Transition and Observation, Assessment and Planning

Transitions can be a difficult time for children, moving up into a different room in nursery or moving to school needs to be carefully planned for and managed to support the child’s individual needs.

From mid-April, the parents of pre-school children will have learned which primary school has been allocated to their child for the following September. This means that you can, and should, then start to put together a plan to make that transition to school as smooth as possible.

We have put together a range of things to help you. Pre-school and reception class practitioners should:

• Consider the Transition Policy and Procedure Timeline and plan for the things that need to be done.
• Talk with parents about their new schools and plan ways in which transition will be supported. A template of the timeline for parents can be found here.
• Complete the Transition to School Form (NEW 2025 FORM) and share this with the receiving school. 
• Access any training and support offered around transitioning to school.

Children with SEND

If the child is receiving Early Years Inclusion Fund or is on the caseload from Woodbridge SEND Service (formerly Ladywood Outreach), then you will be contacted early in the summer term by either the Start Well SEND Team or Woodbridge to offer you support and more ideas around the process. There is an enhanced transition planning document below. Please find more information about Transition Inclusion Funding and enhanced transition here: Bolton Start Well - SEND and Inclusion – Early Years SEND Transition Funding.

Children who are looked after (LAC) will be supported through the Personal Education Plan (PEP) process, see Virtual School - Bolton Council.

Please contact the Start Well Team at anytime if you need anything at all to help you ensure that our children enjoy the beginning of their time in primary school and that they and their parents feel well supported.

Guidance for completing the Reception Transition Form

The Bolton template Transition to School Form (NEW 2025 FORM) was updated this year with support from a working group of Nursery providers to:

• Reduce the amount of text needed
• Create a single inclusive document
• Ensure all important information is considered and included

Please use the form as needed and add in any personalised elements such as your logo. The form is designed to include ‘drop down’ boxes so you can tick responses and ‘free text’ boxes for notes.

There are sections that say ‘Complete only if applicable’ that you may delete completely for individuals if not needed.

This form must be completed and shared with permission from the child’s parents or carers. You must ensure a secure process is in place for sharing of confidential documentation. You may prefer to attach relevant documents to an email or hand deliver them.

Contact us

Start Well Service 

Tel: 01204 338149
Email: startwell@bolton.gov.uk 

Resources

Enhanced Transition Planning Document

Transition Policy and Procedure Timeline (What Schools, Settings and Parents need to do)

Transition Timeline for parents of children starting Reception Class in 2025

Transition to School Form (NEW 2025 FORM)

Home - Starting Reception: Written by Multi-agency Experts and Tested Extensively with Parents