Sending your child to school for the first time can be a daunting experience – new faces, new surroundings and new experiences can be overwhelming for children, and challenging for parents too.
At St Therese’s School, Bentley Park, a ‘Prep Transition Program’ helps prep students to become familiar with the school, their teacher and the routine, before the school year even starts.
The aim of the program is to give students their best chance of a successful, not stressful, transition from kindy to school.
Research has shown that these sorts of programmes can make a big difference:
• Up to 60 percent improvement in social, emotional, and cognitive development
• Better language development
• Higher levels of confidence in classroom settings
“The aim of our Prep Transition Program is to make the transition from kindergarten to school, a really great experience for your child,” says school principal David Adams-Jones. “We want your child happy and excited about starting their first day and we know how much this program helps.”
“Our Prep Transition Program aims to help children feel comfortable from the very first day of Prep and to foster self-confidence, emotional resilience, and a sense of belonging. This is all linked to the Reggio Emilia principles that form the foundations of our approach.”
Children taking part in the Prep Transition Program will have the opportunity to meet their teachers and other members of their class, get to know their classroom and where to put their bag and other school surroundings like the play area and outdoor learning environment, as well as introducing them to school processes. The transition program is offered to all children who are enrolled at the school in the upcoming school year.
“Research tells us that children have significantly greater success at school when there is a good relationship between home and school. For the family at St Therese’s want to give your child the best start possible and hit the ground running when it comes to their first day at school,” continues David.
“School is a lot less scary when kids know who their classmates are and who their teacher is. By providing a nurturing, loving environment before we’ve even begun their journey through school, we make it much more likely that they will enjoy their time here, make great friends and thrive academically.”
St Therese’s School’s Prep Transition Program takes place between August and November – but to be eligible students need to be enrolled prior. To see if St Therese’s is the right school for your child, you can book a personal tour with principal David Adams-Jones. If you have a child ready to start prep in 2023 you should confirm enrolment before May.
Personal tours can be booked at www.stthereses.qld.edu.au
