While many school students are counting down to the summer holidays, more than 60,000 four- and five-year-olds are gearing up to start Kindergarten in 2025 in NSW public schools.

School transition at Waratah Public School starts early, with a playgroup in Term 3 leading to independent orientation sessions now running over three weeks.

Children are visiting their new classrooms, have met the three current Kindergarten teachers and take part in play-based learning activities.

Assistant principal Leoni Butler said the transition to school is an exciting time for children, families and teachers and involves navigating and adjusting to several changes.

“These activities give children a feeling of belonging in the school,” Mrs Butler said.

The children become familiar with the layout of the school and the playground, the older students, and uniforms.

Mrs Butler said the orientation sessions gave parents the opportunity to understand how the school starts teaching at the beginning of the year, the structure of sitting at a desk and play-based learning, and the importance of regular school attendance.

“The more the parents feel comfortable with the school the easier it is for their children to transition into Kindergarten next year,” she said.

“It’s solving the fear of the unknown.”

Around 40 of the 51 children enrolled for Kindergarten in 2025 have attended the orientation sessions. In the first week they were given their home reading folder filled with resources. In the following week they took home a placemat with photos and names of their Year 4 buddies and this week they will receive their library bag.

The children enjoy play-based learning activities including cutting and colouring, read a story and personalise a worksheet that shows their families what they did that day.

Mrs Butler said the orientation sessions also help the school and teachers prepare for the children.

“While the children are doing these activities the teachers have a checklist they’re checking off – are they left-handed, do they wear glasses, do they play socially with other kids. The teacher will pass that on next week to another teacher, who will add to it as they see things that come up,” she said.

“It’s identifying their strengths, interests, any additional needs, their preferences and their choices. The teacher can then implement some activities into the program ready for next year. If they really love dinosaurs, for example, we need to know that so we can make sure we have a selection of those sorts of activities for them to go to.”

The orientation sessions are part of an integrated program of school transition, which included a buddy playdate earlier this term where 37 children spent time with their Year 4 buddies in the playground.

Last term the school offered a playgroup for the first time, with the three sessions giving families the opportunity to visit their children’s classrooms with them.

Mrs Butler said the playgroups were so successful the school hopes to run eight sessions next year.

“No-one is crying,” she said of the atmosphere during the range of transition activities.

“It gives them the confidence of ‘This is my school, this is my classroom and I’m off to have some fun’.

“They’re all very happy and the kids were running out the door to show their parents their pictures and drawings.”

The NSW Department of Education is committed to creating better transitions between early education and primary school to give children the best start in learning.

A successful transition to primary school has been shown to improve a child’s longer-term academic, social and wellbeing outcomes. 

It also lays a strong foundation for positive partnerships and relationships with families to support their ongoing engagement in a child’s learning. 

School readiness: what should my child be able to do?

• Recognise their belongings
  

• Open and close lunchboxes including packets

• Know how to ask for help when needed

• Be able to separate from parent or carer

• Interact socially with other children
  

• Put on their uniform

• Know hygiene routines