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.
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.
Starting Kindergarten represents a big change for children. Anything you can do now will help to make your child's entry to a happy and enjoyable experience. Before they start school, please encourage your child to learn to:
- put on and take off shoes (tying shoelaces, buckling and unbuckling shoes) and socks
- use a handkerchief or tissues
- recognise the difference between recess & lunch
- feel happy without you for several hours
- use toilet paper without help and flush the toilet
- dress themselves and in particular, put on and take off jumpers, raincoats, paint shirts and unzip jackets
- wash hands after going to the toilet and before eating
- know their full name and address
- open and close their school bag, lunch box and drink bottle
- recognise their name among other names and if possible write it
- play with other children
- help with small jobs around the house and follow simple instructions like "Take off your shoes"
- use scissors.