Preparing Your Child For School

What is the purpose of pre-school visits?

• To meet fellow pupils and prospective friends, to develop confidence in the class, and affinity and identity with the school.
• To introduce children and their parents or caregivers to their teacher and senior teacher.
• To become familiar with the layout and facilities at school.
• To experience some school activities, and to become familiar with class and school routines.
• To provide information needed to settle into school life quickly and smoothly.

This is probably your child’s first experience at school and we want to make this as happy and positive as we can. The class teacher will generally try to keep a normal programme running so that children and parents have a ‘taste’ of school life. For this reason we ask that you do not bring other pre-schoolers as they often cause distraction to the pupils during this very important transition time.

Your visits are generally scheduled for three – five consecutive Tuesday mornings. As children are not permitted to officially commence school until their fifth birthday, we require a parent or caregiver to remain at school during the pre-school visits. You are welcome within the classroom, and also feel free to have a look around our school, check out the library and computer suites, or have a coffee in the staffroom.

Be sure that by the end of your visits you feel the above purposes have been met and that you and your child know about the following:

• Location of the cloakrooms and toilets.
• Location of drinking fountains.
• How and where to order lunches.
• Play time boundaries.

Please check that you have been given a stationery list and a starting Ngunguru School Information booklet on your final visit.

We look forward to our forthcoming partnership as your child begins this exciting new journey.