New to Year R - September 2026
To make a late application please follow the link below.
Welcome to Reception and Harefield Primary School we warmly welcome you to our school community. We cannot wait to work in partnership with you, to provide the best all-round education for your child.
Harefield is a school where your child will always come first. Pupil engagement and enjoyment is at the core of everything we do and your child will participate in a broad, balanced, progressive curriculum, relevant to their needs.
Reception Welcome Evening
We know you will have many questions about your child starting school in September. We will be hosting a Parents’ Welcome Evening on Thursday 11th June from 5-6pm which we hope will capture the school’s ethos and values as well as answer some of the questions you may have. Please note that this meeting is for parents and will take place in our main hall, there will be a tour to follow but there will not be an extended opportunity for children to explore the Reception classrooms at this time. However, you’re welcome to bring children and siblings along with you if you do not have childcare.
Transition Schedule
This will help you and your child get to know the Year R team, the environment, some of the routines and to have some fun! We are also working closely with our pre-schools to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.
- On Monday 15th June at 3:30pm we invite your child with one adult for a 30 minute story time and nursery rhymes activity. If you’re collecting siblings at this time you’re welcome to bring them along too.
- On Thursday 25th June from 9:30-10:30am we invite your child to attend ‘Stay and Play’ along with one adult. If they attend Harefield Pre-School or Paintpots preschool we are able to collect and drop them back off with your permission. Please speak to your pre-school staff about forms they need you to complete to allow this.
- Wednesday 1st July is transition day. We are inviting our new Year R pupils to come into school for 2 hours (children only).
- The morning session will be from 9:30-11:30am and is for our older spring children to attend (born between September 1st and February 28th).
- The afternoon session will be from 12:30-2:30pm and is for our younger children to attend (born between March 1st and August 31st).
- On Tuesday 7th July at 3:30pm we invite your child with one adult for a 30 minute story time and nursery rhymes activity. If you’re collecting siblings at this time you’re welcome to bring them along too.
- On Monday 13th July from 1:30-2:30pm we invite your child to attend ‘Stay and Play’ (children only). If they attend Harefield Pre-School or Paintpots preschool we are able to collect and drop them back off with your permission. Please speak to your pre-school staff about forms they need you to complete to allow this.
- On Sunday 19th July from 10am-12pm we will be having a ‘Popsicle Party in the Park’; an informal drop-in playdate on our school’s adventure playground (Will be in the main hall if there’s bad weather).
Starting Dates
Home Visits
Home visits allow our staff to meet your child in an environment they are familiar with and allow their personalities to shine through. These dates are in September and the link to sign-up has been sent to your e-mail. Please RSVP by Friday 26th June. We will contact you the following week with a confirmed time.
If you are unable to make one of these time slots please email the office at info@hpslive.net as soon as possible and we can try to fit you in before the summer holiday.
Transition Weeks - Weeks beginning Monday 7th & 14th September
Reception pupils will be split into two groups based on their birthday. Older children (1st September– 28th February), and younger children (1st March – 31st August) for our transition period. Older children will be invited into school first as they often settle the quickest and are able to be good role-models as the younger children join us.
Your child will have 2 morning sessions from 8:40am-11:30am and 2 morning & lunch sessions from 8:40am-12:30pm before starting full-time on their fifth day.
Older children will start on Monday 7th September and younger children will start on Thursday 10th September.
Full-Days - Week beginning Monday 21st September
Reception pupils will ALL attend school for full days and commence their usual timetable from 8:40am until 3:15pm.
This is the week that your child will be assigned a Key Person. We work as a reception unit, opening up our adjoining rooms and allowing the children to free-flow between the two classrooms and the outside area. All our staff know every single one of our reception students, not just their Key Children. However, assigning each child a Key Person ensures that despite being in a large class; they feel safe, known and ‘held in mind’ by a specific adult. This system helps bridge the gap between nursery and school. Assigning a Key Person after our transition weeks allows us to see which member of staff your child bonds and works with best.
We will send a letter to parents with information about your child’s Key Person on Friday 18th September.
What to expect
Over the next few weeks you will receive the following:
- Registration documents – we will ask you to complete registration documents for your child (Via MCAS & online) in order for us to receive the most up to date information. Please follow the guidance provided within the email.
- Ready, Steady, School! & Pupil Entry Profile (for parents) – this has lots of relevant information about how to get your child school ready along with a form to fill in to help us get to know your child.
- Welcome to our school social story (for children) – this will be printed and given to you on your ‘Stay and Play’ dates to share with your child over the summer holidays, in preparation for school start in September.
We hope your child has a memorable and happy time at Harefield Primary School. We look forward to welcoming you into our vibrant school community and working in partnership with you in the coming months and years ahead. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us on info@hpslive.net or 02380 463 240.
Jumpin' Jax Soft Play & Party in Sholing - Ashley Cres, Southampton SO19 9NA
Jumpin' Jax hosts Year R Meet Ups every year in the month of August so that you have the chance to meet other children and parents that will be joining school with your child.
They post about these events on their Facebook page. Last year they started advertising dates in May so keep your eyes on their Facebook!