Negotiating the transition

Starting school is an important transition in the lives of almost all children. A parent is the adult who is part of the child's home and preschool settings, and who makes the transition to school alongside their child. Yet the experience of parents during this period is under-researched. This book reports on a study which followed the parents of six families as their oldest child first came into contact with the compulsory education system in Aotearoa New Zealand. It found that good information and the time to develop trusting relationships with members of the school community, including teachers and other parents, are important for a smooth transition for the family, both child and parents. Parents develop their identity as 'a school parent', and this is affected by their expectations, the discourses about school and teachers which they hold, and the quality of the relationships they are able to develop in the school. The purpose of the study was to understand the transition to school from a parent perspective in order that early childhood and school staff can better support families through this transition.