Kindergarten information

There are many things you can do to help your child develop the right skills to do well in their first year at school. Preparation does help, and if your child can see that you are relaxed and looking forward to this important event in their lives they will be more inclined to be relaxed, happy and excited too.

Emotional readiness -

Talk about school as a happy place where your child will meet new friends, sing, play games and make things.

• Listen to your child’s concerns and discuss with them together. 

• Be positive and encouraging about school. School is a safe place; let your child know that teachers care for them. Reassure your child that they will be safe and that you will collect them in the afternoon.

• Be prepared to ‘let go.’

Practical readiness

On a practical level, assist your child towards mastery of the following skills:

• Know their name and what it looks like

• Use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ 

• Get their clothing and shoes on and off without help;

• Care for and put away play equipment;

• Use a handkerchief or tissue to properly blow their nose;

• Use and flush a toilet independently and wash hands; 

• Manage fruit, containers and wrappers independently. 
   

Before your child learns to read and write, they must be able to talk and listen well. Try to:

• Answer many of the endless questions, and ask many deep questions that require reasoning;

• Talk to your child about what you are both doing;

• Listen to your child carefully; 

• Count items. Sort and match collections of things like fruit and clothing;

• Ask your child to follow simple instructions, e.g. “Take your plate to the sink,” or “Put all your toys away in the box, please;”

• Most importantly, read books and discuss stories with your child each day to develop good reading habits.

To be able to read and write, your child also needs good hand and eye coordination. Development activities include: 

• Using pencils, felt pens, chalk and crayons to draw patterns and pictures; Tracing an outline;

• Painting with brushes and rollers; Pasting; making models with play-dough;

• Cutting paper and material with blunt-ended scissors;

• Rolling, throwing and catching a ball; 

• Doing jigsaw puzzles; constructing with blocks;

• Digging and building in the sand.

Meadow Flat Public School takes great care to ensure their new students are warmly welcomed to the school environment and made to feel safe and secure. It is worth making opportunities to talk about some of the aspects of the first few weeks of school with your child so they do not become unduly anxious at the thought of such a big, busy, new environment.

Our kindergarten transition program runs in term 4 and helps beginning students prepare for school.  They will meet their teachers and fellow students, take part in classroom activities, acclimatise to school routines, and play in the school playground.

In 2024, our kindergarten transition schedule will be as follows:
9 am - 11 am Wednesday 23 October
9 am - 12 pm Wednesday 30 October 
9 am - 1 pm Wednesday 6 November
9 am - 3 pm Wednesday 13 November

On 13 November 2024, a parent information session will be held beginning at 1:30pm.  Parents will not need to remain onside during other sessions, but they do need to be contactable if required.  Students must be enrolled at the school prior to beginning transition.

• lunch box (labelled with child’s name)

• drink bottle (labelled)

• spare underwear and pants to be kept in school bag in case of an accident

• school jumper (labelled)

• full school and sports uniform (labelled)

• library bag (labelled)

For the first four or five years of a child’s life, education is provided by the parents or caregivers. The experiences gained during these years form the basis upon which the school builds. By the time the child arrives in Kindergarten many attitudes and habits are well established.

When they begin school, and the school becomes involved your child’s development and formal school education, there commences a joint venture with both parties working closely together.

Meadow Flat Public School views the education of each student as a partnership between the school and parents.

We encourage communication between home and the school and for you to contact your child’s teacher or the school office when the need arises, for example:

• if any event has occurred which could influence your child’s happy disposition - sudden illness of a family member, loss of a pet, etc.

• if you are concerned about any aspect of schooling that is affecting your child