Click here to open the document 'Getting ready for primary school'.
Click here to read the book 'Daisy's First Day'.
At primary school orientation
Attend a school orientation or transition to school program and make sure you have the school’s phone number.
If your child attends an early childhood education service, talk to staff about their transition to school.
Ask the school for an enrolment pack.
- Ask for the date your child will start school, as some school timetables will vary. Write this date down.
- Write down the date your child will start school.
If you need help with English, ask for an interpreter to be present at the orientation meeting. The school will arrange one if available.
Before Term 1 starts
If your child takes medication, has an allergy, a medical condition or has disability or additional learning and support needs– inform the school as early as possible and make an appointment to speak with school staff.
- Take your child to your local community health nurse or doctor for a health check and make sure their immunisations are up to date.External link
- Organise outside of school hours care, if needed.
Talk about the plan for after-school pickup.
At home
Support your child to develop independence using the bathroom – including urinals for boys – and practise good hand-washing techniques.
Write your child’s name on all their school things and involve your child in organising them and recognising their name. Make sure your child’s name is not visible on the outside of anything they’ll be wearing to and from school.
Print the Daisy colouring sheets and puzzle.
- Learn how to dress independently
- Get your child to practise putting on and taking off school shoes, socks, jumpers and raincoats independently.
- Using lunchboxes
- Have some fun picnics before school starts where your kids can practise opening and closing their lunch boxes and the various containers that require the skills of twisting, turning and pulling. Once school starts, provide lots of easy to open snacks and healthy food you know your child will eat.
- Packing and carrying the school bag
- Familiarise your child with their school bag. There is no need to buy the biggest bag because it will put a strain on their back. An overloaded bag can also mean kids pull out everything in their bag just to get to their lunchboxes.
- Practising social skills
- Give your child plenty of opportunities to have cooperative play with other children. Practise sharing and taking turns and discuss how their own behaviour can affect others.
- Good hygiene behaviours
- Have discussions on how to use the toilet safely and appropriately and the importance of asking a teacher before they go. Make sure your child knows to always flush the toilet and wash their hands afterwards. Pack a spare pair of undies in the school bag, just in case.
- Fine motor and gross motor skills
- Practise using scissors safely and holding them correctly. Practise holding a pencil with control and encourage your child to hold it with the correct grip. Encourage your child to participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor play and activities that foster balance and coordination.
- Practise writing their first name
- Children entering Kindergarten can practise writing their first name with a beginning capital letter and lowercase letters for the remainder. One of the biggest challenges for Kindergarten teachers is to ‘unteach’ the incorrect habit of capital letters in names.
- Read with your child
- Schools encourage parents to read with their children every day for 15 minutes. This helps children practise sitting still and listening. When you finish reading, ask your child questions about the stories, like ‘What happened?’ ‘What was your favourite part?’ Children who enjoy books are usually more eager to learn to read on their own.
- The numbers’ game
- Practise simple counting at home and if children are ready for it, practise counting backwards. Give your child opportunities to practise identifying numbers from one to 10 and count out corresponding amounts of objects.
- Encourage student advocacy
- Reassure your child that it’s OK to tell the teacher and other school staff what they need and how they are feeling. Young children can get so excited – or nervous – that they have finally made it to ‘big school’ that they forget to advocate for themselves.
Try these suggestions.
set up a play date for your child to play with a friend
check out the local library and let your child choose books to borrow
take a ball to a park to throw, catch and kick together
organise a picnic with a packed lunch and encourage your child to open it and eat the food by themselves
putting on their school shoes and walking in them
dressing in their school uniform
packing and unpacking their school bag
drinking from bubblers
opening and closing their lunch box and identifying food that is for lunch and food that is for recess
practise the daily routine of travelling to and from school – whether that’s by car, walking, or public transport.
Walk or drive past the school regularly before school starts and be positive
Remind children they will go to school each weekday, not just on the first day
Embed routines in the summer holidays like getting up on time
Practise how to dress independently – uniform, socks and school shoes
Don’t overload the school bag
Pack a healthy lunchbox with lots of easy to open snacks and a water bottle
Practise social skills and ask open-ended questions
Explain hygiene behaviours and practise going to the toilet
Reassure your child it’s OK to tell the teacher what they need and how they feel
Read with your child for 15 minutes every day.