The Year Before...

At Bimbadeen Heights we offer a number of opportunities for prospective students to visit the school before they begin their Prep year.  Each term we invite interested families to one short session, usually held in the early evening.  In first term we hold a  sausage sizzle, giving children the chance to play in classrooms and outside. Later visits include stories, singing and moving around the Prep classrooms in small groups.  We believe that these visits with parents give children a sense of familiarity and security in the school environment.  In fourth term most children have developed the confidence to separate from parents while being introduced to such places as the Art Room and the Library, briefly exploring B.H.P.S on a school day.

Towards the end of the Kinder year:

	Those children who are enrolled at Bimbadeen Heights attend school for a daytime orientation visit, meeting their class teacher and visiting their classroom.
	Parents are invited to an Information Evening, where staff will discuss issues such as the structure of the school day, current practices in teaching children to read, and useful hints for helping your child to make a happy start at school.

School Tours

Parents may wish to make a tour of the school prior to enrolling their child at Bimbadeen Heights.  Appointments can be made for a personal guided tour by contacting the school on 9726 9989.

The First Few Weeks at School

Prep children are very special people.  It is vital that their initial experiences are structured to enable them to adjust happily to school.

·       The first day of school for Preps at Bimbadeen is short, usually one day later than the starting day for other students.  Parents will be advised in writing of details such as arrival and pick-up times.

·        Wednesdays are spent at home for the first few weeks, to give Prep children the opportunity to ‘recharge their batteries’.  Even children who are accustomed to long days away from home can become exhausted.  This arrangement usually continues until after the long weekend in March.

·        Testing aims to help teachers get to know each child as an individual.  Very simple questions are designed to show the child’s readiness to engage in learning to read, ("Can you show me the front of the book?") or simple Mathematics ("Can you get me five teddies?").  The time taken for testing varies according to children’s responses, but might be about 45 minutes. Parents are able to wait at school during this time. This is followed immediately by a Parent Teacher interview.  These tests are conducted on Wednesdays. On the first day of school, parents are asked to make an appointment at a time which suits them.

·        Interviews enable parents and teachers to get to know each other, as well as giving parents the opportunity to share information (health issues, family issues, personality characteristics, etc.) with the person who will guide their child in his/her transition to school. These first interviews are not focussed on the academic performance of the children, who have only been at school for a few days. 

Please refer to ‘Student Wellbeing’ for information about Prep Buddies and Play Areas for Preps.