At Ropes Crossing Public School we aim to ensure all students and their families enjoy a happy and positive time starting school. Our Kindergarten orientation program is held during Term 4 and offers activities for children as well as information for their parents and carers.
Kindergarten orientation information exhibition
Our Kindergarten orientation program commences with our Kindergarten orientation information exhibition. The evening is designed to provide valuable information about the facilities and programs at our school as well as give parents and carers an opportunity to ask questions and meet some of the school staff.
Kindergarten transition visits
During the Term 4, children are invited to attend Kindergarten transition sessions. These visits are an important aspect of preparing the children for school. In this time children have the opportunity to get to know the teachers and other children. Teachers also use this time to observe the children and the skills and qualities they bring with them to school. It is important that children attend both of these sessions as it allows them to ease into the school environment and feel more comfortable with the staff and other children.
Starting school
Parents and carers will receive a letter at the final Kindergarten transition session, outlining the date and time your child will have their Kindergarten best start interview and when they will start school. Students will be placed into temporary classes over two days with staggered starting times. A letter will be sent home in the first week of term with your child's class and teacher information.
Best start Kindergarten assessment
The best start assessment is a tool to help teachers assess your child's skills as they enter school, and to tailor teaching to their individual needs. Teachers will sit with your child to assess your child's literacy and numeracy skills so that they can develop an appropriate teaching program that caters to your child.
Children come to school with different levels of literacy and numeracy. Some are familiar with books, can recognise some letters, even write their name or count to ten, while others have not yet learned these skills. However, Kindergarten teachers have no expectations of what pre-schoolers should know at the start of their first year of school.
Our Kindergarten teachers have always observed their new students and used different methods to find out what each child knows and can do so that they can plan and teach what their students need to learn next. Best start gives our teachers a common set of high-quality assessment tools and professional training. It is very important to emphasise that best start Kindergarten assessment is not a test. Its purpose is to help the teacher gather information to guide the teaching of your child.
For the first 2 days of the school year, parents are given a 30-minute time slot to bring their child to school for the best start assessments with one of our Kindergarten teachers. The teacher will observe each child and use tasks, such as talking about a book that has been read, and record what their students know and can do. The teaching of your child will be based on the information gathered in these ways.
The teacher will look at your child's early reading and writing, their ability to communicate with others, and how they recognise and work with numbers, groups and patterns. You'll be given feedback about what your child's teacher has learned about your child, which you are welcome to discuss if you wish, in keeping with our usual practice.