First school transition • From early childhood to school (T1)

For a harmonious start to that great adventure!

De la maternelle au primaire • Outils pour accompagner votre enfant vers une entrée harmonieuse

The transition to preschool

The transition to preschool is the first step in children’s school path, and it’s the first of a long series of transitions for them. In fact, starting school is a critical step in the life of the whole family.

It’s the first occasion for children and their families to go through the activities related to such a passage, and an opportunity for school, the daycare and the future school environment to share information about each child.

It is a crucial step for every child, and if it is successful, it will serve as foundations for future transitions (MELS, 2010). Various studies show that a successful transition has positive impacts on children’s motivation, their engagement, their perseverance and their future success. It also helps reassure parents and reduce their stress, as well as that of their children. Studies also show that the first feelings and attitudes students have regarding school tend to remain the same after the first few years in school (Ruel et al., 2015).

The transition from preschool to primary school

The transition from preschool to the first cycle of primary school comes with important changes for children and their parents (CSE, 2012). It is a turning point in their lives.

In preschool, learning is based on play, which allows children to develop while they play.
In primary school, the environment becomes more structured: children learn about different subjects in a stricter setting.

These changes require a great amount of adaptation, for children as well as their parents.

Therefore, parents need to start working on their children’s homework, lessons and first formal evaluations with them.

This transition comes with a lot of challenges, but there are solutions!

Useful resources

To learn more about the first transition

The following documents contain information gathered from experiences and proven practices to make decisions that lead to a harmonious first school transition.

These references are designed for actors in all sectors who are working with children and their families as they go through a first school transition. The main partners targeted are, for example:

Educational childcare services
The school setting
The health and social services sector
The family community setting
The municipal setting
Any other organization that works with children or their parents

Moreover, these references are designed for managers as well as professionals (teachers, educators, school directions, social workers, daycare general direction, etc.).

Guide d’accompagnement à la première transition (R3USSIR – Estrie)

Our colleagues in the Estrie region created this tool following a wide-scale consultation to lay the groundwork of their Plan d’action régionale pour une première transition scolaire harmonieuse 2017-2020. This guide is a complement to the Guide for supporting a successful school transition (MELS, MFA, MSSS, 2010), with regional references.

Contents:

Definition of the first school transition
Practices to support the engagement of families
What the studies say (practices depending on the key moments and the settings concerned)
How to know if the first transition was successful?
How to work in a concerted manner?
Activities organized in the Estrie region
Analysis grid to take action for a successful school transition
List of questions to support concertation and intersectoral work

Download the document (French only)

First school transition – Reaching parents more effectively (COSMOSS – Bas-Saint-Laurent)

Taking inspiration from the Cadre de référence montérégien pour soutenir une première transition harmonieuse vers l’école, from the works of François Lagarde and from the concertation works of the COSMOSS in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

Visual to cut out and overlay to create a turning wheel.

Contents:

A series of questions about its organization and target demographic
The approaches to consider in 11 themes

Download the document (French only)

Projet Savoir – School transitions from early childhood to the adult age (CTREQ)

This report gives an overview of the current research on the subject of school transitions, and is relevant for all students, with or without special needs. Useful clarifications were added with regards to students with handicaps, social maladjustments or learning difficulties.

Contents:

General information and scientific papers for all students
Examples of practices that favour successful transitions
Inspiring experiences
Support tool for counselors, parents and students
Practices that promote intersectoral collaboration

Download the document (French only)

Hand out to parents – Back-to-school Toolkit for parents (Primary) (Alloprof Parents)

This kit was designed by the Alloprof Parents team to provide parents with a range of essential resources and tools to make their day-to-day life easier during the start of the school year.

It includes their favourite resources, including:

printable tools
articles
topic pages
and much more!

Download the toolkit

The 5 key moments of starting preschool (Réseau réussite Montréal)

The transition starts in the fall, before registration, and ends a year later, when the child is well adapted to their new environment. The activities and actions with and for families will be planned for these 16 months.

Acting together • August to December
Before registration for preschool
Download the document
Approaching the first contact • January and February
When registering for preschool
Download the document
Wanting to go to school • March to June
After registration to preschool
Download the document
Highlighting the skills • July to September
Around the start of preschool
Download the document
Adjusting • October and November
After the start of preschool
Download the document

Summary sheet of the 5 key moments
Download the document

For more information: https://www.reseaureussitemontreal.ca/dossiers-thematiques/transitions-scolaires/la-premiere-transition-scolaire/#composantesT1

52 activities for the 5 key moments of the first school transition (COSMOSS)
*French only

For all partners who care deeply about the first school transition of children and their families.
An initiative from our colleagues in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, COSMOSS.