Today marks a significant milestone for thousands of young learners across the state as kindergarten students walk through the school gates for the very first day of “big” school.

At three Illawarra schools - Dapto, Mount Terry and Wollongong - excitement, nerves, and anticipation filled the air as students embarked on their educational journey.

For these children, this day is not just about new classrooms and fresh notebooks - it’s the start of friendships, discoveries, and experiences that will shape their futures.

Dapto Public School welcomed 107 kindergarten students, the largest new cohort in the Illawarra.

Among Mount Terry Public School’s 95 new kindergarteners were three sets of cousins making the transition to school just a little more familiar.

Lachlan Ward said he and Cousin Logan Henshaw were not only cousins but best friends too.

“It’s fun coming to school and having lots of friends to play with,” he said.

Assistant Principal and Kindergarten teacher Kristie Wright said the first day of school was an important milestone in their learning journey and that her biggest aim was to impart a love of learning and a love of school.

“These first few days you want to make them love coming to school and love learning,” she said.

“They have many years of school ahead of them and I want them to be really excited to be here.”

Miss Wright said the students were very familiar with the school already through the transition program during 2024, and that they had sent the students a gift bag and a small surprise the night before school.

“The students have met their teachers, they have met each other, they know their older ‘buddies’, and they used their little Ready Confetti to sprinkle under their pillows last night to take away all the last-minute nerves.”

At Wollongong Public School 76 new kindergarten students enjoyed a full day of activities including writing, listening to stories, playing sports, a visit to the library and a fun and interactive class scavenger hunt.

The school has a very strong multicultural element and has students and parents who speak over 58 different languages, so it was no surprise that some of their new kindergarten students hailed from Egypt, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Kingdom, Brazil, Bangladesh, Singapore and the Philippines.

Assistant Principal, Zac Wood, said the most important aspect of the first day of school is to feel safe and happy in their new environment.

“This sense of safety and happiness sets the tone for a positive and successful start to their educational journey,” he said.

“Our kindergarten programs provide a well-balanced approach to fostering social-emotional learning while developing literacy and numeracy skills. We have a personalised approach and encourage our students to express their ideas and grow in confidence.

He also emphasised the school’s strong emphasis on building a connected school community.

“Our Beginning School Well program provides essential support to families who have recently arrived in Australia,’ he said.

“All our families are actively welcomed through events, workshops and opportunities to engage with other parents, creating a supportive network that extends beyond the classroom.

“At Wollongong Public School, we take pride in not only educating young learners, but also in fostering a welcoming and inclusive school community.”