimise its effect.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression, often referred to as winter depression, triggered by the changing of the seasons.
The condition is still not fully understood by health professionals, but it is believed it is caused by lack of sunlight in the autumn and winter.
Some people are more affected than others, but in general it can cause a low mood, lack of concentration and feeling more lethargic.
Although some are seriously affected by the condition, with it having a significant impact on their lives, many simply find the winter months more difficult.
Mrs Morales, our Additional Needs and Wellbeing Lead, said: “We don’t have any children specifically diagnosed with SAD but I think it’s something that affects lots of people, including children, in some way.
“That lack of light exposure can have an effect on the children’s mood, even if only in a small way.”
At Pilgrims, we know how important a child’s mental health is, not just to their general happiness and wellbeing, but how it can affect their concentration and learning.
What we can do to support them
At Pilgrims, we work to mitigate the impact of seasonal changes, including getting the children outside as much as we can, weather permitting.
“We really promote outside learning – at our heart we are an outdoor school,” said Mrs Morales.
“We use a range of methods to mitigate the effect of the darker days, especially getting the children outdoors as much as possible.
“We want to promote and recognise the importance of learning outdoors, as well as promoting exercise, diet and sleep.”
The importance of communication
Talking to the children, and letting them know there’s always someone there with a listening ear, is embedded in the school’s ethos and everything we do.
We use a mood board every day in which children can stick a caterpillar to, expressing to us how they are feeling.
“They come in and pop them on the wall to let us know whether they are happy, sad, anxious or are feeling OK,” said Mrs Morales.
“They can then change their caterpillar’s placement throughout the day, so we know how they are feeling and if their mood has changed.”
The school’s Talk Team programme builds upon this, with their Talk Team champions providing children with a trusted adult they can talk to about anything.
“Talk Team is an important outlet for children to talk and to know that someone is there to listen,” said Mrs Morales.
“It can be something they are excited about and bursting to tell us but it could also be something they are worried about.
“It’s about them feeling comfortable to talk about their feelings.”
Maisie the Golden Retriever
Children not only have the opportunity to speak to staff – they get extra support from our wonderful wellbeing dog Maisie.
Maisie has been coming into the school on a weekly basis, working mostly in the Additional Needs and Wellbeing department, to help lift children’s moods and relieve any anxiety they may have.
The children are always so happy to see her, their faces lighting up when she walks through the door.
Mrs Morales said: “Maisie can help pupils who are low in self esteem, confidence or struggling academically.
“She can help with little ones who find it difficult to regulate their emotions.
“We have asked pupils to describe how Maisie makes them feel – happy and confident, one child said. Another said she feels relaxed and calm.
“She makes the children immediately feel good and lifts the mood.
“The children absolutely love and adore Maisie, and she’s always happy to see them for a pat and a cuddle.”
To learn more on the ways we maximise the benefits of outdoor learning for our children, see here.
Storytelling is a foundation to a child’s learning, an effective tool for unleashing their imagination and developing their creativity.
At Pilgrims, we use the power of storytelling to engage the children with language, kickstart their writing skills and build their confidence in speaking, using an innovative teaching framework called ‘Talk for Writing’.
Here, we explore how this system can develop a child’s language, vocabulary and writing skills and help instill a love of storytelling and reading.
How it works
At Pilgrims, we deliver a ‘Talk for Writing’ unit over the course of around four weeks, for children in the school from Pre School through to Year 2.
The framework was developed by English educational trainer, writer, author and poet Pie Corbett, who has penned more than 200 books himself.
It is based on the principles of how people learn – from imitation and innovation to independent application.
Children first learn a story based on the topic of the school term, often presented in pictures, and then retell the tale using its basic structure or ‘story map’. They do this using words and actions which really helps to cement the text in their minds.
Mrs Kelly, who teaches our Year 2 children, said: “Every story will have a structure, a beginning, a build up, a problem, a resolution and an ending.
“By seeing the structure in these stories, the children will transfer this skill to then be able to see the structure in other stories, leading to them being able to write coherent pieces that flow from beginning to end. ”
Imitation and Innovation
After learning the structure of the stories, children learn how to spot and use the grammatical features within a text. They practice this skill in isolation, before then moving on to use it within their own writing.
“Once they know the story really well, they will go on to the innovation stage,” Mrs Kelly added. “Using the text as a starting point, but developing their skills further by using them to portray their own ideas.
