Starting School

Our youngest students are particularly important at St Clair School. We want all children to settle in quickly and feel confident about their time with us.

Having some initial school-oriented skills helps young children to engage in their everyday learning activities with confidence and an expectation of success. To help every child make the most of their initial time at school, it would be ideal if your child could …

• Recognise, read and write their own name
• Put on or take off their own sweatshirt
• Put on or take off their footwear
• Manage at the toilet without adult assistance
• Access all the food in their lunch box – opening packets, containers, peeling fruit etc
• Follow simple instructions.

Please do not be overly concerned if your child has not mastered all of these skills. All children progress at different rates. Learning new skills takes time, practice and patience.  Please let our teachers know if there are some aspects in this list that still prove challenging to your child – we are here to help.

Parents are also reminded of the importance of age-appropriate independence for young children. Children benefit from being able to do things for themselves. A simple example is carrying their own bag and emptying and loading it on their own. Well-intended adult help may be useful in the short-term but your child will benefit in the long-term from independently solving their own problems.

Should you have any concerns about your child or their adjustment to school life, please discuss these with their teacher. Almost all children settle into school quickly, however parental peace-of-mind is important to us, so please get in touch if you have any concerns.