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Moving from preschool or child care to ‘big school’ is a momentous step for children and their families. Many preschools provide ‘School Readiness’ programs so that children make a successful transition to Kindy.
But what makes a successful school readiness program?
Three elements must be present for a successful school readiness program[1]: child readiness, family readiness and readiness of the educators and the school.
Successful school readiness means children, parents and educators being ready for students to take that next step up to big school
Child readiness
Children who feel safe and supported at school and who participate in learning, asking questions, trying new things, and communicating confidently with educators and peers are more likely to have a successful transition to Kindy. Children who feel positive about themselves as learners and who show knowledge of school routines and staff make the step to big school more successfully.
Family readiness
When families have access to information about the school, are involved with the school and have relationships with the school staff, they are more likely to support a successful transition for their child. Parents or carers who see themselves as partners in their child’s learning support school readiness.
Educator and school readiness
Communication between educators and families allows parents and children to build confidence in managing the transition to school. Communication, sharing information and liaison between early childhood educators and school builds a bridge that supports a smooth step up from preschool to Kindy.
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Successful school readiness every day at Northern Beaches Christian School
Many school readiness curricula are discrete programs that run for several hours a week across one or two terms. At Northern Beaches Christian School Pre-K, preparing for Kindy is part of everyday learning, exploration and fun. Here’s how we do school readiness at Northern Beaches Christian School:
NBCS Pre-K children learn and play on the NBCS school site
Our beautiful Pre-K classroom and outdoor play area are embedded on campus, near Primary classrooms, our Library and our Multipurpose Centre. Our children are safe and secure in their own space but feel part of the life of the whole school as they use the facilities, understand the school routines and see students move around.
NBCS Pre-K children are well prepared for learning
Our play-based exploration and carefully guided activities build executive functioning capacity, develop working memory, emotional regulation and organisational skills, and progress language development and pre-literacy competencies. We include letter recognition, phonological awareness, brain games and exposure to books in a curriculum that combines the best of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the NSW Early Stage 1 Curriculum.
NBCS Pre-K children are well prepared for the classroom
Embedded into our curriculum are social-emotional skills such as self-regulation, pro-social problem solving and developing a feelings vocabulary. We learn the behaviours and skills that will be expected in Kindy classroom and encourage student engagement.
At Northern Beaches Christian School our Pre-K students are well-known, well-loved and well-taught.
NBCS Pre-K children see themselves as learners and explorers
Our weekly Bush Kindy program allows children to explore, play and learn in nature as we visit the Ku-ring-gai National Park, just next door. In our beautifully appointed Pre-K classroom and play spaces, we encourage curiosity, questions and participation as we try new things and have a go.
“Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions a family will make. You want to know your child is known, loved and challenged, and that you can trust the partnership between home and school.”
– Mrs Julie Smith, Head of Primary, Northern Beaches Christian School
NBCS Pre-K children interact with K-2
As Pre-K join our Infants chapel and participate in some K-2 learning and events, they get to know older children and build confidence and knowledge about what happens in Kindy and what big school will be like.
NBCS Pre-K children develop relationships with staff
Music, art, French and sport are all taught by specialist teachers at Pre-K at NBCS. As our Pre-K students get to know the educators, they grow relationships that will continue throughout Primary. Our Head of Primary joins Pre-K for learning, excursions and events, which builds another level of trust and reassurance as children take their next step into Kindy.
NBCS Pre-K families build community that continues
At NBCS we offer opportunities for families to connect with each other and build friendships, just as students become friends at Pre-K. Maintaining these connections as children progress together into Kindy and beyond provides families with stability, creates strong communities and is good for wellbeing.
NBCS Pre-K families build collaborative relationships with educators
As Pre-K families join our school community, come on campus and see themselves as partners in their child’, they begin communication and build collaborative relationships with teachers and educators – which continues from Pre-K through to Kindy and into Primary.
NBCS Pre-K educators work closely with Kindy educators
Our educators are all on the same team and have the same priorities – to provide your child with Excellence in Education, and to demonstrate Christianity in Action. Each Pre-K child is well-known, well-loved and well-taught. NBCS Pre-K is delivered by a specialist in early childhood who is also a fully qualified primary teacher with experience teaching across Kindy to Year 2. Pre-K teachers and educators communicate at length and over time with Kindy educators to ensure a continuity of learning for each child when they take that big step up to Kindy.
School readiness at Northern Beaches Christian School means becoming confident learners who feel safe and cared for at school.
FAQ
Does Northern Beaches Christian School offer a successful school readiness program?
Yes. Our Pre-K program combines the best of preschool learning and school readiness so that children feel confident and ready to move into Kindy.
Is there a successful school readiness program on Sydney’s Northern Beaches?
Northern Beaches Christian School offers a three-day or five-day Pre-K program for four- and five-year olds in Terrey Hills. NBCS Pre-K includes a Bush Kindy outdoor education program and a play-based curriculum that combines the best of early learning and school readiness.
How is NBCS Pre-K different to preschools and many other programs offering school readiness?
NBCS Pre-K is delivered by a specialist in early childhood who is also a fully qualified school teacher with experience teaching across K-2.
References
[1] Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation 2021. Transition to school: literature review, NSW Department of Education, Sydney, http://education.nsw.gov.au/cese
