Seamless Transition

At kindergarten, children are encouraged to develop independence, motor coordination and social skills and are introduced to daily tasks and learning routines. It is at this time in their lives that many transitions happen, such as gaining independence, making friends, learning new things and obeying rules.

Every transition, whether at school or in life in general, is more solid and enjoyable if it is well prepared and organised. The construction of knowledge must be done little by little and the new reality must be introduced in a playful, structured and welcoming way. Thinking about the transition from kindergarten to school is extremely important when we understand that the routine is changed in a very significant way, so how can we do this in the best possible way?

At SIS Fellbach, the kindergarten's cooperation with the primary school is carried out weekly. The children in the Maxi group (kindergarten) have weekly meetings with one of the teachers from Years 1/2 or 3/4 to familiarise themselves with the school and classroom environment. Every week, primary school activities are introduced to kindergarten children and this teacher also brings them to the library so that contact with reading can begin.

Over the years, it has become clear to us that this type of integration directly reflects in the students' adaptation to Year 1; the classroom environment is already known to them, the faces and names of many teachers are already memorised, and the structure of the activities is already assimilated. As a result, when students make the transition they only need a few days to understand the new routine and can focus on learning and socialising with new peers.

In general, the social benefits are numerous. However, the Maxitreff programme not only benefits children in adaptability but also in learning. Many students arrive at school with prior knowledge of subjects, for example, letters and numbers. This makes the initial process of literacy and numeracy much more engaging, as the initial interest in these subjects has already been aroused during the integration classes between kindergarten children and teachers.

The beginning of the school year can bring many challenges, but in the transition from kindergarten to Year 1, many of these challenges are easily dealt with or simply non-existent.



Mayla da Silva, Head of Kindergarten
Lucie Räder and Anthony O’Riordan, Primary School Teachers, SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach