What to Expect in the First Few Weeks
On your child’s first day at pre-school they will attend in a small group for a shorter session. Information regarding to your child’s attendance on these days will be provided when you are given your group allocation at the AGM.
The first few weeks when leaving your child/ren with us can be tough for both parents and children, so it’s natural to feel a bit anxious about this big change to the family routine. The staff will do everything to help your child to settle in quickly. Before you know it they’ll have made new friends and be running in without even a wave goodbye (that hurts too!).
When leaving for pre-school drop off, avoid rushing: leave home on time and allow time to say goodbye. At first, you may stay a while to ensure your child feels secure, but once they have settled in, a short and reassuring goodbye encourages independence. Confirm the time you will pick up your child and arrive in plenty of time to collect them.
Our staff are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have. If you are at all anxious at any time during session time, please do not hesitate to call, however we do ask that calls be kept to a minimum so our staff can be solely focused on the children. You are welcome to arrange a meeting or call after session if you would like more time.
Staggered Starts
Staggered starts are made over the first few weeks to give each child more one-on-one contact with the staff (and vice versa), and so that children can familiarise themselves with the environment and routines. Please see the details of the staggered starts in your group allocation pack.
Once your child has settled in
Please arrive to pre-school on time. It helps your child/ren to settle and develop a sense of belonging if they have the opportunity to sit with their friends at the beginning of the session. This is also the time the staff talk to the children about changes to the room, special experiences that will be happening and the expectations of the day. Children can become unsettled if they view their friends already at play. Pass onto staff anything that has happened since the previous day that has been of importance to the child.
Please be prompt in picking your child up from all sessions. Children can become quite anxious if parents have not arrived to pick them up when expected. If you are running late to pick up, please contact the pre-school as soon as possible.
Your child/ren do so much in their pre-school day, however they may not always give you a detailed account. Often, if asked, a child might say he/she has done nothing all day and played with no one. It may help to ask a more specific question such as “Did you play in the sand pit?” Or “Did you do a painting?”. If you are at all concerned please discuss this with the teachers. A great way to get to know what happens during the day is to get involved in the program and sign up to the duty roster. In addition, Storypark and the journals in the foyer are a great way to see what has been happening during the pre-school week.