Transition to school meeting

September 2nd 2009

We are holding a meeting on this evening with local New Entrant teachers from Rhode Street School and Koromatua to discuss children's learnng and development and the expectations held for children entering school as a new entrant.


It will be an informative evening for parents and interested friends/family.

Please note this meeting is not suitable for children to attend.

My name

It is a big help if children can write their name before they go to school because that can be a useful link for teachers to use when teaching them other words or letters. Young children go through stages of writing before they become competent so as teachers we support these stages bridging the children s accuracy and knowledge sensitively so that their confidence remains intact.

Children get a sense of pride from saying, "I can write my name". It is an important part of forming their identity.

We encourage the children to be able to recognize their name on sight before they start school also. Obviously naming clothing, lunchboxes and so on helps reinforce the recognition of their name.

If your child is struggling to recognize their name concentrate on the beginning letter as a starting point of recognition. As they make connections they will become more familiar with the other letters in their name.

What will my child need to start school?

Preparing for school will largely depend on where your child is going to go to school. You may need to get a school uniform. Many schools have a second hand uniform store available if you do not wish to buy brand new clothing. The school will probably give you a list of books/stationery that you will need to purchase before or on the day your child starts school. A PVC book bag will probably be part of the starter pack but if not I recommend one to protect school books.

Your child will need: (Don't forget to name everything!)

• A school bag (big enough to put book bag, lunch box, sweat shirt or jacket in)
• A lunch box
• Waterproof coat
• sunhat for summer months

Make sure your child's bag is not too small or too big for your little person! Be sure to adjust the straps if your child has a back pack so that the pack fits your child comfortably. Children can get back injuries from poorly adjusted and overloaded bags.

Friends

Knowing other children at school or in your child's new class can really help settle your child. When we know what school a child is going to we often talk about who will be in their class that they know and whether they have other siblings, relatives and friends at the school. This helps reassure the child that they have others to seek out to comfort and support them if they need reassurance or help.