Information+for+New+Entrants

The Parents / Caregivers of children on the schools projected enrolment list will be contacted by the school in the last few weeks before the child’s fifth birthday.
 * Pre-School Visits **

We encourage one or more morning visits (9.00am until 1.00pm) with a parent accompanying them. (The number is determined by how the child feels about coming to school through discussion with the teacher and parent) During these visits the school will take all care, but the ultimate responsibility lies with the parents until enrolment. I like to meet with both parent /s and child before they start.

School Enrolment date:

Enrolment details can be completed at any of these visits. Please visit the school office for the necessary papers.

We have some suggestions for you to consider in regards to what would be useful in making the transition to school for your child.
 * Equipment needed for school **
 * The school bag needs to be big enough to hold shoes and clothing taken off during the day, as well as lunch, sometimes a raincoat and book bag. (a change of clothing is also a good option)
 * Children need to be able to open their bags unassisted.
 * Check your children’s bag each day – especially the book bag that may have notices and messages in it. A weekly newsletter, every Tuesday, is sent home with the eldest and only children at the school.
 * Please talk to your child about lunch and playlunch – what small things are for eating at playtime and what is for lunch. Explain that uneaten food should be taken home. (Practise before coming to school)
 * Consider how much your child can eat. Do not overdo it. Also if you give your child too many treats in their lunch box, this can cause pressure to share and swap . We discourage this at school. Too much ‘junk’ food with food colourings can cause unsettled behaviour. No lollies are to be brought to school.
 * Every effort is made by class teachers to see that children eat sufficient food, if you have any concerns about the amount of food returning home, please contact the class teacher.
 * Your child’s stationary will be organised when you meet with the classroom teacher.
 * Please name all clothing.


 * Pre-entry Skills **

If your child is able to do most of the things below it will help them to make a positive start to their schooling.

All of these can vary greatly from child to child. Some children start school with lots of knowledge about letter, words, numbers, colours and shapes. Be guided by the child’s interest in things. Talk about things a lot, but be careful not to push too much knowledge too early as this can lead to confusions in later schooling. If they are starting to write their name, please use lower case letters except for the first letter eg. David. A chart of formations is found later in this booklet. Join Play Centre if new to the district – get to know neighbours so they have friends at school. – Invite these children home to play.
 * Can play with other children, share and take turns
 * Is happy to be separated from parents
 * Is able to talk to other children and adults, in sentences, about their experiences
 * Has had experience with books – being read to and looking at them themselves
 * Is able to recognise their name and possibly write their name using an initial capital and then lower case letters..
 * Has had experiences with using scissors, pencils and crayons
 * Is able to dress themselves and take responsibility for their own clothes
 * Has had experience requiring large motor co-ordination involving balls, climbing, running and water experiences.
 * Boys need to know how to use a urinal.


 * Once Started School **

Children can get very tired in their first few weeks of school. Parents can help by:
 * Ensuring that children have plenty of sleep
 * Trying to keep a normal routine in the household
 * Talking to the teacher about their child – and possibly arranging for them to have the odd Wednesday off to recover if they are too tired.
 * Not staying around once the school day has started if you have a clingy child, as emotional scenes are very tiring for both the child and the parent. Children generally settle much quicker once a parent has gone, and the teacher has experienced these difficulties often. If you are concerned, an arrangement can be made for an interval or lunch phone call about how the child is settled.
 * Please don’t tell the child “Mummy will ………….. if you …….. It puts the teacher in an awkward situation.


 * Teacher / Parent Relationship **

Parents are welcome into the classroom before and after school, where organised.(talk to the teacher) If you wish to discuss your child’s progress etc at any time, please arrange a time that works in with the teacher, as they are often busy preparing work before and after school.


 * Homework **

All children have a book bag that comes home each afternoon. Your child will have 1 or 2 books to read that can be shared with the family. There is a yellow homework book, home reader in the bag too. This is to be filled in by a parent each evening with the date, name of the book, a comment if you wish, and initials. Your child is able to bring this into class independently.

The notebook is an important communication tool between parents and teacher. Please feel free to write notes in it. The teacher checks and initials the notebook most days. Any money for stationery, trips etc goes through the classroom teacher. This can be put in your child’s book bag.

On Fridays a poem comes home. The poem has probably been memorised by your child, as it is shared frequently during the week.

Your child will also be issued with an alphabet chart and word caterpillar. A couple of minutes per night on these charts is all that is needed. Make it fun. The pictures on the alphabet chart are coloured in as they are covered at school. Suggested activities are on the back of the chart. The word caterpillar will have basic words written on it by the teacher as they are covered in reading books eg. I, is. Again suggested games, etc you can play with your child are written on the back.

"Sound Booklets" will also come home. The aim of these booklets is to encourage the children to learn the sounds of the letters in the booklet (which will be the ones under study that week.) Concentrate firstly on the sounds the letters make, letter names come later.

Home work sheets may come home from time to time for completion.

If you are new to the area, or your child does not know others, inquire and the teacher may be able to help you contact other mothers so your child can socialise out of school.

Arrive early enough to bring in book bags etc, so children can relax, do before school chores etc.

At the end of the day encourage your child to be independent and walk to the gate to meet you, if they are not catching the bus.