Prep is the first year of school and provides the foundation for your child's education. Children must be 5 by 30 June in the year they enrol and you can use the online calculator to see when your child can start Prep. Simply select your child's month and year of birth.
The Prep program at Nirimba State Primary school offers a welcoming and supportive classroom environment to ensure your child has a positive experience in their first year of formal schooling. Prep students will not only have dedicated classroom spaces, but also access to a brand new playground, including a water play area which will be used in creative and flexible ways.
Nirimba Prep students are taught the Foundation Year of the Australian Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health & Physical Education, Technologies, The Arts and Languages (Japanese). The Prep program is delivered to all students using a range and balance of pedagogical approaches, to support all students learning styles and needs, allowing every student to experience success.
It is not compulsory for your child to attend the Prep year as soon as they are old enough—5 by 30 June in the year they enrol. You can delay their entry by 1 year if you feel they are not ready, but when they start school, they should still start in the Prep year. Your child must be enrolled in school when they turn compulsory schooling age (that is, at least 6 years and 6 months).
Preparing your child for Prep
As a parent, you play a vital role in your child’s education. There are many things you can do to support a great start to school for your child.
All children have different interests, needs and motivations and each child’s transition from kindy to Prep will be unique. You can help your child to feel more comfortable about starting school by engaging in everyday activities.
You can help your child prepare for their first year of school by:
- building confidence
- strengthening their independence
- having a daily routine
- packing a healthy lunch
- knowing your school
- getting involved with your school
- doing family activities at home.
Build your child’s confidence
Help to build your child’s skills to cope in various situations and increase their self-confidence by:
- finding answers to their questions or concerns together.
- talking to your child about how to ask for help and model what to say.
- asking your child’s kindy teacher for ideas about how you can help your child to prepare or school
- talking through some “what will I do if….?” situations with your child, for example “what will I do if my yoghurt spills?”
Strengthen your child’s independence
Before your child starts school, you can encourage independence by helping your child to practice:
- packing and carrying their own school bag
- putting on their shoes
- eating and drinking without help
- going to the toilet on their own
- using tissues to blow their nose
- recognising their belongings.
Daily routines
Daily routines can help children understand what they need to do, when to do it each day and why it’s important.
To help prepare your child for school, encourage a routine which includes:
- going to bed early
- waking up at a certain time and leaving plenty of time to get ready
- having a healthy breakfast and needed for energy and concentration
- preparing and eating lunch
- making time for physical activities.
Packing a healthy lunch
When packing your child’s lunch:
- include them in making choices and helping you
- provide healthy and filling food in realistic quantities for morning tea and lunch
- make sure they can easily open wrapped items and their lunch box
- provide a variety of smaller items instead of 1 or 2 large items
- provide a water bottle every day and encourage your child to drink it.
To find out more information about healthy food and drinks, visit Smart choices.