Before you start

Enrolment

Schools can help with enrolment questions throughout the year. You may need to attend an interview with the principal. There you can discuss any disability or additional learning and support needs, medical conditions, or other special circumstances before your child starts school. The school may work with you to develop a personalised learning and support plan, health care plan or a behaviour support plan to best support your child.

Find out more on primary school enrolment.

Telephone Interpreter Service

• Phone 131 450 to call the Telephone Interpreter Service.
• Ask for an interpreter in your language.

Tell the operator the phone number of the school you would like to call. They will get an interpreter on the phone to assist you.

You will not be charged for this service.

Voluntary school contributions

All NSW public schools can request contributions to enhance educational and sporting programs. School contributions are voluntary and payment is a matter for decision by parents and carers.

Financial assistance for extra-curricular activities

Schools may charge for extra-curricular activities that go beyond the minimum requirements of the curriculum. Parents who are unable to pay for extra-curricular activities because of financial hardship may be eligible for assistance from the school.

Budgeting for new costs

Schools usually provide most things Kindergarten students will use in the classroom, but starting school may require new items such as uniforms and school shoes. It may be helpful to check with your child’s school so you can budget for the items your child will need.

1. Establish routines

Kindergarten children can get very tired at night because they are doing so many new and exciting things. For this reason, it helps if you keep routines like bath time, meals and reading routines as regular as possible. It’s also important to leave time for your child to play and get a good night’s sleep each night.

2. Travel to and from school safely

How you choose to get your child to and from school is your responsibility. Your child's school wants this to happen safely every day.

Pick the safest way to school and practise travelling the route with your child, talking about and showing them how to be a safe road user.

Keep your school community safe by always:

• role model safe and responsible road user behaviour
• holding your child’s hand when walking on the footpath, in the car park and when crossing the road
• using the safest place to cross the road. Walk further to use pedestrian crossings, refuges and traffic lights
• keeping hold of your child’s hand in the carpark, and when entering and exiting the car, abiding by signage in and around your school
• meeting and dropping your child on the school side of the road (never call your child from across the road)
• getting your child in and out of the car via the ‘safety door’ (the rear left door closest to the footpath)
• buckling your child up correctly in an approved child restraint or booster seat this is right for their age and size, even if you’re in a hurry
• arrving and parking legally, even if it means parking further away and walking the rest of the way to school.

Share this information with your child?s carers such as grandparents, nannies and friends who may be taking your child to or from school.

Learn more ways of safely travelling to and from school with your child.

3. Know your school

Become familiar with school activities and develop a relationship with the school. If you are positive and encouraging about school, your child is more likely to be positive too.

Both the students and teachers will appreciate your involvement and assistance in activities including sports, excursions, music practice and drama presentations.

4. Enforce 'stranger danger'

Educate your child about 'stranger danger'. Teach your child not to talk to strangers and not to accept gifts or lifts from someone that they do not know.

5. Label everything

Label equipment and clothing. Replacing lost clothing and equipment is expensive and inconvenient. You should clearly mark every item with your child's name. Make sure their name isn't visible from the outside of their bag while they're travelling to and from school.