“For example, our younger children may have learnt to retell The Three Little Pigs, they may then innovate on this to create their own version named ‘The Three Little Ducklings.”
Older children will take this a step further, moving further away from the model text to create different styles and genres of writing, using the same key grammatical skills.
The added benefits of ‘Talk for Writing’
The ‘Talk for Writing’ approach helps children understand and develop the core skills of storytelling and story mapping, which enables them to have a great understanding of structure.
Learning this way takes away the fear in our youngest children of not knowing what to write – they know the story so well that writing their own version with simple substitutions becomes achievable.
As part of the process, children are also asked to read their stories aloud to the class, developing their presenting skills and building their confidence.
“It’s great for encouraging children to become storytellers. They are able to see themselves as authors in a relatively short period of time,” said Mrs Kelly.
This approach also helps children with the basics of grammar and writing in an interesting and engaging way.
“When they learn the text, they will also learn the grammar and structure of a story,” added Mrs Kelly.
“They start to learn not only how to use adjectives to paint a picture of a scene within the structure of a story, but why it is important to do so. They can look at a story from the author’s point of view, discussing word choice and the reasoning behind it.”
Encouraging a thirst for learning
Children have really taken to ‘Talk for Writing’ at Pilgrims, opening up exciting opportunities for them to become authors.
It engages their imagination and gives them the chance to express themselves through storytelling.
They start by looking at stories many already know well, then later progress to more complex texts, including a wide range of non-fiction.
The idea is to encourage a life-long love of stories, reading and writing – developing their creativity and communication skills in a fun and engaging way.
At Pilgrims, we want our children to flourish and develop a thirst for learning and a love of stories and reading – the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach does just that.
Outdoor learning and physical activity are crucial for a child’s educational development and their overall wellbeing.
Fresh air and exercise help children stay healthy and well, while outdoor learning can inspire them in ways the classroom cannot, instilling a life-long love for the environment and the natural world.
At Pilgrims, we understand how important it is for our little people to be outdoors, to connect with nature and to stay active. Not only that, the children absolutely love learning outside.
Here, we look at the opportunities we provide for children to be outdoors and the host of engaging activities they can take part in at Pilgrims.
Gardening Club
We are very proud of our hugely successful gardening club at Pilgrims, set up just three years ago by Mrs Ellis, which has flourished ever since.
The club is absolutely blooming, having achieved an RHS Level 1 School Gardening Award this year, and is now working towards Level 2.
Mrs Ellis said: “It literally started with a couple of flowers and as things progressed we set up a little allotment.
“As the club got bigger, we bought a polytunnel and started doing plant sales and crop sales, with all donations going back into the gardening club.
“The club is a big hit with the children, giving them a host of transferable skills and new learning opportunities.
“We have incorporated it into our curriculum as it has been a massive hit and we’ve received so much positive feedback.
“The children absolutely love it too.”
Forest School
Pilgrims’ Forest School is also hugely popular with the children, giving them an opportunity to learn in the fresh air and inspire their imagination.
We are lucky enough to have a lovely wooded area on the school grounds, giving us the perfect setting for an outdoor classroom among the leaves.
Mrs Bartram, our Forest School lead, said: “Outdoor learning is a huge thing for children’s education. Nature is so important.
“It’s something I’m really passionate about – my dear old dad was a beekeeper for more than 50 years.
“There is so much to it. It’s not just about taking the lesson outside.
“We plant seeds on the meadow, build hedgehog habitats and minibeast hotels, teach them about map skills, the lifecycle of frogs… the opportunities for learning really are endless.
“We even get parents involved with our Mothers Day and Fathers Day Forest School sessions.
“I’ve been working in education for 27 years now, and the opportunities for outdoor learning here at Pilgrims are huge. In one year alone we were able to plant 250 trees for the Woodland Trust.
“You can see every day how much the children love it. Rain or shine, so long as it’s safe, we’re outside learning.”
Healthy Heart Week
Pilgrims’ Healthy Heart Week, held each summer, sees children across the school take part in a range of fun, outdoor sporty activities, spending the majority of the week in their PE kit.
Mrs Lock, who organises the week’s activities, said: “We do as many outdoor sporty and healthy activities as we can, from movement and nutrition to heart health and tooth health.
“We start on Monday with the whole school, from pre-school up, doing an aerobics session on the school field.
