Families are getting ready to finish another school year, but it’s also time to think about 2025.
Preparing children for a new school year is more than buying a uniform, bag and lunchbox. Many will start their transition to school in Term 4.
Prep teachers at Northern Bay College have suggested that parents follow tips from the Department of Education and Training, which advises them to:
- Practise the journey to and from school.
- Arrange play dates with families who have children at the same school.
- Encourage independence – skills like dressing, packing and carrying a bag, applying sunscreen and going to the toilet.
- Label all belongings – clothing, bags, lunch boxes, drink bottles.
- Talk about and practise any after-school arrangements.
- Check the start and finish times and where to drop off and collect your child.
- Be positive, get your child excited and talk about any worries they have.
- Visit a library and read with your child.
- Start using the name of their new teacher to help build familiarity.
- Establish predictable routines including dinner, bath time and bedtime.
Other things to focus on include opening zips on bags and lunchboxes, practicing a morning routine, children packing their bag, bathroom routines including washing hands, taking on and off jumpers and jackets and tying shoelaces.
There are Prep classes at four of the Northern Bay Colleges – Wexford, Peacock, Tallis and Hendy – and up to 160 new school starters are expected in 2025. Other primary schools in the northern suburbs include St Francis Xavier and St Thomas Aquinas.
To enrol your child for 2025, contact the office of the nearest campus to where you live. The staff will support you with enrolment paperwork and provide dates of information and transition sessions.
Families wanting to enrol children other than Preps can also contact the office of the campus they are zoned to for help with paperwork. They’ll also be able to meet with a member of the Principal Team to talk about starting dates and answer any questions.
If you’re not sure about which campus you’re zoned to, contact any of the P-8 campuses and they will point you in the right direction.