Finding out about your child's primary school :Cross Stitch – Parents

To help prepare your child for primary school, it is worth finding out as much about the school before the first day. You may want to know about the school’s ways of working and policies, what your child will need and how they will learn.

You can find out about your local school by getting a prospectus from the education department of your local authority or directly from the school. It may also be useful to talk to parents who already have children at the school.

Many schools organise open days or evenings, which will give you the opportunity to ask questions and see inside your child’s school.

In the first year of primary school the Foundation Stage continues and so your child should encounter the same sort of learning and activities they were used to in their early years setting. The next two years of primary school are called Key Stage 1 and the next four years are known as Key Stage 2. For each of these stages, the National Curriculum lays down which subjects are taught.

Finding out how teaching and learning takes place can help you support your child to make the most of their time at school.

You may wish to find out about:

• methods used for teaching and learning
• school rules
• school policies on areas like homework, behaviour, child protection, attendance and bullying
• facilities available, for example a library or sports facilities
• how you will be informed about your child’s progress and included in decisions about their learning
• getting involved in your child’s education, for example through parent-teacher associations or by becoming a governor
• how best to help your child’s learning at home, for example by talking to them about their learning and reading with them
• support available if your child has special educational needs