A Warm Welcome to Our New Families

Dear Families,

A very warm welcome to Thames Ditton Infant School. We are absolutely delighted that you have chosen our school for your child and are very much looking forward to getting to know you and your little one over the coming months.

To help ensure a smooth and happy start to your journey with us, we have outlined our transition plans from now through to September:

Early May
You will receive an email (sent to the person who completed your child’s initial application) with links to our admissions forms. We kindly ask that you complete and return these as soon as possible, as this enables us to begin contacting nurseries and supporting your child’s transition.

Around this time, Acorns, our wraparound care provider, will also be in touch with details about registration and how to join the club.

May / June
We will begin contacting nurseries to arrange conversations about the children joining us. These may take the form of visits to the settings or telephone discussions, depending on what is most appropriate.

Late June
You will receive an information pack via email. This will include:

• Details of your child’s home class teacher for September

• Key dates for your child’s transition, including:
  • A 1:1 meeting with their teacher
  • Their first day at school
  • Their “small group” start date and full-time start date

July
We will host a Welcome Morning for children and parents. This will be a lovely opportunity to:

• Explore the Reception area

• Meet our teaching team

• Ask any questions you may have
  We’ll also be serving refreshments in the school hall, where you will have the chance to meet our Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher.

September
At the beginning of the school year, each child will have a 1:1 session in their new classroom. This special time helps them become familiar with the space and gives you a chance to speak directly with the class teacher.
You will also receive a ‘Social Story’ – a gentle, visual guide with photos and simple text to help your child understand what to expect.
To ease the transition, your child will begin in a small group before joining the full class a few days later. These start dates will be confirmed in your June information pack.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can email Mrs Ball at: eyfs@thames-ditton-infant.surrey.sch.uk. (Please note this email is checked weekly when Mrs Ball is out of class, so responses may not be immediate).

We are so looking forward to welcoming you into our school community.

Warmest wishes,
The Thames Ditton Infant School Team