Four Year Old Programme

Many of our students have been part of our four year old programme for up to a two months before they begin school. This occurs on designated Wednesday afternoons as arranged with our new entrant teachers Miss Stringer and miss Hamilton. The programme provides the children with a chance to work and play alongside their future classmates as they become accustomed to Netherby School ensuring a smooth transition to school. Parents are encouraged to come along as well to learn about classroom programmes, meet other parents and support their child.

To become eligible for the four year old programme an enrolment form must be completed prior to attending.

Pre-Entry Days

The first 5 years of your child's life are very important years of their life.  The input you have as parents will have a positive bearing on their  entry into school life. Skills which are helpful in making your child's transition to school smoother include:

• undoing and doing up buttons, zips, shoelaces
• going to the toilet independently
• dressing and undressing themselves
• managing pencils, crayons, scissors
• managing their own lunchbox e.g. undoing glad wrap, opening muesli bars etc.
• recognising and write their name
• knowing colours and alphabet letters
• talking about the stories that are read to your child
• read to your children everyday 

Being able to do some of these things will help your child towards independence in the first months at school. Being positive and encouraging will dispel any fears or concerns about starting school.

Our new entrant teacher will contact you six weeks or earlier before your child's birthday. Pre-entry days will be arranged so your child can come to school and spend three or four mornings with their new class. They will meet the teacher and classmates and participate in the morning activities. Your child will also need to bring lunch and spend lunchtime at school before going home about 1pm during pre-entry visits.

On the first pre-entry morning parents may stay for a while if they wish.  A second and third pre-entry morning follows on from this morning, leading up to the child's first day at school.  Having had some mornings at school, your child's first day should be a smooth and comfortable transition from pre-school or home. For the first six weeks, your child may finish at 2 pm due to the demands of school known to tire out new entrant children. Please discuss this with the new entrant teacher.

You are invited to meet our principal either on pre-entry days or on your child's first day at school. This is a good time to ask any questions.  Enrolment forms and health forms are to be handed to the school office before the first pre-entry day.

Please bring along your child's birth certificate when you enrol.

Extra Information

When you are buying a school bag for your child please buy one big enough to accommodate all of the things your child will carry e.g. lunchbox, reading folder, swimming togs, library books, jacket.

A stationery list is provided from the office prior to your child’s first day at school so you can purchase the necessary books and equipment needed.

Pre-school and new entrant meetings are held on a needs based system for those parents with children who are starting school in the near future.  Our new entrant teacher organises these with you through phone call or face to face meetings.