Children´s perspectives of transition to school : exploring possibilities

The transition from preschool to primary school is an important milestone in children’s lives that can have implications for their future education and well-being. For many children, this already complex transition occurs at the same time as children make the transition to school age care. While there are transition to school programmes in many communities, most of these are planned by adults, often with little input from the children at the centre of the transition. Transition to school age care programmes are relatively rare. This book emphasises the importance of listening to and respecting children’s perspectives in order to understand how children experience both horizontal and vertical transitions as they start school. The chapters report research from early childhood settings in eight different countries that highlight the importance of children’s perspectives and their implications for developing supportive and effective transitions. The reports of actual practice situate children’s perspectives in real-life early-childhood, school and school age care settings while, at the same time, highlighting issues, contexts and approach that will provoke critical reflection and facilitate informed professional praxis.