Starting School Storybooks Testimonials
OFSTED praise Stoneworks Education Ltd 'Starting School Storybook'
The OFSTED team reviewed our transition arrangements and noted the book produced by Stoneworks Education Ltd. They said that the illustrations and ideas within the book were exemplary, enabling children to be prepared for joining the school.
Russell Hinton, Head, The Brier School
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It’s such a fantastic, family-friendly idea. The perfect transition tool, in that it actually illustrates our school, and ‘storyboards’ the main worries that children have when starting a new school. It helps children to get used to the school before they have even started.
"Not only does our bespoke Storybook excite children and share starting school information, but it helps children to recognise, through the thoughts and feelings of the children in the book, that it’s normal to be nervous. It encourages them to talk about their feelings with their parents, and ask questions.Bethan Price
Head, Llanharan Primary School. -
Our Starting School Storybook captured the excitement of starting school, making transition easier for school, children and parents. They are joyful, and a great addition to our transition process. Because they actually illustrated our school, it made the Storybooks very personal and truly meaningful. I'm overjoyed with our Storybooks.
Jackie Harris
Headteacher, Matchborough First School Academy -
I'm overjoyed with all that Stoneworks Education has done for New Waltham Academy. They have been a delight to work with. It's an amazing idea to use our parent and pupil stories to tell our school story. I already love my school, but I love it even more now!
Not only has it been really enlightening to read what parents and pupils have said about us, but it's been very encouraging, and is a great tool for showing prospective parents how their child could benefit from attending New Waltham Academy. It's like TripAdvisor for schools, and we came out with top marks thanks to Stoneworks Education!Mark Perry
Headteacher, New Waltham Academy -
The Parent Handbook is a really fantastic idea. It brings together lots of separate forms and sheets of information into one parent-friendly publication. It makes us look professional and helps to create a parent-school relationship from the very beginning. It's a resource that parents can keep, and should help us to receive more completed forms from parents, and receive them earlier!
We also have a Starting School Storybook from Andrew, and when parents start using our school, we will give them both Starting School Storybook and Parent Handbook. It has become a suite of literature. These two publications not only meet real parent needs, but are meaningful and show parents and pupils alike that we have thought of them.Nicola Forster
Headteacher, Ryefield Primary School -
The Starting School Storybook has delighted both parents and children alike. We have received fantastic feedback with parents telling us that it has supported their conversations about school with their children. One parent explained that their child delights in sharing the illustrations and listing all the other activities available in school. Their child has continued sharing the book long after the first few days have passed. It is a fantastic resource that supports children's speaking and listening skills and helps parents to feel a part of their child's new experiences.
Nichola Gibson
Headteacher, Ellison Primary School -
We chose to use Stoneworks Education because it was the only company that used the views of parents and children, who attended the school, to promote the school to the community. Stoneworks approached the families and carried out all of the background work, including the talking with the parents and writing up those conversations. What better way is there of showing parents and pupils all that the school does to support families!
The Starting School Storybook is very meaningful. By actually illustrating our school, and addressing the main five parent/child worries about starting school, we have shown that we really care for our pupils and parents. The storybook helps to settle young children into school who have first day fears and ease parent concerns. It's brilliant!Jo Angel
Headteacher, Kings Hedges Educational Federation -
This summer we introduced the Starting School book at Shawfield Primary School. As a staff, we are very pleased with the personalised illustrations and how closely the story matches our school and the routines in Year R. I enjoyed working with Debbie to achieve this.
On our recent Home visits many parents told us that they had enjoyed sharing the book with their child and had used it to answer their child's questions. For a child that was new to the school and had missed our Induction process, it was a useful tool to break the ice upon meeting him for the first time.
As a parent myself, I remember looking long and hard for story books to read my children before they started school and was disappointed with the lack of books available. I would have greatly appreciated a book like this from school!
In future we intend to use these books in our Induction process; in the story time sessions and have kept some spare copies of the book in the School Office should any young child join our school mid-year.Louise Morrissy
Year R Class teacher, Shawfield Primary -
Our Starting School Storybook will be used from September, to market the school to potential new families. We will hand it out to parents in feeder nurseries, and use it in parent meetings to demonstrate our best practice and show how we want to make life easier for families. It's such an amazing idea, to use drawings and stories, to show children and parents what the school offers, and how Reception Class works etc. I'm overjoyed with our Storybook.
Michael Rowland
Headteacher, Thornhill Junior and Infant School -
Our Reception Ready Storybook is a unique, parent-friendly way to show our parents and carers what their child ideally needs to do be able to do, before starting Reception Class. The Reception Ready Storybook also shows parents how to equip their child with these skills. It's such a great idea, as having these key skills makes it much easier for Reception Teachers to settle children in to school.
It's an absolutely brilliant way to make life easier for the parent, the pupil and the school. I'd recommend all schools to contact Stoneworks Education, as I think all schools should have such a Storybook.Garry Ratcliffe
Executive Headteacher Oakfield Community Primary School and Temple Hill Community Primary School