Form helps for kindergarten

A form to help schools start children in kindergarten has been designed by a Peninsula working party.

The Peninsula Transition-to-School Working Party comprises representatives from local preschools, achools and Beachside Family Centre and has been meeting over the last year in an attempt to help families with children starting kindergarten.

The group has developed a transition form to be filled out with the permission of the parents so that information can be given to the school to help their new kindergarten child to settle in.

"The transition form is being trialed by a number of preschools and child care centres on the Peninsula and will be evaluated by the Transition to School Working Party in 2006," according to working party member Ms Debbie Notara.

"The working party also aims to provide information to parents about the process of starting school.

"Starting school is an important step in a young child's life and parents often struggle to know whether their child is ready or not.

"Children develop at different rates and learn skills in different ways.

"It is the school's task to respond to the needs, learning styles and rates of progress of individual students.

"Schools plan learning experiences based on the skills students bring to school."

Ms Notara said the working party had adapted Education Department material to create a list of skills suggested for most children suited to starting kindergarten.

"Starting school may be just a little easier if they have these skills," she said.

The list included language skills, personal and social skills, physical skills and skills in mathematics.

"Talk to the kindergarten teacher and together you can support and assist your child's learning," she said.

"Transition to School programs are also an opportunity to discuss your child's school readiness."

Press release, November 10 Debbie Notara, Transition to School Working Party