Prep enrolments for 2023 are now
open.
Please contact the school office by calling 46953333 or drop by
in person to register your interest in your child attending Prep next year.
All our 2023 Prep students receive a free uniform and free stationary and books for the year!
Preparing your child for Prep
As a parent, you play a vital role in your child’s education.
There are many things you can do to support a great start to school for
your child.
Before Prep
Approved kindergarten programs can support your child’s learning before school in a
play-based environment. Kindergarten programs are planned to develop children’s
skills, knowledge and understandings which support their continued learning.
You can enrol them in a kindergarten program in the year before they start
Prep.
How you can help
All children have different interests, needs and motivations and
each child’s transition from kindy to Prep will be unique. You can help your
child to feel more comfortable about starting school by engaging in everyday
activities.
You can help your child prepare for their first year of school
by:
- building
confidence
- strengthening
their independence
- having
a daily routine
- packing
a healthy lunch
- knowing
your school
- getting
involved with your school
- doing
family activities at home.
Build your child’s confidence
Help to build your child’s skills to cope in various
situations and increase their self-confidence by:
- finding
answers to their questions or concerns together.
- talking
to your child about how to ask for help and model what to say.
- asking
your child’s kindy teacher for ideas about how you can help your child to
prepare or school
- talking
through some “what will I do if….?” situations with your child, for
example “what will I do if my yoghurt spills?”
Strengthen your child’s independence
Before your child starts school, you can encourage independence
by helping your child to practice:
- packing
and carrying their own school bag
- putting
on their shoes
- eating
and drinking without help
- going
to the toilet on their own
- using
tissues to blow their nose
- recognising
their belongings.
Daily routines
Daily routines can help children understand what they need to
do, when to do it each day and why it’s important.
To help prepare your child for school, encourage a routine which
includes:
- going
to bed early
- waking
up at a certain time and leaving plenty of time to get ready
- having
a healthy breakfast and needed for energy and concentration
- preparing
and eating lunch
- making
time for physical activities.
Packing a healthy lunch
When packing your child’s lunch:
- include
them in making choices and helping you
- provide
healthy and filling food in realistic quantities for morning tea and lunch
- make
sure they can easily open wrapped items and their lunch box
- provide
a variety of smaller items instead of 1 or 2 large items
- provide
a water bottle every day and encourage your child to drink it.
Know our school
Help your child get to know the school environment and routine
by:
- driving
past and walking around the school, especially during school hours, so
that your child gets used to the number of children, and their movements
within the school grounds. Make sure you let school staff in the
office know if you are walking around inside the school grounds.
- asking
the school what equipment and materials your child needs, like a school
bag, library bag or hat. Most schools will provide a list. Make sure all
possessions are labelled with your child’s name.
Before their first day, your child should know how to easily
find their classroom and where to:
- put
their things, like school bag and hat
- have
their lunch breaks
- meet
you each day when school is finished
- go
for before and after school care if
needed.
Family activities at home
You can also help your child’s progress at school by doing
family activities including:
- reading
aloud (this develops concentration and awareness of language patterns) and
writing with them (e.g. shopping lists and letters)
- stimulating
their imagination and natural curiosity (e.g. visiting a zoo, park or
airport)
- playing
sports, card or board games help develop mathematical, problem solving,
language and social skills
- shopping,
walking or gardening together
- singing
songs and nursery rhymes together.