The School Day: Timetables, Breaks and Buddies

Our daily timetable for the year is as follows:

Brain Food

Students have a healthy brain food break around 9:45am. We encourage snacks that can be eaten during learning time, this might include fresh, cut up fruit or vegetable sticks. No messy food please. 

Recess Snacks

In the first few weeks of school snacks are eaten by students prior to going out to recess. After that students take their recess snacks outside, we encourage healthy food that your child is able to eat and open easily.

Lunch Time 

Students eat their lunch with their home group between 1:15pm and 1:30pm and are supervised during this time. It is advised that students are provided with food that they enjoy and that is nutritionally sound.

Drinks at School

The students are encourage to drink water throughout the day to re-hydrate, so please send along a reusable water bottle each day.

Food Allergies

Please be advised that there are a number of students who have food allergies and be aware of the important information on anaphylaxis later in this handbook. A critically important part of managing this at ENPS is that students are not to share food with other students at school.

Please ensure your child is familiar with using their lunchbox and containers independently.

Recess and Lunch Breaks

At the end of recess and lunchtime breaks, music, followed by a bell, indicates the end of playtime. All students are expected to stop their activities and make their way to line up outside their classroom. They have the opportunity while the music is playing, to go to the toilet and get a drink. A final bell will then ring and students are expected to be lined up at their classroom. At the beginning of Term One, the Foundation students are not permitted onto the oval. This is to support students while they are settling in and getting used to the expectations and surroundings. To begin with, we prefer them to play in the Foundation Learning Neighbourhood and playground areas.

End of Day: Pick Up Arrangements

When the students are dismissed at the end of the school day they are to be collected from outside the classroom. Any child not collected can wait in the School Office, however if not collected by 3:30pm, students will be taken to the Out of Hours School Care Program (TeamKids) in the school gym. Please be aware that teachers regularly have meetings they are required to attend between 3:30pm and 4:30pm. It is an expectation that all ENPS students will be registered for Team Kids, just in case of an emergency.

Alternate Timetables: Wet Day or Hot Weather

If it is raining or too hot for students to play outside during recess and lunch breaks, an announcement will be made and students will be supervised in the classrooms.

Buddies

At the beginning of the year all Foundation students will be allocated a Year Five student as a ‘buddy’. The buddy program operates to support your child to feel comfortable and secure in their new environment and provides another familiar face outside in the playground. 

“I have two buddies, I see them every day. They come to see me if they have friendship problems and I help them sort it out. They look up to me as a leader.” 

– Year Five student

“My buddy is open-minded, he tries everything. He always says ‘hello’ to me.” 

– Foundation student

As students transition to the following year, they will maintain their buddy for a second year.