A study conducted at a primary school in Birmingham, England, considered teachers', college tutors', parents', and pupils' perceptions of the way in which a group of 4-year-old children became incorporated into two reception classes. Study methodology included teacher and researcher observations and the videotaping and photographing of six types of social episodes at school: dressing and undressing, playtime, drinks, table-based work, lunchtime, and coming to school and going home. Home-based activities included a survey of 62 parents (with a 75% response rate), diaries kept by parents of seven 4-year-olds about conversations with their children, and tutor-parent-child discussions. Study findings suggested that children may be most under stress during the first important weeks of school when students are separating from their parents, siblings, and homes; when they are in transition from one activity to another; and when they are being incorporated into the class as a group. The child-school incorporation process is a dynamic, multifaceted, interactive process including all the participants involved. Appropriate changes and improvements in policy and practice must be based on a cognizance of the impact of separation, transition, and incorporation on children. At the school serving as the site of the study, a number of such changes have been made in the areas of home-school links, admission policy, classroom practice, and appraisal and development of policy and practice. (Contains 31 references.) (AC)