Starting Infant School (Year R) 2026

Dear Families,

 

We are so pleased that you will be joining our school community and we look forward to welcoming you and your child to Shirley Infant School in September.  Starting school is such a special and exciting time, however, we totally understand it can cause you to have new worries and concerns about the next steps for your little one.  We work really hard on our induction and believe that this helps your little one’s start with us. 

 

Over the next few months we have different meetings and sessions that allow you and your child to get to know us and establish early relationships.  We believe a family needs to feel happy and safe with a setting in order to send their child to school.  We use our induction process to support your child in starting school with confidence.  Please see below the details of the induction process:

 

We would like to invite you to attend a Welcome Meeting in June 2026  Please the letter that was sent out to you in your welcome email. This meeting is held in our school hall and is for parents or guardians ONLY as it contains lots of information which children will find difficult to sit through.

At the meeting you will be introduced to the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Early Years Leader, Class Teachers, Chair of Governors and other members of our school community.  You will also receive a welcome booklet with key information about Shirley Infant School’s policies and procedures. At this meeting you will also be introduced to your child’s class teacher.  

It is important that you come to the Welcome Meeting to ensure that you receive all the information necessary prior to your child starting school.

We believe your little one starts school with us now and we want to ensure they feel as confident they can to come to school in September. In addition to the Welcome Meeting, we have a very strong offer of additional induction activities these include:

 

• We’re excited to introduce something new this year! You and your child are warmly invited to join us for a Forest School session right here on our school grounds. These sessions will run every afternoon (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details). Each session has 15 spaces available, and booking will be offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis. We will contact you by email in May with all the details on how to reserve your place.
• In addition, you and your child will have the opportunity to attend a Class Activity Session (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details). Further information regarding these sessions will be provided at the Welcome Meeting. 
• As part of our induction, we also have Little Ladybird sessions (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details). Each class will be allocated a day so your child/ren get a chance to meet other children who will be in their class. Further information regarding these sessions will be provided at the Welcome Meeting on 9^th June.
• Your child’s Class Teacher and Early Years Assistant will be carrying out Home Visits or a 1 - 1 Meeting in school.  You will be able to book your individual appointment at the welcome meeting . The 1 – 1 meetings in school. Home visits will take place in September.  (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details).
• Our Family Support Worker, Miss Hardie and our SENDCO Miss Reilly will be holding a drop-in session for a morning where you can come and say hello to them, more details will be provided at the Welcome Meeting (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details)..  

We work very hard to ensure all arrangements offer a smooth transition for your child into our school routine.  We have a staggered entry ethos to allow the children to settle confidently and happily into school in small groups.  We uphold this ethos, not because we believe children cannot cope with the full school day but, to build strong relationships.  This also allows school staff to get to know your child so they can support their individual needs and help them learn all the new routines which then allow them to begin to enjoy school. 

 

In September, each class will be split into two groups, Green Group and Purple Group. 

For the first two weeks of school, children will attend on alternate full days.  This will support your child as they settle in to school and allows our staff to get to know your child as part of these smaller groups. We have also learnt that attending on alternate full days, instead of half-days, helps to support childcare arrangements for our families.  At the Welcome meeting, we will issue you with further communication about which group your child will be in.  This will enable you to plan any necessary childcare arrangements.  Below is an example timetable of how it will look.  (Please see your letter from the welcome email for details)..

 

Starting at Shirley Infant School in September 2026

Week Beginning	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
	School Holidays	Inset Day No Children in school	Year R Teacher training No children in school	Home Visits	Home Visits
	Green Group in School	Purple Group in School	Green Group in School	Purple Group in School	Green Group in School
	Purple Group in School	Green Group in School	Purple Group in School	Green Group in School	Purple Group in School
	ALL CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note this may be subject to change, you will be notified of the final timetable at the welcome meeting.

On 1^st May you will receive a Pupil Registration Form for you to complete electronically via the My Child At School (MCAS) App or website. We will also send you details on how to log in to your My Child At School account. Please ensure you complete the Pupil Registration Form fully and read the attached documents by 1^st June. Please do contact the school office if you require any support with completing the Pupil Registration Form.  

Please take a moment to start to familiarise yourself with our Pre-school news reels and virtual library.  This will help your little ones start to get to know us before they come to visit. 

 

Finally, it is very important that you also accept your child’s place at our school with Southampton City Council. If your circumstances change, meaning that your child no longer requires a place at Shirley Infant School, it is essential that you inform either the School Office or the Local Authority (LA) immediately.

 

LA: Telephone number: 023 8083 3004 or email: school.admissions@southampton.gov.uk

SCHOOL: Telephone number: 023 8077 5057 or email: office@shirleyschools.co.uk

 

We all look forward to meeting you in June – the start of a very important journey.  We look forward to our future together.

We are able to help you with any questions that you may have.  Please contact the Local Authority or the School office on the emails below.

SCHOOL: Telephone number: 023 8077 5057  or  E-mail: office@shirleyschools.co.uk

Please take a look at the website and help your little one get ready for school.

We look forward to meeting you all.

Yours sincerely,

 Cate Gregory & Laura Watts

HEAD TEACHER & DEPUTY HEAD TEACHER

If your circumstances change, meaning that your child no longer requires a place at Shirley Infant School, it is essential that you inform either the School Office or the Local Authority (LA) immediately.

LA: Telephone number: 023 8083 3004 or  E-mail: school.admissions@southampton.gov.uk

We have loaded our frequently asked question page.  If you have a question that you feel we have not answered please do email it into: office@shirleyschools.co.uk 

Frequently asked questions - please click on this link.  

Finally, a very warm welcome to you all from the Shirley Infant Team.

 

10^th June 2025 – New Year R Welcome meeting (parents/carers only) 5:30pm – 7pm.

Come along to our welcome meeting with our Headteacher, Mrs Gregory, and other year R staff. You will also find out all the information that you will need for your child starting school, along with which class your child will be in.

24^{th &} 25^th June 2025 – Class Activity & Meet the Teacher Sessions 9:00am

24^th June 2025 – Class Activity & Meet the Teacher Session 1:30pm

You are invited to a stay and play session with your child and other new parents and children from year R.

27^th June, 4^th July, 11^th July 2025 - Little Ladybird Sessions

Book into one of our Little Ladybird sessions where you can meet the other parents & children in your child’s class. This will include a music session with our music lead, Miranda Clark.

There will be an extra Little Ladybird session on 18^th July 2025.

2^nd & 3^rd July 2025 – 1-1 Meetings with Class Teachers

These 1–1 meetings with your child’s teacher can be booked at the welcome meeting on 10^th June.

7^th July 2025 – Virtual Storytime

A link will be emailed to our new families to enjoy virtual Storytime with their class teachers.

8^th & 9^th September 2025 – Home Visits

If you are unable to book a 1-1 session with your child’s teacher, then they will come to your home to visit you on one of these days.  This will be prearranged with you.

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for our virtual tour.