School Readiness

By now many of us have experienced a number of significant life transitions, whether it be starting school or secondary school, moving out of home, or starting your first job. These occasions are momentous, and we will often remember them for the rest of our lives. I love times of transition- the anticipation and excitement of change and all things new! But sometimes these times can also be fuelled by anxiety and stress about the ‘unknown’ creeping in to our lives. 

For many of our little people, there is a big life transition poking its head just around the corner- starting school! January is my favourite time of year- I just love seeing the photos and hearing stories about everyone’s first day of school- and I truly believe it is one of the biggest transitions we will ever face in our lives. It is a giant leap towards developing independence, learning about the big wide world, and meeting new people that will influence the rest of our lives. 

And next year I will be walking this path alongside many of you as my little man starts Prep also. 

Given that it is such a signifcant transition, for both the child and caregivers alike, it is so important that we get it right! Your child’s start to Prep has the potential to influence and shape the rest of their school days…all 13 years of them! 

For families with children with higher support needs, this time can be especially stressful as there will be some additional considerations and planning that will need to take place to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

With the year already almost three quarters done (isn’t that scary!), now is the time to act and start preparing for your child’s transtion to prep! Here is a checklist of things that you should start doing now if you haven’t started already. 

• If you haven’t already chosen your child’s school yet, now is the time to lock this in! We would strongly encourage that you make a list of schools in your area that you’re interested in and arrange tours of each of them. This will help you get a feel for each school. 
• Arm yourself with a list of questions before you visit the school for the first time, this way you won’t forget anything important! Be mindful that some schools offer group tours and others may offer individual tours. You may need to arrange an additional appointment with the school to further investigate your questions. 
• Find out what each school can offer your child- touch base with the schools Wellbeing Coordinator or Inclusion Officer. What supports do they have in place for children?
• What is the schools approach in providing individual supports? 
• Once you have chosen your school and completed your child’s enrollment, it will be important to establish how the school and your family can work together to ensure a successful transition. 
• Some schools may request supportive docummentation from your child’s health care team. If this is the case, let your child’s health professionals know as soon as possible, rather than leaving it until the last moment. 
• If you think your child may benefit from a boost before starting school, enrol them in a ‘School Readiness Program’. There are a range of school readiness programs available through Peninsula Health, Early Intervention Services and also Private providers. 

Stay tuned with more tips and ideas on how to prepare your child for their Prep Transition over the coming months.