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Starting School - Top 10 Tips to get Your Child Ready for School

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Starting prep at OLA is a huge milestone and a fantastic adventure filled with new friends, exciting learning experiences, and memorable events. Our preps are matched with a senior student ‘buddy’, celebrate their  ‘100 days of Prep’, and have a big party when they learn all their sounds and letters.


While there’s so much to look forward to, it’s normal for your child to experience some ‘big school’ nerves, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to help your child transition smoothly into school.


1. Establish Predictable Routines: Create consistent dinner, bath time, and bedtime routines to help your child feel secure.

2. Stay Positive and Excited: Keep the conversation about school positive and address any concerns your child may have.

3. Read Together: Reading fosters a love for learning. Visiting a library can also introduce them to the world of books.

4. Encourage Independence: Get your child to take responsibility for dressing themselves, packing their bag, and using the toilet independently.

5. Arrange Play Dates: Organise play dates with other children starting at OLA to build friendships before school starts.

6. Label All Belongings: Clearly label your child’s belongings to prevent lost items.

7. Discuss After School Plans: Talk about any new arrangements so your child knows what to expect.

8. Check School Times: Know the school’s start and finish times and where to drop off and collect your child.

9. Use Their Teacher's Name: When you know who your child’s teacher will be, use their name in conversations to build familiarity.

10.  Practise the Journey: Familiarise your child with the route to and from school to help them feel secure.


We are thrilled to be part of your child’s educational journey and look forward to welcoming you to our OLA family!

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Our Lady of the Assumption Primary School

9 Centre Dandenong Road  |  Cheltenham Victoria 3192  | Phone: (03) 9584 9488

Email: principal@olacheltenham.catholic.edu.au

Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Primary School is a school which operates with the consent of the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and is operated and governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). MACS governs and operates 292 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to continue the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Good News and equip our young people with the knowledge, skills and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them. Because the good work of educating the young is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community, School Advisory Councils have been established to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. This governance model was designed to ease the administrative burden on our schools and parishes, allow parish priests to focus on the mission of education in the parish, enable greater collaboration between schools and ensure greater consistency in school policies and procedures.

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