Northern Beaches Mums Group
Northern Beaches Mums Group

Is your child ready to start school?

Starting school is a big milestone both for the child and their parents.?There are many factors to consider when deciding whether your child is ready to embark on this exciting journey, with many parents focussing on school readiness factors such as the ability to write, say the alphabet or rote count. However these skills are just part of the picture.

?When deciding if your child is ready to start school, it is really important to consider a much broader suite of skills and behaviours,? says Principal Dr Peter Downey. ?These include your child?s social skills, emotional maturity, language and vocabulary, cognitive ability, physical health and coordination, independence and self-help skills.?

?This is because children need to be able to cope with far less adult contact and guidance than in a pre-Kindergarten setting, particularly in the playground.?

?Starting school needs children to be able to appropriately assert themselves, manage their emotions and independently manage their basic self-help skills such as going to the toilet and looking after their belongings,? said Acting Head of Junior School Michael Dickinson. ?Readiness in these areas will enable them to cope with the challenges of the new school environment and understand the rules with greater success.?

Oxford Falls Grammar School operates a Kindergarten program that aims to make your child?s start to formal schooling a seamless, successful and happy one. The teaching and learning programs are research-based with a strong emphasis on inquiry, play and age appropriate learning.? Beautiful outdoor spaces with specially designated Kindy ? Year 2 play areas allow for the fostering of friendship, play and exploration.

As a trained Early Childhood Teacher with postgraduate qualifications and many years? experience in pre-K and K-2 settings, Mrs Karen Rose (OFGS? Head of K-3) is well aware of how important school readiness is for a successful start to formal schooling.? With this in mind, OFGS is hosting a School Readiness Information Evening where parents can understand how to give their child the best possible start to becoming a confident and capable learner.

The OFGS School Readiness Information Evening (Thursday 20 June at 6.00pm) is open to the public and provides parents with the opportunity to ask questions and meet with Mrs Rose and Mr Dickinson. Please book your place at www.ofgs.nsw.edu.au/juniorschool/K-Y2 or email karenr@ofgs.nsw.edu.au.

OFGS School Readiness Evening
Thursday 20 June 6pm
1078 Oxford Falls?Road,?Oxford Falls