transitionprogram

Transition Program

Stepping into Scoresby

Stepping into Scoresby

PREPARING FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

PREPARING FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Stepping into Scoresby

STEPPING INTO FOUNDATION - 1

Starting school is a major milestone, it marks the beginning of your child’s education, setting strong foundations for life-long learning. Research shows that a positive start to school leads to better learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children. It helps to support your child’s continuity of learning and development and assists children to feel secure, confident, and connected to new people and places.

FOUNDATION OPEN MORNING - 2

This session marks the beginning of our Transition Program and is designed for all prospective parents wanting to find out more about our school. This session runs on a Saturday morning for an hour and is extremely informative. We appreciate how difficult it is to choose a school so during this session parents are given the opportunity to ask questions and meet our current Foundation teachers.

KINDERGARTEN “TASTE OF SCHOOL” VISITS" - 3

Building relationships with local kindergartens is vital when it comes to transition. During Term 2 & 3, the four year old kindergarten groups, in the local area, are invited to come along to visit the school for a one hour session. The children are taken on a tour of the school, visiting classrooms. The children also walk through our beautiful buildings and grounds and play on our playground.

SCHOOL READINESS SESSION - 4

In the lead up to your child starting school, there are many ways that you can plan to prepare for the changes ahead. This will help your child and family make a successful start to school. We know that every family will have different preparation ideas and strategies, so it’s best to make a plan that suits the needs of your individual family

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - 7

Week one for our Foundation students begins with a staggered start to school. This provides our new students with the opportunity to come to school for a short session in small groups, so that they can meet new class members, spend time with their teacher and become familiar with their new surroundings.

From week two our students attend school full time with Wednesdays off for the first month.

FOUNDATION PICNIC & PARENT INFORMATION SESSION - 6

Towards the end of the orientation program, we invite our Foundation families to attend a Foundation Picnic and Information session. Families are invited to bring along a picnic dinner and meet other families, students are encouraged to play on the playground, meet other students and explore the school. At the end of the picnic families are invited into our early Learning Centre for our information session.

ORIENTATION - 5

During Term 4 all children enrolled in Foundation will have the opportunity to participate in our Orientation Program. These sessions are where your child’s Foundation journey begins. Orientation is made up of 4 sessions of Orientation, each running for 1 hour and a half.

Preparing for Primary School

Preparing your child for the start of primary school will help them feel more confident about the big changes that are about to happen and what to expect at their new school.

In preparation for this important chapter, you can help your child to develop a love for learning so the move is a happy and positive one.

From the year before until the day they start school, there are a range of ways you can prepare your child for their new environment.

the year before school

In the year before your child starts primary school, you can begin to focus on different aspects of school life. Having discussions about school and encouraging your child to become more independent can help them better adjust to the new learning environment.

Things that you can do to help your child prepare include:

Asking your child what they think about school

Attending transition-to-school programs at your child’s new school

Talking to the school about how you can be involved in your child’s life at school

Talking to friends and other families about what school is like

Talking to your child’s early childhood professional about other things you can do at home to help your child’s learning and development.

Encouraging your child to ask questions about going to school

Encouraging your child to do things on their own, such as dressing, washing their hands, going to the toilet, unwrapping their food, and opening their drink bottle

over the summer holidays

With school just around the corner, the summer holidays are a good time to reinforce what your child should expect on their first day at school.