“Then across the week, each year takes part in a host of sporty fun, including house tennis, house football and house dodgeball.
“We have tennis sessions for the little ones, bikeability, scootability and swimming.”
Mrs Lock said the week is one of the highlights of the year for the children.
“They absolutely love it,” she said.
“Learning about health and staying active is very important, and the younger you can teach them the better and more likely they will continue with a healthy lifestyle.”
Outdoor experiences
Providing opportunities for our children to learn outdoors and experience nature is an important part of Pilgrims’ ethos.
We understand the huge benefits of outdoor learning in nurturing a child’s creativity, imagination and curiosity while instilling a love for the natural world – and there’s enormous amount of research that shows this is the case.
But most importantly, we see the beaming smiles the children have when sitting in our Forest School or taking part in the Gardening Club – they love every moment!
Discover more about our outdoor learning facilities and resources by emailing us at admissions@pilgrims-school.org.uk. Or book a place at our November Open Morning and experience our beautiful outdoor spaces firsthand.
The Pilgrims team were proud to mark a major milestone this year, celebrating our 25th anniversary with two special birthday parties for our current pupils and returning alumni.
We’ve come a long way since our school was built by the Harpur Trust in January 2000 – with thousands of children passing through our doors since then.
We opened with the mission to provide high quality education for children aged 5 to 7, before expansions saw us welcome children under 4 and then babies from three months old following the opening of Little Pilgrims in 2002.
Jo Webster, our Headteacher, said it was ‘wonderful’ to host the parties on our school grounds.
“I have worked at Pilgrims for 23 years and have loved every moment,” she said. “It has been such a joy to celebrate with the children and catch up with former pupils to find out what they are up to now.
“The school was built by the Harpur Trust in recognition of the importance Early Years education plays in a child’s development.
“The majority of our children move on to one of the other Trust schools, with many of them joining their older siblings or following in their parents’ footsteps.
“It was really lovely to see the connection that still exists between us and our former pupils, even though they are all now grown up!”
Entertainment at the events included musicians from across the Harpur Trust schools – many of whom were former pupils – alongside speeches from alumni about their favourite Pilgrims’ memories.
A lot of these memories focused on our approach to learning, and how Pilgrims built their confidence with our enhanced curriculum, including Forest School sessions in our dedicated outdoor spaces, alongside our pond and gardening area.
That focus on outdoor learning and sustainability has seen us earn numerous awards, including an RHS Level 1 School Gardening Award and the Eco Schools Green Flag Award for 11 years running.
Those awards wouldn’t have been possible without our wonderful team of Eco Warriors, aged 4 to 6, whose amazing efforts include planting wildflowers for bees, fundraising for an animal sanctuary, hosting a Clean Air Day Assembly and litter picking across the school site.
Jo added: “Our school is all about building self-esteem, confidence and encouraging the children to take on challenges alongside their learning.
“Our 25th year has been a wonderful opportunity for us to look back at what we have achieved and celebrate with the whole school community; both current and former.
“The school was really filled with joy for a very happy occasion.”
To learn more about our varied curriculum and how your child could thrive at Pilgrims, visit our curriculum page. Or email admissions@pilgrims-school.org.uk to arrange a visit and tour of the school.
Joining a new school or moving through the year groups can be a daunting experience for both children and their families.
At Pilgrims, we believe a child flourishes socially, emotionally and academically when they are comfortable, confident and happy in their learning environment. That’s why we place a great deal of importance on school transitions, whether it’s children entering our Early Years (Little Pilgrims to Pre School) or as they progress through the Main School and beyond. It’s about working together, getting to know our children as individuals, supporting them as they develop and communicating closely with parents from the very beginning.
This means that when a child starts and continues their journey through Pilgrims’ year groups, they always feel right at home.
What are school transitions and why are they important?
A transition phase could be the moment a child starts attending Pilgrims. This could include meeting other children and educators, or experiencing new routines and activities. For example, our babies and toddlers may need to adapt to napping at school for the first time, while our Kindergarten children go swimming without their parents for the first time. It could also be times when they move up through the school year groups, transitioning from one class to another or to different parts of the school environment which are new to them. We support them through these stages, helping them to become more independent.
Transitions can be an unsettling time. That’s why it is crucial that plans are put in place to make the process as smooth as possible, so children feel content and relaxed with the changes they are experiencing.
