At primary school orientation

• Attend a school orientation or transition to school program and make sure you have the school’s phone number.

• If your child attends an early childhood education service, talk to staff about their transition to school.

• Ask the school for an enrolment pack.

• Ask for the date your child will start school, as some school timetables will vary. Write this date down.
• Write down the date your child will start school.

• If you need help with English, ask for an interpreter to be present at the orientation meeting. The school will arrange one if available.

Before Term 1 starts

• If your child takes medication, has an allergy, a medical condition or has disability or additional learning and support needs– inform the school as early as possible and make an appointment to speak with school staff.

• Take your child to your local community health nurse or doctor for a health check and make sure their immunisations are up to date.
• Organise outside of school hours care, if needed.

• Talk about the plan for after-school pickup.

At home

• Support your child to develop independence using the bathroom – including urinals for boys – and practise good hand-washing techniques.

• Write your child’s name on all their school things and involve your child in organising them and recognising their name. Make sure your child’s name is not visible on the outside of anything they’ll be wearing to and from school.

• Read the book Daisy’s First Day with your child.
• Watch the animated video of Daisy’s First Day.

• Print the Daisy colouring sheets and puzzle.

Try this

• set up a play date for your child to play with a friend

• check out the local library and let your child choose books to borrow

• take a ball to a park to throw, catch and kick together

• organise a picnic with a packed lunch and encourage your child to open it and eat the food by themselves

• putting on their school shoes and walking in them

• dressing in their school uniform

• packing and unpacking their school bag

• drinking from bubblers

• opening and closing their lunch box and identifying food that is for lunch and food that is for recess

• practise the daily routine of travelling to and from school – whether that’s by car, walking, or public transport.