Things that you can do to help your child prepare include:

the First day of school

There are a range of things you can do to help your child have a successful and stress free rst day at school including:

Helping your child to pack their school bag with a snack, drink, lunch and a hat. Include a change of clothes and a spare pair of underpants in a plastic bag and let your child know these clothes are there in case of any accidents

When dressing for school look for easy fasteners and encourage your child to dress themselves, so they can manage things like taking jumpers on and off. Label all belongings and find out where lost property is held at school

Put sunscreen on your child in the morning if it is needed

Leave home on time allowing time to say goodbye. At first, you may stay a while to ensure your child feels secure, but once they have settled in, a short and reassuring goodbye encourages independence

Helping your child to pack their school bag with a snack, drink, lunch and a hat. Include a change of clothes and a spare pair of underpants in a plastic bag and let your child know these clothes are there in case of any accidents

When dressing for school look for easy fasteners and encourage your child to dress themselves, so they can manage things like taking jumpers on and off. Label all belongings and find out where lost property is held at school

Put sunscreen on your child in the morning if it is needed

Further details at http://www.education.vic.gov.au

STEPPING INTO FOUNDATION

Starting school is a major milestone, it marks the beginning of your child’s education, setting strong foundations for life-long learning. Research shows that a positive start to school leads to better learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children. It helps to support your child’s continuity of learning and development and assists children to feel secure, confident, and connected to new people and places.

At Scoresby Primary School we value the importance of students making a positive start to school and run a comprehensive transition program aimed at making your child’s pathway from pre-school to school a successful and smooth experience.

Our Transition Program develops your child’s confidence by providing opportunities to learn about being at school. As it is not a one-off event, you and your child will be able to grow and learn together. You will have many chances to discuss your child’s needs and ask questions. It is our intention to build success and to make commencing school both comfortable and enticing. We have designed and embedded many opportunities which aim to support children, families, and early childhood professionals to become familiar with and excited about the transition into primary school.

KINDERGARTEN “TASTE OF SCHOOL” VISITS

Building relationships with local kindergartens is vital when it comes to transition. During Term 2 & 3, the four year old kindergarten groups, in the local area, are invited to come along to visit the school for a one hour session. The children are taken on a tour of the school, visiting classrooms. The children also walk through our beautiful buildings and grounds and play on our playground.

Parents are welcome to join in the fun! What a fabulous opportunity for prospective parents to see the school in action.

SCHOOL READINESS SESSION

In the lead up to your child starting school, there are many ways that you can plan to prepare for the changes ahead. This will help your child and family make a successful start to school. We know that every family will have different preparation ideas and strategies, so it’s best to make a plan that suits the needs of your individual family.

To assist families in their understanding and knowledge of “school readiness”, an information session is held during Term 3 which covers all the facets of what school readiness means and provides some tips to help you to prepare your child for school.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

The first day of school is a very exciting, yet overwhelming time for all involved. On the first days of school, we encourage you to take your child into the classroom to help them to get themselves organised and show them where to put their bag. As soon as your child is settled, say a happy and friendly goodbye and leave the room.

It is extremely important that students develop good habits of punctuality and regular attendance, as well as a positive attitude towards school. Providing a routine and keeping things the same each morning helps to ensure that your child feels safe and secure and starts their school day with a smile.

From day one, Preps are expected to be at school all day, except for Wednesdays in the first month. On Wednesday, the Foundation teacher conducts one on one interviews with all the children. The interviews are designed to provide your child’s teacher with information about your child’s understanding and skills in English and Mathematics.

FOUNDATION PICNIC AND
PARENT INFORMATION SESSION

Towards the end of the orientation program, we invite our Foundation families to attend a Foundation Picnic and Information session. Families are invited to bring along a picnic dinner and meet other families, students are encouraged to play on the playground, meet other students and explore the school. At the end of the picnic families are invited into our early Learning Centre for our information session. This information session outlines the fundamental information for parents about starting school at Scoresby Primary, including core curriculum subjects, uniforms, school banking, healthy lunchboxes and other essential facts.

ORIENTATION

During Term 4 all children enrolled in Foundation will have the opportunity to participate in our Orientation Program. These sessions are where your child’s Foundation journey begins. Orientation is made up of 4 sessions of Orientation, each running for 1 hour and a half. The sessions are specifically designed to be fun and engaging, providing your child with a taste of Foundation and building their understanding of what being at school will entail.. The children will meet a range of teachers, including specialist teachers, making transitioning into these classes when school begins easier.