Starting school can be a big step for some children. To help children become familiar with starting school there is usually an opportunity for children to visit the classroom to meet the teacher, the other children in the class and to stay for some of the day.  Some schools also have a New Parents Meeting which may include ideas on helping your child settle into school, the classroom programme, routines, expectations and some ideas on how you can help at home.

It is normal for a child to be upset on their first day but they usually settle very quickly once you have left.  If you think your child may have difficulty saying goodbye it is best to pre-arrange a time that they know about. A good time is when the bell goes or after the teacher has done the attendance for the day.  Go when you have said even if they are upset as it is much easier for a teacher to step in when the parent has gone and very hard for a child to learn to say goodbye if they learn that being upset means mum/dad will stay longer!

At school it is important for children to feel successful by being able to confidently participate in the classroom activities. The classroom teacher builds on your child’s experiences from preschool and kindergarten and provides them with many new experiences. Children have different developmental rates and bring to school their own individual skills.

To help children develop independence for school it would be helpful if your child could;

• hold a pencil correctly
• recognise and write their own name using a capital letter for the first letter and lower case letters for the rest of their name
• recognise some of the letters of the alphabet and some sounds
• count up to 10 and back from 10
• recognise and order numbers to 10
• use scissors for cutting out

Some children will be able to do more than is suggested and there are lots of ideas on how to extend your child in the Using our Resources booklet. Our Ready for School Pack can be viewed here.

Behaviours and Attitudes that will assist with transition to school:

• sit and listen for short periods of time
• follow simple instructions
• ask for help if they are unsure of something
• take turns with others
• be able to put their jersey on and off, shoes on and off (velcro shoes are best)
• look after their own belongings
• toilet independently
• use good manners
• unwrap packets in their lunchbox or even better have a lunchbox with compartments so no packets are sent to school