Beginning School
Starting school is an important milestone for parents and children and the beginning of a new journey together. There’s a lot you can do to prepare your child – and yourself – for school. The first day of school can be an emotional time for parents and children.
The more you can help your child to become familiar with the layout of the school and what they need to do before day one, the less overwhelmed they are likely to feel. See: Preparing for School
Dressing for school
- Check the weather forecast and be prepared for unexpected changes
- Look for easy fasteners when choosing belts, shoes, bags and clothing
- Encourage your child to dress themselves so they will be able to manage things like their jumpers and shoes at school.
Uniforms and dress codes
Each school council decides whether its school will have a uniform, what the uniform will be and whether wearing it will be compulsory. Students are usually required to wear their school uniform during school hours, while travelling to and from school, and when they are engaged in school activities out of school hours. See: Uniforms
Looking after belongings
- Label all your child’s belongings and show your child where these labels have been placed
- Check when any special items, such as a library bag or art smock, are needed at school
- Note where lost property is held at the school.
Food for energy
- Ensure your child has a balanced breakfast before starting the school day
- Pack a healthy lunch and snacks and explain when they should be eaten. It’s a good idea to have different containers for each of the snacks. Try not to include nuts in school lunches and snacks as many schools have rules about bringing nuts to school
- Make sure your child can manage to unwrap any food wrappings.
Avoiding the last-minute rush
- Try to leave home with plenty of time to get settled before the school day starts
- Make sure you allow time to say goodbye and for your child to join others at play.
Saying goodbye
- At first you might stay a while to ensure that your child feels secure at school
- Once your child has settled into school, a short and reassuring goodbye encourages independence
- Always tell your child that you are leaving and what the arrangements are for picking them up at the end of the day
- Be guided by your child’s teacher as to the time to say goodbye.
Going home
- Check what time school finishes – during Term 1 some schools have earlier finishing times for Prep children
- Arrive in plenty of time to collect your child
- It’s a good idea to arrange a meeting place for you and your child, as it can be confusing with so many parents collecting their children.
Notes between home and school
- Check your child’s school bag with your child each night for newsletters and notes from school
- Make sure your child knows when you place a note in their bag and what needs to be done with it
- Parents of separated families are encouraged to agree on methods of communication between home and school so the child is not adversely affected.
Home reading and homework program
- Establish a quiet time for reading together. For instance, this could be part of the bedtime routine. Early in the year your child’s teacher will discuss with you the home reading and homework program
- Read with your child in English and/or your home language
- Let reading together be a pleasurable activity. Your child’s teacher can help you find books that are interesting to your child and match their stage of development.
See: Homework
Travelling to and from school
In some locations, students who live more than 4.8 kilometres from their nearest government school may be eligible for transport support. Some students may also be eligible for the Victorian government conveyance allowance to help with travel costs. See: Travelling to School
During the Prep year
- Keep in regular contact with your child’s teacher. In this way you can discuss activities your child is learning at home, find out how your child is adjusting to school and assist the teacher to find out more about what are your child’s interests
- If your child attends outside school hours care, find a way of sharing your child’s school progress with the staff
- Share feedback about your child’s experiences in starting school with the school and early childhood service
- Organise time for your child and their new friends to play together outside of school.
- You know your child best. If you see signs of anxiety in your child about starting school it’s important to talk with them about how they are feeling, to listen and to acknowledge their concerns. This will help to build their self-confidence and lessen any stress they may be experiencing.
See: Prep to Year 4
Attendance
In Victoria, education is compulsory for children aged between six and 17 years (up to 17th birthday). Once enrolled in primary school, your child is expected to attend school every day of each term. It’s important that children develop regular attendance habits at an early age. Children who are regularly absent risk missing out on learning the basic building blocks in subjects, and this can lead to long-term learning difficulties. See: Student Attendance
Student-free days
Schools have four student-free days per year for staff professional development, school planning and administration, curriculum development and planning, and student assessment and reporting. The first day of Term 1 is a student-free day in all government schools to allow for planning. The remaining three student-free days are determined by each school. Please check with your child’s school when these will occur.
Outside school hours care program
Many primary schools offer programs for school children outside school hours. These include before-school care, after-school care and vacation care. These types of care may cater for student-free days. Please share a copy of your child’s Transition Learning and Development Statement with the outside school hours care program coordinator and staff. The Statement will help them to get to know your child. See:
Are your contact details up to date?
The safety of all students and staff is paramount. Every Victorian government school has an emergency management plan and, in case of any emergency, it is important that your school has your current contact details. If they need to be updated please contact your child’s school.
For a copy of this information, see: Beginning School (PDF - 683Kb)