Starting Kindergarten at Dudley PS

Children entering Dudley Public School have many characteristics and needs in common. They also have their own unique rates of development, and needs that derive from differing cultures, language backgrounds, experiences, child rearing practices and parental expectations.

The ways in which these similarities and differences are responded to in the kinder class at Dudley Public School is crucial. The beginning year of schooling must not only be happy and a valuable attitudinal experience for your children but it must provide a sound basis for continuing education.

Routines are established as part of an ongoing process which allows children to develop gradual familiarity with their environment. This process takes time, requires consistency, and is extremely important in providing children with feelings of security.

A few simple rules are set, which the children can easily understand. It is a time for learning how to learn, so that later the children gain in real achievement and activities are provided well within their capabilities. Once routines are established children are able to begin taking responsibility for their selection and management of resources.

The following items are mentioned for your information:

Parental Assistance

Parents will be invited to help with group work during the school hours. A request for helpers will be sent home once the children have settled into school routines.

Equipment

• Most items of equipment including coloured pencils, books, etc., are provided.
• Make sure names are on all items of clothing, lunch boxes, drink bottles, etc.
• Scrap materials for Arts & Craft are always appreciated. Coloured magazines, margarine and ice cream containers, egg cartons and empty cardboard cylinders are useful and will be requested from time to time.

Getting your child ready

• If your child can tie their shoelaces by the end of Term 2, it would be a great help. You will probably find that doing these things is very difficult for most children. Do not to expect immediate results.
• Above all, provide plenty of opportunities for your child to discuss their schooling and daily routines with you. 
• Reading with your child daily is of utmost importance.
• Home reading will begin when children are ready. Read these books with your child to help develop a passion and love for books and reading. When they are attempting to read be mindful that accuracy, at this stage of their development is not the highest priority. Many of the books they may bring home are purely for enrichment.

Kindergarten Readiness

Does your child:

• Know his/her name and address well enough to repeat them when necessary?
• Know the safest way to and from school?
• Know how to blow their nose correctly?
• Know how to use and flush the toilet without assistance?
• Know that hands should be washed before meals and after visiting the toilet?
• Know how to tie shoe laces?
• Put away play things and materials after using them?
• Put on and take off outer clothing without help?

If your child cannot do these things, you can assist by providing constant practice in the home situation.

Kindergarten Preparation

Parents can prepare their child for the first years at school through the following suggestions.

• Talk to your child about school where they will meet new friends, play games, sing and make things.
• Teach your child how to put on and do up shoes.
• Label clearly, with full name, all possessions your child will take to school, eg. raincoat, hat, jumper, bag, lunchbox, drink bottle etc.
• Send your child to school on time, each and every day.
• Give your child simple duties around the home. This will help foster confidence in the performance of small tasks.
• Allow your child to stay with relatives or friends for short periods so that he/she will accept the fact that it is not always possible to be with parents.
• Encourage your child by admiring work when it is brought home. Give the painting and handiwork a place of honour for a few days at least.
• Select suitable stories, picture books, radio & television programs for your child.

What to bring

• Children will need to wear their uniform, including the school black hat (labelled with your child's name)
• Lunch and morning tea should be provided in a lunch box clearly labelled with the child's name. Please make sure that your child knows what you have packed for recess and lunch. A sandwich cut into quarters, a piece of fruit and a water or fruit juice drink makes for a very healthy lunch.
• Children will need a school bag to keep belongings together, please ensure that you label your child's bag.

What will happen

• The structure of the morning will be the same as the orientation visit.
• Bring your child to the Kindergarten room between 9.00am and 9.20am and let them select from the available activities.
• Meet with the Kindergarten teachers and your child will receive their name tag.
• Stay a short time in the room (approx. 10 minutes) then choose your parting time when your child appears relaxed and busy.
• Occasionally parents have difficulty separately from their child and may need to call on staff for support to establish a positive parting routine.

Kindergarten Buddy Program

Each year students in Year 6 have the opportunity to be a buddy to new Kindergarten children to help them become familiar with school routines and procedures and support them in their first year at school. Buddies are trained in Term 4 and participate in the Kindergarten Orientation program. Kindergarten students and their buddies will also be paired when participating in our school Peer Support Program.

Saying goodbye

At first, you might like to stay for a while until your child feels secure at school. When your child has settled into school, a short and reassuring goodbye encourages independence. Let them know who will pick them up at the end of the day.

Picking up children at the end of the day

When school finishes each day, your child’s class will gather at a regular place. Your child’s teacher will wait with the children. Make sure your child and their teacher know who will be collecting them each afternoon. Children can get upset if the person picking them up comes late. Check with their teacher about the best time to arrive in the afternoon and where to stand. 

Keep routines

Kindergarten children can get very tired at night because they are doing so many new and exciting things. For this reason, it helps if you keep routines like bath time, meals and reading routines as regular as possible. It’s important to leave time for your child to play and get a good night’s sleep each night.

For primary-school-age children, and especially kindergarten students, a routine will help make each day the best it can be.

Visit the department’s website for more information on health and wellbeing at primary school.