Being "School Ready"

Starting school is a huge achievement in children and young people’s lives, as this major transition approaches different children will have different feelings towards school.

It's that time of year when many families are preparing to send their children to kindergarten in 2023, transitioning from long day care to formal schooling. We recognize what a monumental milestone this is in their lives.

Starting school is a huge achievement in children and young people’s lives, as this major transition approaches different children will have different feelings towards school. They may experience feelings of excitement, sadness, anger, anticipation, fear and anxiety.

Ensuring the children in our care have trusting and supportive relationships is the key fundamentals of successful transitions. When children have a secure and safe base at home and in a care setting, they are more likely to associate good feelings with preparing to start school.

Be You have suggestions of some of the best ways to support young children in the adjustment to school:

• Listen and observe children to understand what they might be excited about towards school and what they might be anxious about. Engaging in conversations about school and what they can expect from Kinder is a way to reassure the child that school is a positive experience.

• Speak with parents who may not know what to expect from school, when parents feel more confident and safer with their child starting school the child is more likely to also feel this way.

• Attending Pre-Kinder sessions with children and families, this provides reassure for both the child and family that it is a safe environment, and they can begin to build familiarity.

• Sharing with children whom of their friends may be attending the same school can help ease anxiety for children as they can be comforted knowing that someone, they have a strong positive relationship with will also be at school with them.

• Use words of affirmation to empower children to believe in themselves, with phrases like “I am Brave, I can do this, and I can do hard things.

We are wishing our children the best start to school in 2023.