Dr Amanda Thomas and Dr Rhiannon Packer – Smooth Beginnings: Exploring transition experiences into Early Years Education

The transition from home into Early Years settings marks a significant milestone in a child’s development. Ensuring that the experience is a positive one is key, as this lays the foundation for their future learning journey. From the child’s perspective, the experience can be both an exciting and daunting or challenging experience, moving from the familiar home environment to a more structured educational setting.

A successful transition is crucial as it can influence a child’s future emotional well-being, social skills, and attitudes towards learning. Effective transitions are facilitated through collaboration between parents, caregivers, and educators, focusing on creating a welcoming atmosphere, gradually introducing new routines, and building strong, trusting relationships. By prioritising these elements, early years settings can help children feel secure, confident, and ready to embrace new learning experiences.

Amanda and Rhiannon’s webinar will explore how we should view this key transition point and explore a range of strategies to effectively support successful transitions in the Early Years. Key points discussed will be:

• The significance of smooth transitions for young children entering early years settings, including the impact on emotional well-being, social development, and readiness to learn.

• The common challenges children and families may face during this transition period.

About the Speakers

Dr Amanda Thomas is a senior lecturer in early years education at USW delivering on a range of education modules. She has taught in both Primary and Further Education before taking up her role in higher Education in 2011. Amanda’s doctorate explored children’s schemas in the Foundation Phase, and she has published in this area, including a Welsh Government schema training package. Amanda has worked alongside colleagues conducting research on educational transitions and has several publications including a book. She has presented her research at a number of conferences, both nationally and internationally.

Dr Rhiannon Packer is Senior Lecturer in Additional Learning Needs (ALN) at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She has worked in HE since 2004 and prior to that was a secondary school teacher teaching Welsh as a second language. Amongst Rhiannon’s research interests is the exploration of educational transition experiences of learners in a range of settings. Rhiannon and Amanda have worked together on several publications exploring educational transitions from Early Years settings to Further Education, with a particular focus on Wales.

How to watch this webinar