School Has Begun!

Time for learning and fun

by Hannah Taylor

Suitable for Reception

Aims

To help us to feel reassured and relaxed for our first week at school.

Preparation and materials

• Have available the following videos and the means to show them during the assembly:
  
  - ‘Welcome back to school!’, available at: https://youtu.be/jrPwI8iSIZs (1.48 minutes long)
  - ‘Primary school life: school tour’, available at: https://tinyurl.com/yc6audfs (2.05 minutes long)
  - ‘Top tips: starting school’, available at: https://tinyurl.com/3wzdfmhw (1.42 minutes long)
  - ‘Odd one out quiz’, available at: https://tinyurl.com/ywukvt22
  
• You will also need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (School Has Begun!) and the means to display them.

Assembly

1. As the children are arriving, show the ‘Welcome back to school!’ video (1.48 minutes long).
   
   
   
   
2. Welcome everyone to this assembly at the start of the term.
   
   Point out that it’s wonderful to see all of the children’s faces looking ready for a brilliant week ahead.
   
   
3. Remind the children that most of them met their new teachers before the summer break. Now it’s exciting to go into new classes and get to know each other and the new teachers better.
   
   
4. Tell the children that, as a school, we work really hard to be kind to each other, to listen to our teachers and to be respectful and ready to learn. Explain that every school has special school values that they practise every day.
   
   Tell the children about the specific school values at your school and briefly describe them.
   
   
5. Explain that many people feel a bit nervous when they start school, whether it’s their very first day at school or the first day of the new school year.
   
   Remind the children that other children and teachers are here to help anyone who is feeling worried or unsure about anything. All of the teachers want each child to have a wonderful time and feel their best.
   
   
6. Explain that the following videos might help the children to prepare themselves for school.
   
   Show the ‘Primary school life: school tour’ video (2.05 minutes long) or the ‘Top tips: starting school’ video (1.42 minutes long), or ask the children to help you play the ‘Odd one out quiz’ together.
   
   
7. Go through the PowerPoint slides one by one and use them as the basis for a discussion about the exciting year ahead.

Time for reflection

Let’s consider how we’re feeling by exploring a couple of questions.

- How do you feel about starting school?
Pause to allow time for thought before encouraging the children to share their feelings.

- What is your favourite thing about school?
Pause to allow time for thought before encouraging the children to share their thoughts with children sitting nearby.

Remind the children that if they are ever sad, worried or unsure in school, there is always someone to speak to. Encourage them to speak to a teacher.

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our parents, carers, teachers and friends, who make school a happy place to be.
Thank you for the opportunities to learn and have fun that we experience every day.
Please help us to be kind and respectful to each other so that everyone can feel happy at school.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Welcome back to school!’, available at: https://youtu.be/jrPwI8iSIZs (1.48 minutes long)