Kindergarten
Welcome to all our new Kindergarten families!
Kindergarten is an important year of schooling as children formally begin to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Our whole school community will help your child adjust to school and help them to feel comfortable.
When to start school
Your child can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year. By law, all children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday.
When to start your child at school is an individual decision. You may want to discuss this with us or with your child's preschool teacher, carer or doctor.
Transition to school
We have a set of planned activities to assist your child to make a smooth transition to Kindergarten. Research indicates that children who settle quickly into school are more likely to be socially competent and achieve better results. Contact us to find out about our activities and how you can be involved.
Preparing for Kindergarten
You can help your child prepare for Kindergarten and be organised for the first day. Watch what happens on a typical day in Kindergarten classrooms. Visit our school to help your child feel more comfortable and to start getting to know people there.
Pre-Kinder Program
Once your childs full enrolment has been recieved you can enrol for the pre-kinder program. The program is once a week from 9 - 11.30, inTerm 3 and 4, and focuses on the following areas:
Routines/School Expectations: Examples: Opening school bag and lunch box, sitting on the floor and lining up.
Literacy & Numeracy Activities: Writing their name, modelled reading and counting through songs.
Fine & Gross Motor Activities: Examples: threading, play dough, jumping and hopping
Songs: Singing nursery rhymes and other familiar, age appropriate songs.
Hygiene: Sanitising/Washing hands properly and visiting the toilets.
Best Start Kindergarten Assessment
The best start assessment is a tool to help teachers assess your child's skills as they enter school, and to tailor teaching to their individual needs. Teachers will sit with your child when they start school to assess your child's literacy and numeracy skills so that they can develop an appropriate teaching program that caters for your child.
Reminders and Routines
Home Reading – students are reminded to read their home reader every night and place them in the classroom tub each morning
Money – money and notes (excursions, performance, books etc.) must be placed in one of the letter boxes at the office in an envelope clearly marked with student's name and class.
Absent notes – if your child is absent from school, please send a note to school explaining why they were absent.
Library day – ensure your child brings a library bag to borrow books on their allocated Library day.
Sport day – make sure your child wears their sport uniform and sports shoes every Thursday.
Fruit Break – Kindergarten are encouraged to bring a piece of fruit each day to school. We will have a short 5 minute break at 10.00am where students will be able to have their fruit.
Label EVERYTHING that your child is likely to take off or lose.
Resources needed
It would be appreciated if each child could bring all of the following items for their personal use and some to share with the class.
- Box of tissues
- Hand soap
- Baby wipes ("wet ones")
- Hand sanitiser
- Old magazines/newspapers
- Labelled Paint shirt
