Starting School in Year R
Starting school is a very special milestone, and at Rowledge C of E Primary School we work hard to make every child’s first school experience happy, positive and full of excitement.
Our Reception class is a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment where children begin their learning journey with confidence, curiosity and a strong sense of belonging. Rooted in our Christian values of Honesty, Kindness and Respect, we help every child feel safe, valued and ready to thrive.
We know that children learn best when they feel secure, supported and inspired. Our Early Years team builds strong relationships with every child and family, creating a partnership that helps children settle quickly and flourish from the very start.
To find out more about the Early Years curriculum, click here.
Getting Ready for School
Every child is unique, and children start school at different stages in their learning and development. Wherever your child is on their journey, we will be there to support them as they settle into school, building on what they already know and can do. By working together with you and getting to know your child, we can help them feel happy, confident and ready to learn and grow,
Throughout this page you will find links to guidance and advice that may help prepare you and your child for school.
We hope that the video below gives you a sense of the love of learning that your child will develop as they start their journey at Rowledge.
Best Start In Life provides parents with advice and support from pregnancy to childcare right through to starting school. To find out more please click here.
Togetherness, in partnership with Hampshire County Council, offers families free access to a range of online courses that support emotional wellbeing - for adults and children.
Each course provides practical tips and advice to help you feel more confident as a parent, navigate family life and strengthen your relationships.
To find out more please click here.
Phonics
Systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) is a structured method for teaching young children to read and write. It teaches children to match letters (graphemes) to sounds (phonemes) in a set order. Children are then taught to blend these sounds together to read words and segment them to support spelling.
Please click this link to find a set of videos that will help you to understand the correct pronunciation of each sound. You may find this useful in supporting your child in learning to read before and during their transition into school.
Screen Time
As a school, we support the Smartphone Free Childhood movement. We consider the use of technology in school and try to ensure that screen time is kept to a minimum.
In March 2026, the government published guidance for parents of children under 5 that can be found be clicking here.
Additional guidance for parents can be found on the best start in life website. Click here to find out more.
Toilet Training
Toilet training is an essential milestone for children before they start school. It combines all the skills your child is gaining day-by-day, including understanding their feelings, using language to express needs, following instructions, co-ordindation and independence.
For more information, including a step-by-step guide to toilet training, please click here.
School Readiness
Please find below some useful advice to help build your child's confidence so that they can start school with enthusiasm; curious and ready to learn. To download this information, please click here.
