2027 Prep Information for families 

Prep 2027 Transition Sessions

Emails will be going out to families with further details regarding the sessions and how to pick up your ' I'm a Kalinda Kid ' T-shirt. Please ensure that the email address provided is monitored - this is how we communicate with you! If you have not received your Compass details email, please contact the office.

We are very excited to welcome our 2027 Prep students and their families to Kalinda Primary School! Our transition sessions are a wonderful opportunity for children to begin getting to know their new school, meet their teachers and classmates, and feel comfortable and confident about starting school in 2027.

The transition sessions are an important part of preparing children for school and are designed to be positive, relaxed and enjoyable experiences for both children and families.

If your child is unable to attend any of the transition sessions, please let us know. While we understand that families may have other commitments, attending each session helps children become familiar with the school environment and the routines of starting school.

Friday 13 November – Transition Session 1

9.20am – 10.45am

Please take some time to talk with your child before their first transition session about what they can expect. Let them know that they will have the opportunity to meet their teacher, explore their new classroom, play and make new friends.

A special note for parents and carers

For our transition sessions, we encourage parents and carers to sign their child in and then allow them to participate independently in the classroom and playground.

We know that this can feel like a big step for some families, particularly if this is your child's first experience of school. However, children often settle more quickly when they know their grown-up is comfortable saying goodbye and that they will return at the end of the session.

We therefore ask that parents and carers do not wait or linger in the classroom or playground where children can see you. This helps us create a calm and positive environment for all of our new Prep students and allows them to begin building confidence and independence in their new school.

Our goal is for every child to leave each transition session feeling happy, proud and excited about coming back to school!

Parents and carers will need to sign children in and out at each session.

For the grown-ups during the first session

While the children are enjoying their transition experience, we would love for parents and carers to join us for our Parent Information Session.

At this first session, families will have the opportunity to:

• Meet members of the Kalinda Primary School Leadership Team.
• Learn more about starting Prep at Kalinda.
• Ask questions and find out more about the transition to school.
• Meet Melissa from Eddie's Bibs and Patch, who will have a range of useful items available for Prep families to order.

You can view the items available from Eddie's Bibs and Patch here.

What do the children do during the first session?

9.20am – Sign in and name tags. Meet at the Foundation playground.

9.30am – Classroom activities. Children will create their own Starting School poster.

10.10am – Playtime and classroom discovery . An opportunity to explore, play and get to                          know one another.

10.40am – Story and goodbye song

10.45am – Children dismissed from the classroom

What does my child need to bring?

Please bring:

• A clearly named sun hat.
• A clearly named drink bottle.
• Any required medication, such as asthma or allergy medication, clearly named and in its original packaging.

Getting Ready for Term 1, 2027

The first day for Prep 2027 will be Friday 29 January. 

This will be a half day, from 9.00am – 1.00pm.

Before your child starts school, please ensure the school has:

• Completed medication plans for asthma, anaphylaxis and allergies, where applicable.
• In-date medication supplies, where applicable.
• Updated contact details, including your address, phone numbers and emergency contacts.

Getting your child ready for school

We recommend clearly naming all of your child's belongings. This makes it much easier for children and staff to identify their belongings throughout the day.

Your child will need:

• A clearly named lunchbox, drink bottle and food containers.
• A clearly named school bag that they can comfortably carry themselves.
• A clearly named school hat.
• A clearly named school satchel for readers.
• A clearly named library bag.
• Clearly named school shoes or sneakers that your child can independently take off and put on.

Most importantly, please don't feel that you need to have everything perfect before your child starts. We know that starting school is a big milestone, and we are here to support your family every step of the way.

We are really looking forward to getting to know our 2027 Prep students and helping them make a happy and confident start to their school journey at Kalinda!

Support for Parents

Starting school is an exciting time, but we know it can also come with lots of questions. Please visit ourSupport for Parents page for further information and resources to help your family prepare for 2027.