Joining Reception in September 2026

Starting School at St Philip's

We are delighted that your child will be joining us at St Philip's School this September and look forward to welcoming your family to our school community.

We understand that starting school is an exciting milestone for both children and parents. To help everyone feel confident and prepared, we offer a range of opportunities for you and your child to get to know the school, meet staff and begin making new friendships before September.

Get Ready for School Sessions

Our Get Ready for School sessions provide an opportunity for you and your child to visit the Reception classroom, meet the Reception team and become familiar with the school environment.

There will be three sessions from 2.30pm – 3.00pm on:

• Date to be confirmed
• Date to be confirmed
• Date to be confirmed

You are welcome to attend any or all of these sessions.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Unfortunately, due to space restrictions, we are unable to accommodate siblings or pushchairs during these sessions.

We will also hold a "Get Ready for School – All On My Own" session on:

• Date to be confirmed

This session gives children the opportunity to spend time in their new classroom independently, helping to build confidence ahead of starting school. Parents and carers are invited to remain in the school hall, where refreshments will be available and there will be an opportunity to meet other new families.

Parent Information Evening

We will be holding a Parent Information Evening on:

• Date to be confirmed
• 6.00pm – 7.00pm

This meeting is for parents and carers only.

During the evening, you will:

• Meet members of the Reception team.
• Learn about life in Reception and the Early Years curriculum.
• Find out about routines, expectations and starting school.
• Have the opportunity to ask questions.

You will also receive a welcome pack containing:

• Information about your child's home visit.
• Our Getting Ready for School booklet.
• Important forms and documentation.
• Information about school meals and packed lunches.
• Term dates and key information for the year ahead.
• Additional resources to support a smooth start to school.

Home Visits

As part of our transition programme, we offer a short home visit for every child starting Reception.

These visits provide an opportunity for Reception staff to meet your child in a familiar environment and begin building positive relationships before they start school. They also give parents and carers the chance to share any information, ask questions and discuss any concerns they may have.

Home visits are informal and usually last no longer than 10 minutes.

We will contact you with your allocated date and time once these have been arranged.

Many families tell us that they find these visits reassuring and helpful as their child prepares to start school.

Starting School in September

We recognise that every child settles into school at their own pace. To support a smooth transition, children will begin school through a carefully planned staggered start, gradually increasing their time in school over the first few days.

Further details about start dates, timings and arrangements will be shared at the Parent Information Evening and included in your welcome pack.

We are excited to welcome your child to St Philip's and look forward to beginning this important journey together.

Most children settle quickly into full-time school and are ready to attend all day from week 3. However, we recognise that every child is different, and some children, particularly younger children in the year group, may initially find full days quite tiring.

If we feel that your child would benefit from a more gradual transition to full-time attendance, we will discuss this with you and work together to agree the best approach. Equally, if you have any concerns about how your child is settling or coping with the school day, please do speak to us. We are committed to working in partnership with families to ensure that every child has a happy, positive and successful start to school.

Meet The Team of Reception (EYFS) Staff
	Mrs Thompson                                                     Early Years Foundation Stage Lead (EYFS) Currently Teaches Robin Class - Wednesday - Fridays
	Miss Holder Currently Teaches Jay Class
	Mrs Sinclair Teaching Assistant
	Miss Lumabao Part time Teaching Assistant
	Mrs Isaac Part time Teaching Assistant

For further information check out the rest of Starting Primary School which has lots of ways to help prepare children for different aspects of school life – both practically and emotionally.