A happy and comfortable child is a child ready to learn – so removing uncertainty and worries from their school experience is crucial.
“Little people like to know what is coming next and what is expected of them,” said our Early Years Operations Manager, Ms Kuzio.
“It’s the unknowns that are the scary thing. They much prefer to know what will happen every day and be around trusted adults who know them well.
“Their personal, social, and emotional development depends on us getting it right.”
How we plan for transitions
At Pilgrims, transitions and preparations for a child’s next steps in education are embedded within our ethos to inspire a love of learning.
We take great care to ensure our little ones and their parents are familiar with their educators and other school staff, and they have explored their new learning environments so their journey through the school is seamless.
We invite children and parents to Transition events to familiarise them with new teachers, staff, classrooms and to meet other children across the school.
Mrs Collins, Head of Year 1 and our Main School Transitions Lead, said: “Transitions happen throughout the whole school year. For us at Pilgrims, it’s an ongoing process.
“Older children take Reception or younger children under their wing and show them some of their favourite places to play and their favourite games.
“They get to mix and do all these things with each other. Their social and emotional skills are at the forefront of everything we do.”
An early start
Life at Pilgrims doesn’t begin at the school gates on the first day of term, we start the transition process six months in advance, getting to know the children throughout the summer term via our “Get to Know Me” sessions, so they are already familiar with the school and staff when they start.
Ms Kuzio said: “We take great care in getting to know each child, what they like doing and what they are interested in, so when the child enters the school, we already know so much about them and their family.
“We then link parents and children with a school educator, matching the child with the perfect person to support them through their learning.”
Families are an integral part of the transition process, with Pilgrims encouraging parents to get immersed in the school community.
“It’s important to remember it is not just the children who need support in settling in,” added Ms Kuzio, “it’s also for the parents”.
“We make sure the parents go through the process together, making friends within our school community so they feel part of school just as much as their child.”
Support through the years
Transition phases happen throughout children’s time in education, moving through the years as they progress with their learning.
Mrs Collins said: “It’s about anticipating their worries and concerns and to try and put as many things in place to help put them at ease.
“We try to preempt worries and, if needed, we offer support so the children feel more comfortable. From this, there’s a sense of ‘natural progression’. If children feel happy, safe and comfortable, everything else comes naturally.”
To help the children develop their communication skills and open up opportunities for new friendships, each year Pilgrims allocate the children into their new classes which best suit their personality and learning style.
Mrs Collins added: “We know the children really well and what works for them in class, which friendship dynamics work, which don’t and which teachers they respond well to. We can then determine class groups which will benefit them as individuals.”
Support for children with additional needs
If a child is neurodiverse or has additional educational needs, transition phases carry extra importance, as the change in learning environment could have a greater impact on them.
Pilgrims provides additional support and resources so that every child is able to fully access and participate in all areas of school life. For example, we extend the transition process significantly for the child and their parents, starting it earlier and introducing individualised strategies to support them.
We involve parents in every stage of the process, keeping them informed of how their child is progressing to develop a strong home-school link.
In addition, we regularly monitor our children to review their progress and ensure we are meeting their development needs.
Communication is key
Pilgrims has an ‘open-door’ policy when it comes to parent communication – we love to hear from families to help us provide the very best care for their children. Transition is not just about what happens at school, we also support children and their families when experiencing changes at home.
Transitioning into and through the school years needs regular communication with parents, while also supporting children in building a sense of independence and confidence.
In our Early Years areas, parents and educators communicate on a daily basis about their child’s progress through our FAMILY Portal. In later years, parents are kept up to date through a weekly newsletter, giving them a glimpse of life in the classroom. Emails and meetings are used when more individualised communication is required.
Mrs Collins said: “We invite parents into school for a summer term Transition Evening, when they can come and have a look around, get involved in taster activities and see samples of the children’s work.
“My team and I also deliver a presentation to parents about the curriculum and an overview of the school year, so they know what to expect.”
Firm foundations
Pilgrims’ well-planned transitions provide children the reassurance and confidence to flourish, and give them a firm foundation for their journey into and through the school. This also gives parents peace of mind that their child is in a safe, nurturing and happy school environment.
We prepare children for changes they will experience throughout their childhood years, helping them to develop a sense of independence and confidence that they will carry with them on their educational journey and into adult life.
If you would like to know more about Pilgrims’ transition process contact us at enquiries@pilgrims-school.org.uk