Beacon Hill Public School

Be proud to achieve

Telephone02 9451 6328

Emailbeaconhill-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Starting school

Starting Big School

Children need to be happy, settled and feel successful in a safe and caring environment in order to learn effectively. Starting school is an important time in your child's life. A positive start in the early years is a solid foundation for their future learning and development.

At Beacon Hill Public School parents are welcome to make an appointment with the principal to have a tour of the school and to discuss programs and facilities available.

We provide many opportunities to assist with the transition to school. These include our Parent Information Morning, Teddy Bears Picnic, Getting Ready for School Program and links with local preschools. 

Follow our Rainbow Calendar of Events (PDF 505.9KB), to find out about when you and your child can be involved in these exciting experiences leading up to BIG school.

 

Enrolling

If you are planning to enrol your child at BHPS an Application to Enrol form needs to be completed with documentary evidence of a birth certificate, proof of residency and immunisation certificate.

Before enrolment can be accepted by the office all required documentation must be ready.

Please use our enrolment checklists to ensure your documentation is ready for lodgement:

Kindergarten Enrolment Checklist (PDF 33.8KB)

When enrolment has been accepted a confirmation letter will be sent.

A completed copy of the Special Religious Education and Special Education in Ethics Participation Letter (PDF 47.7KB) will also need to be submitted with each new enrolment.

When lodging an enrolment you may want to consider becoming a volunteer at the school. To volunteer within the school you will need to complete a 'Working With Children Check'. This declaration must be completed by volunteers and non-child related contractors seeking engagement with the Department of Education  Appendix 5 – Declaration for volunteers and non child related contractors (PDF 98.3KB). The volunteering procedures for BHPS and the 100 point check process is outlined here  Volunteering at Beacon Hill Public School (PDF 124.6KB).

For more information view the enrolment page.

Communication

In order to make the beginning of your child's learning journey and transition to school a happy start it is important to build a positive relationship between parents, teachers and the school. Regular communication between parents and teachers is important and encouraged. If you have any concerns regarding your child, please write or phone to make an appointment time. During the second week of school, the teachers will conduct a Meet the Teacher evening. This is designed to inform parents about the teaching and learning programs, activities and information about class and school routines. A stage newsletter is sent to the parents once a term. This provides parents with an overview of the learning topics and outcomes that will be undertaken in each KLA, as well as providing information about events and classroom needs.

Class formation

Careful consideration is given and a variety of sources are used when forming classes and placing students in a class. No matter which class your child is placed in, all children in the grade/stage will experience collaboratively planned teaching and learning strategies. Kindergarten children participate in many combined activities during the year. Our staff liaises with the pre-schools, use teacher and parent forms, observations during the Getting Ready for School program and pre-school visits. We try to place children with a friend or familiar face to help make the transition to school easier.

The first days of 'Big School'

When you arrive at school, make your way to the library where the children will be assigned a class and taken to their new room by one of our school leaders. The teachers will be waiting and activities will be set up in the classroom. Introduce yourself to the classroom teacher and once your child is settled, say goodbye and enjoy refreshments and a chat under the pergola near the library.

On the first day of school, students need to wear their full school uniform. On Friday they need to wear their sport uniform. In their school bag they need to have morning tea and lunch. Morning tea needs to be in a separate bag or a small container. Please label all morning tea bags, lunch boxes, drink bottles and all clothing.

Sometimes children get excited in their new environment and eating patterns change. Don't be too worried if your child doesn't have their usual appetite at lunchtime to start with. They will soon settle into a routine. If it continues, have a talk to your child's teacher.

Each afternoon the children will be walked by their teacher to the school entrance area. Parents can wait under the shade of the trees for the children. Teachers will wait with the children until they are collected or if parents are late they will be taken to the office. Kindergarten classes are dismissed at 2.30pm for the month of February.

Each morning when your child arrives at school they need to place their school bag in the designated area. This will be explained to the children on the first day of school. A staff member will be on playground duty from 8:35am. When the bell rings at 9:00am, the children need to line up on the concrete area outside the Kindergarten classrooms.

After the initial settling in process Kindergarten children should be encouraged to say goodbye to their parents after putting down their bags. This helps the children develop independence and settle emotionally and socially.

Four labelled cones will be in place for the children to line up behind. The teachers will greet the children and take them inside for an exciting day of learning.

Supervision in the playground

Teachers will be on duty in the playground in the morning before school, at recess and lunch times. During the first week there will be one of the Kindergarten teachers on the playground to help the children settle in and be a familiar face. For the first two weeks of school the Year 6 students come to the Kindergarten classrooms and provide help getting morning tea bags and lunch boxes out of school bags. They also help in the playground at recess and lunch.

Canteen

The transition to school is a big learning experience with new routines and areas to eat and play. It is preferable and recommended that Kindergarten children don't have lunch orders or money for the canteen for the first month of school. This will help the children with the settling in process. Children should not share money, nor should children buy items at the canteen for others. We discourage sharing of food or money. Please only send small amounts of money for personal use.

Assemblies

Weekly assemblies enhance a sense of belonging and school pride. A whole school assembly is conducted each fortnight on a Monday morning. Parents are welcome to attend the whole school assembly. A Kindergarten assembly is held weekly.

Buddy classes

At the beginning of the school year kindergarten class is assigned a Buddy Class from Year 5 to Year 6. This program enhances leadership, self-esteem and builds positive relationships with other students in the school.

Developmental play

Play is an important part of learning. Kindergarten classes participate in developmental play session with their class and with the other Kindergarten classes throughout the year. This helps to develop social, imaginative, cognitive, creative and fine motor skills. It helps to build a strong bond and relationship between the Kindergarten classes.

Handwriting

Parents often want to help their child write. Always encourage correct pencil grip and write in lower case. Most letters and numbers start at the top and go down, others go anti-clock wise after starting at the number 2 position on the clock face and move from left to right. All children are taught the NSW Foundation Style of Handwriting.

Medical and special needs

If your child has special needs, allergies or medical conditions, please call and make an appointment so that necessary arrangements can be made to cater for individual needs.

At Beacon Hill Primary parents are welcome to make an appointment with the principal to have a tour of the school and to discuss programs and facilities available.