Over the years, there has been a considerable decline in the number of schools and pre-schools facilitating home visits as part of their transition procedures. While we might like to blame Covid, numbers were already in decline before 2020 – the pandemic simply exacerbated an existing issue.
So why has this once routine element of the transitions calendar been mothballed?
Time and staffing are probably the biggest hurdles. For example, for a nursery teacher and early years practitioner to conduct 15-plus home visits, they require at least two days of cover.
Similarly, for Reception teachers, completing home visits is a staffing and timing issue, as the statutory EYFSP assessment must be completed in the summer term, at the same time as many transition activities. Meanwhile, autumn term home visits impact the start of term for Reception children.
Other contributing factors include where homes are further from the school (such as in village schools), the assumption that visits aren’t required for children moving from nursery to Reception at the same school, and teachers saying they don’t feel safe carrying out home visits.
These are all valid issues, however, with careful planning, home visits can – and should - be achieved for every new starter.
When well-planned and implemented effectively, they ensure children and their parents/carers feel more confident about starting school, which is a big event for a young child.
They also provide an important opportunity to gather information from previous EYFS professionals and parents/carers to support the new teachers and practitioners to meet the needs of their incoming cohorts.
Making time for home visits
When budgets, recruitment and staffing levels are challenging, trying to cover any time away from the classroom is difficult. That’s why the transition timetable needs to extend beyond July and September to take some of the pressure off. With forward planning, transitions can be on the agenda all year round, breaking it down into manageable chunks.
Consider…
- Using non-contact time to facilitate home visits (PPA, subject leader, management time etc) or utilising INSET days
- Carrying out home visits for nursery children moving to Reception in the summer term and for new starters at the beginning of the autumn term
- Limiting school trips on the days where home visits are planned to ensure you have sufficient properly qualified adults available to cover
Safety first
If there is a reluctance to offer home visits on safety grounds, there are other opportunities for children and families to experience transition events during the year, such as visits to the school or pre-school, induction meetings and stay and play sessions. But what about families that don’t access any of this?
Consider…
- Finding a neutral place to meet, such as a local library or family centre
- Sending two people to carry out home visits – maybe the class teacher and a teaching assistant or a member of the senior leadership team if appropriate? Ensure risk assessments are in place for every home visit and make adaptations for individual situations as required
- Conducting doorstop/garden visits and insisting on seeing the child
- A series of shorter visits, which may be more beneficial, for example to bring resources to the family to support transition
Remember, if you are concerned about the safety of staff being in the home then should you be equally, if not more, concerned about the safety of the children.
Children already in nursery
From experience, no two home visits are the same, even for the same child so there is no harm in offering a home visit to families already accessing EYFS provision. However, you may find that not offering it has a detrimental impact as it can make parents/carers feel less included in the next step of their child’s education, and you might miss an opportunity to pick up on any changes to home circumstances that may have happened prior to starting Reception.
Consider…
- Offering a home visit to all families moving from nursery to Reception.
- Taking the opportunity to build relationships with the new teacher, especially if you have separate nursery and Reception classes.
- Using the home visit to inform parents/carers of how to best support their child with transition through the summer.
Home visits are invaluable in enabling a more successful start to school and ensuring the safety of children. They give you a realistic view of a child’s daily life and help you understand the provision they need in place when they start and make sure they (and their parents/carers) get off on the right foot in early years education.
Home visits must be considered a year-round commitment – not just for July and September – if we are to bring down these barriers to smooth transitions.
Jennifer Ferguson is a District early years adviser at HFL Education.
