Children respond differently to starting kindergarten – some settle quickly, whilst others take a little longer. Reasons for this may include personality and temperament, past experiences attending other services, and the amount of time spent away from family and home.

We take the following steps to support your child through the settling process:

Family-Teacher Meeting (week 1: commencing Tuesday 31 January)

Meet your child’s educators, see the classroom and share important information about your child such as their personality and interests, how you feel they might settle, medical and developmental information, and any other information you consider helpful. Your child should attend this meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: unless previously provided, Medical Action Plans for conditions such as asthma, anaphylaxis and/or allergy must be brought to the Family-Teacher Meeting. You can read more about medical conditions and action plans by clicking here.

Orientation Session (week 2: week commencing Monday 6 February)

The first session your child attends will be with half the class and for a shorter time. This provides the educators time and space to get to know the children. The shorter session provides a gentle transition to full-time hours.

Smaller groups

Due to the age of the children, our 3-year-old groups have a maximum of 18 children.

Our 4-year-old groups have a maximum of 22 children. All groups are led by an early-childhood teacher and supported by an educator (teacher assistant).

By introducing routine, encouraging exploration and establishing connections

During the first weeks of kindergarten, we focus on introducing the children to kinder routines, encouraging them to explore and build confidence in the kinder spaces and supporting them to establish connections with their educators and peers.

We prepare the children for transition and change with songs, visual cues, and routine charts. Children love routine and predictability. Knowing ‘what will come next’ helps them to feel safe at kinder. 

With flexibility

We recognise that initially, the longer sessions of 3yo Crimson and our 4yo groups may be challenging for some children. We will offer flexibility as needed including early pick-up.

The longer days are structured in a way that allows for learning, inquiry and uninterrupted play in the morning when the children are ‘fresh’ and most engaged. For term 1 (and into term 2 if needed), we offer time in the afternoon for rest, relaxation and quiet play. Once the children have settled into the longer sessions, afternoons are spent outdoors. The teaching teams will continually observe and reflect on the children’s needs and adjust the program as required.

With kindness, compassion and open communication

We understand starting kinder can be difficult for some children and families. We will support you and your child through the process with open communication, empathy, and kindness. Always feel free to discuss the separation process with us. Your child’s teacher will be able to suggest strategies specific to the needs of your child. Saying goodbye can be hard but in our experience, most children settle quickly with comfort and distraction.