Dear Reception Families,
As we approach the end of another exceptional school year, we know that you and your child will be looking ahead to their transition to EY1. This is an important milestone for our Reception friends as they move from the Early Years campus to the Main campus.
With that in mind, I would like to inform you of two key events that have been planned to support your child’s transition to EY1:
EY1 Stay and Play
Your child is invited to a Stay and Play on Thursday 23rd June. This will be an opportunity for your child to meet their new class teacher and educational assistant and to visit their new learning environment. The children will come in two separate groups so that we can accommodate both the child and one accompanying adult. Group 1 will visit from 3.30pm–3.55pm, and group 2 will visit from 4.05pm–4.30pm. To help you plan, your child’s class teacher will let you know before Wednesday 22nd June via Seesaw whether your child has been allocated to be in group 1 or group 2. On Wednesday 22nd June, we will also communicate the new class lists.
In order to comply with Education Bureau regulations, the accompanying adult will be required to scan the Leave Home Safe app as they enter the campus and show proof of having met the prevailing vaccine bubble requirements. All adults and children will need to have their temperature taken and must wear a mask throughout the visit.
Moving On Up Morning
On Friday 24th June, your child will participate in a ‘Moving On Up Morning’ where they will visit their new class during school time. On Friday 24th June, we kindly ask that Reception children are dropped off at the slightly later time of 9.10am outside their new EY1 class (which they will have visited the day before). Their existing Reception teacher and educational assistant will be on hand to greet the children as they arrive. It is kindly asked that you do not arrive earlier than 9.10am. We will not be able to allow the children onto campus until that time as we will be arranging the existing EY1 – Year 5 children into their new classes for the transition morning. Please enter via the gate at the pagoda, where we will have staff on hand to greet you.
Tung Chung children will come to school on the bus as normal, and we will arrange for class teachers and educational assistants to bring them up to the main campus for a 9.10am start.
The children will spend an hour with their new class, teacher and educational assistant and will participate in some fun transition activities. At 10am the children will return to the Early Years campus by private bus.
Please note, on Friday 24th June, the children will need to bring all their usual belongings (e.g. lunch box and water bottle) with them to the Main campus, and we will ensure everything goes back to the Early Years campus with them when they return later that morning.
Departing Students
We will be saying goodbye to a number of Reception friends at the end of the year. Whilst these children will not attend the Stay and Play on Thursday 23rd June, they will have a special reflection opportunity at the Main campus on Friday 24th June, which will be led by Ms Coote and Mrs Chambers, to support their personal transition as they look ahead to their next adventures. Therefore, even if your child is departing DBIS at the end of the school year, please ensure they arrive at the EY1 area on Friday 24th June at 9.10am, where Ms Coote and Mrs Chambers will meet the children. They will return to the Early Years campus with the other Reception children at 10am. If your child is not aware that they are leaving at the end of the year, please ensure you notify your child’s class teacher as soon as possible so that we can make alternative arrangements.
I have no doubt the children will enjoy these exciting experiences and that they will enjoy spending time with existing friends as well as developing new relationships. Your child has been placed with at least one friend from their friendship choice list which you previously communicated. I would like to politely remind parents that there are many factors which are considered when putting classes together and we are not in a position to accommodate any changes. You can support your child by focusing on the exciting adventures that lie ahead and the new friends they will meet as we will be welcoming in the region of twenty five new children to our EY1 cohort in August.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
Best wishes,
Hannah Tait
Head of Early Years