A Bittersweet Goodbye as Thornbury Children Graduate and Get Ready for School
Last week, Happy Days Nursery Thornbury held its annual Preschool Graduation – a heartfelt celebration marking the end of an incredible journey and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our school leavers.
While saying goodbye is always bittersweet, the ceremony was filled with pride, joy and reflection on how far each child has come. Surrounded by families, the children were presented with certificates to mark the completion of our Journey to a Positive Transition to School programme – a carefully designed roadmap that supports children in becoming school-ready, confident, and curious learners.
Jamilla, Apprentice at Thornbury, shared: “Graduation was really beautiful. It was lovely to have all of our preschoolers and parents together to celebrate them taking a really big step to school.”
Our Journey to a Positive Transition to School is a 16-week programme that prepares children emotionally, socially and developmentally for starting school. Using a tailored roadmap, each child works through key milestones, supported by their Key Person, daily routines, and our bespoke curriculum. Each step is carefully observed and celebrated, with weekly activity cards sent home to engage parents in the process.
Throughout the journey, parents contribute to their child’s development with “Special Memories and Achievements at Home” sheets, strengthening the partnership between nursery and home life. The programme culminates in the Graduation Ceremony – not only a celebration of achievements, but a confident send-off for each child as they begin school life independent, resilient and ready to learn.
Congratulations to all our graduates at Thornbury – we are so proud of you, and we’ll miss you! Wishing you all the best as you take your next big step. 🌟🎓
