How to Prepare your Child for School

Your child’s first day at school will be both an exciting and emotional event for the whole family. The transition leading up to this important milestone can also be challenging, both on children and parents. To help make the transition smoother and ease little ones into their new learning journey, we have put together some useful tips we give to parents at Bowen Hills Early Learning.

What We Do

The Early Years Learning Framework and our Prepare Curriculum act as the pivotal point for all children’s learning. Through play and intentional teaching practices, little ones are provided with learning experiences that will assist them in preparing for primary school and developing lifelong skills. Our Kindergarten Educators include school readiness activities every day to make the transition easier for both you and your child.

Little ones engage in activities that extend their overall development, with a great emphasis placed on problem solving skills, numeracy, literacy and language development as well as emotional resilience. At Bowen Hills Early Learning, we have created an environment that enhances exploration, discovery, curiously, positive social interactions, self-confidence and autonomy in preparation for primary school. Children become confident learners, who can communicate how they feel, work in social environments and independently complete activities they have been given.

We record and document every child’s interests, interactions and development in an individual portfolio that you keep once they leave as a reminder of how much they have grown and will continue to grow. These portfolios are journals of your child’s days at pre-school and contain photos, samples of work and professional interpretations of your child’s progress. This portfolio is also a great way to show your child’s new teacher their skills and the support they might need in some areas.

What Parents Do

The most important step parents can do to help their child move from childcare to primary school is encourage them and provide emotional support when they are feeling vulnerable. Talk to your child about pre-school and what an exciting adventure it will be. To help your child prepare mentally, spend extended amounts of time doing activities which require patience and concentration, such as reading a book or playing a quiet game.

Starting school is a big step for both your child and for you. Prepare yourself, organise your routine and be sure to give yourself time to adjust. It’s important to remember children will always have strengths in some areas of development and may require support in others. When transitioning from childcare to primary school, it’s important children can communicate their needs and questions, acknowledge their feelings and go to the bathroom independently.