Happy girls make the best learners. Our Induction process is designed to ease girls into life at Queen’s gradually. We want pupils to be totally familiar with routines and their new school environment before they start school and therefore be ready to learn from day one.
Every year we organise a number of ‘stay and play’ events for girls in Years 5 and 6 to enable girls to mix with their potential future classmates and for you to get to know the school a little better.
Open Mornings in the Autumn Term and the Assessment Day in January also help girls to become familiar with their environment and our staff.
We appreciate that some of our parents will be researching schools from a distance due to moving home, often from overseas. As a result, we have developed a personal service which means you can visit the school at a time that is convenient to you. We hope this takes some of the stress out of the process and makes the transition easier.
Once you have made the decision to join us, we will work with you to make sure your daughter settles as quickly as possible; this could mean support with finding uniform, organising after school care, transport and even friendship groups. We want this to work as much as you do.
Lower School
In the Spring and Summer terms before girls start school, our Head of Lower School and Head of Infants will make formal visits to each of the girl’s pre-schools and nurseries. These visits are an essential first step to building a relationship with both staff and girls.
Parents of new starters to Reception are warmly invited to attend an ‘Information Evening’ in the Summer term at The Queen’s Lower School. This event provides a valuable opportunity for parents to find out more about the Reception induction process and meet other parents and members of staff.
All parents will receive a Reception Welcome Pack containing detailed information about the school, staff and routines. Information about Before and After School provision is included. There are also lots of opportunities for parents and pupils to enjoy and explore the new learning environment to ensure a seamless transition. In the second half of the summer term, we invite the whole new class to attend a Forest Day session at the Lower School. This is a special day which new starters are invited to attend, alongside our current Reception girls. Every new pupil has a buddy assigned from the Reception class and together they enjoy a wonderful day as activities are enjoyed and a picnic is shared.
The girls will also enjoy 'Moving up Morning' providing another opportunity to meet teaching staff, enjoy time in their new classroom, play outside, and make new friends. New and current parents will then come together before the summer break for a 'Meet and Mingle' evening to meet staff and each other in an informal and relaxed setting.
When September arrives, Reception girls are familiar with staff, their new learning environment, and the other girls, enabling them to have a seamless transition into this all-important first year of school.