St Mary’s Primary School in Laidley is excited to invite local families to their Prep Open Morning on Friday 3 May from 9am to 10:30am.
Acting Principal Mr Gavan Minz said this annual event was an opportunity for families to see and experience the St Mary’s school community, adding the school’s commitment to high-quality teaching means ‘every student is supported to experience learning success’.
Mr Minz also noted how important it was to prepare children, both emotionally and practically, before starting school so they can begin their first day feeling well-prepared and confident.
“We start working with families and students before their first day of Prep,” he said.
“There are several Prep Orientation mornings in term four where our soon to be Preps engage in fun classroom activities while parents learn about what the Prep year will be like.
“The children meet their Year 6 buddies and are given a school pack to take home in readiness for the new year.
“We can’t wait to welcome new Prep families to our school community in 2025.”
Further, Mr Minz invited families with preschool students to join the Mini Mary’s Playgroup held at the school on Friday mornings during term time from 9am-10:30am.
“Playgroup is a fantastic way to prepare students for Prep as they get used to coming to the school often.”
Top Tips to Prepare Your Child for Prep
1. Initiate conversations with your child at every opportunity. Oral language plays a key role in learning to read and write.
2. Teach your child about letters and numbers through fun activities, like counting things and singing the alphabet song.
3. Boost their confidence by praising their attempts and encouraging them to try new things.
4. Help your child become more independent by encouraging them to do things on their own, like getting dressed, brushing their teeth, packing their bag, knowing how to open their lunchbox, unwrap food, and tidy up is also useful.
5. Set up daily routines to help your child get used to the kind of structure they’ll experience in school.
6. Improve their social skills by arranging playdates with other groups of children, where they can learn to share and wait their turn.
Interested families are warmly invited to register their attendance at www.jta.link/SMSL
