Settling-In Policy

We recognise that, for many children starting at the Infant Community, this may be the first time that they have been separated from their main carer.

All children are unique and the amount of time that a child takes to settle into a new environment can vary enormously. Therefore, children will be supported and given time to settle in, to make them feel welcome, safe and confident in this environment.

Each child will be assigned a key person, whose role it is to: help the children to settle, oversee their progress and development and liaise with their parents/carers. However, all staff will supervise children new to the Infant Community, to ensure that they are happy in their new surroundings. The appropriate level of such supervision will be judged according to the child’s age and previous experiences, but we recognise that children require 1:1 attention during the settling-in period and this will be given as needed.

Settling-in process

 1) Information gathering

We will email you an ‘Information on Entry’ form to fill in shortly before your child joins the Infant Community. The information contained within this form helps us to get to know your child’s likes/dislikes and individual needs, and therefore enables us to respond to these, in particular during the settling-in period.

2) Online platform access 

You will also receive an invitation to join Transparent Classroom, our online platform. You will find our policies and procedures on the Home Page, and we suggest that you look through these policies ahead of the Zoom call.

3) Pre-start consultation 

We will arrange a Zoom call with you, during which we will check through your child’s forms, to ensure that we have all relevant forms and details about your child. We will also answer your questions and ensure that you have all the information you need, so that, together, we can support your child during the settling-in period, and beyond.

4) Pre-start visit 

A 30-minute visit for you and your child will also be arranged just before your child’s first day at the Infant Community. During the visit your child will be encouraged to interact with her/his key person, whilst being supported by your presence. If possible, we will encourage your child to explore the space and to choose an activity. Some children prefer to remain with their parent or carer during the visit, in which case you will be invited to explore the environment together, whilst your child’s key person seeks to interact with her/him, for example by offering some activities, or by engaging in conversation.

Before entering the classroom, you will be asked to sign the visitors’ book. Mobile phones and any other electronic devices should be kept out of sight and not be used during these visits. We will be happy to keep these items in our cupboard for the duration of the visit.

5) Gradual transition approach 

In our experience, children usually settle into the environment within the first eight sessions. Even when they may become tearful at drop-off or pick-up times, during their time at the Infant Community they are supported and comforted by their key person and, as they watch their peers exploring, interacting and engaging, they themselves soon begin to feel quite at home in the environment.

We recognise, however, that this is a significant transition for your child, and therefore we support this process by offering a graded approach, starting with shorter sessions, and gradually increasing the amount of time spent in this new environment.

Below is an outline of the settling-in timings:

• Stage 1:arrive at 9:50am – pick-up time: 10:35am (stay for 45 minutes)
• Stage 2:arrive at 9:40am – pick-up time: 11:00am (stay for 1h 20 minutes, join snack-time)
• Stage 3:arrive at 9:30am – pick-up time: 11:15am (stay for 1h 45 minutes, join snack-time and the beginning of the second ‘work cycle’)
• Stage 4: arrive at 9:30am – pick up time: 12:00pm (stay for the full 2h 30 minute session)

For stages 1-2 of the settling-in process, your child’s key person will greet you and your child in the entrance hall of the building and, once you have said ‘goodbye’ to your child, will take them into the Infant Community. From stage 3 onwards, your child will be arriving at the same time as the other children and will be greeted at the door of the Infant Community.

If you are picking up before the end of the session (i.e. during stages 1-3 of the settling-in process), please ring the bottom bell to the left-hand side of the main door and your child’s key person will bring your child to you.

If your child is very distressed during any of the settling-in sessions, a member of staff will telephone you so that you can collect your child early.

Individual support and flexibility 

We will engage with the child and offer activities, initially based on the child’s choices during his/her visit, as well as on the information received from parents via the Information on Entry form. We understand that some children may need more or less time to settle, and we are happy to adjust our approach accordingly.

It is important that you feel at ease throughout your child’s process of integration into the wider environment of the Montessori Infant Community. Whilst we have many years of experience, we acknowledge the fact that each child is unique and so we are more than happy to discuss any concerns with you to be sure of making the transition from home to the Montessori environment as smooth as possible.

Communication and updates 

During the settling-in period, we will share information and photographs of your child (subject to your written consent) via Transparent Classroom at the end of each session for the first three sessions. Using a dedicated iPad, we will capture moments from the session, uploading these images so you can see how your child is adapting to their new environment. After the initial settling-in period, updates and photographs will be shared on a fortnightly basis.

Settling-in fees 

During the settling-in period, the first eight sessions are charged at a reduced rate that reflects the shorter session times. However, if your child progresses to attending full morning sessions before their ninth session, we will send you an adjustment invoice to cover the difference between the reduced fee and the usual fee for those full morning sessions that they have attended.

We understand that some children may need additional time to settle in beyond the initial stages. In such cases, we will continue to support your child with shorter sessions as needed. However, from the ninth session onwards, full fees will apply regardless of session length, as this ensures we can maintain our staffing levels and continue to provide the individual attention your child needs.

We will always discuss your child’s progress with you and keep you informed about any transitions in both care arrangements and fee structure.

Policy reviewed:	Signed on behalf of the nursery:	Date for next review:
September 2025	Lucía Gómez-Santana	September 2026