Starting school is an exciting and important step in your child’s life - and your own!

Many parents have asked me how they can best prepare their child for starting school. I hope you find these ideas helpful.

Children are natural learners. Learning is what they do best! The types of learning that comes naturally to children is the sort that requires them to be active, curious, probing, problem-solving children who want to know why and how things happen, and who want to be able to do things for themselves. This learning has provided them with important skills for dealing with the world around them long before they come to school. By age 5 they have learnt a language (no small feat!), along with a host of physical and social skills.

Play is vitally important. It is a child’s natural way of learning about the world and their place in it. It gives children the opportunity to experiment with ideas, practice different skills, and develop concentration. Through play, children learn to co-operate, share, and get along with others.

Children who come from homes that are rich in language, where people enjoy talking and listening to each other, where stories are read, and talking is valued, have been wonderfully prepared for school, and particularly for reading and writing.

Children who have been encouraged to ask questions, to play imaginatively, and to express themselves creatively, tend to move naturally and with confidence into school life.

Start of the school day

It is important to arrive at school early enough to ensure your child is settled into the class before the bell rings at 8.55am.  A good time is 8.40am.  Our classrooms are open for you and your child from 8.30am.  Before this time, the teachers are attending meetings and preparing for the day. 

End of the school day
All children will finish school at 3pm. Please discuss fully with your child where to meet, and who will be meeting him or her at the end of the day. Please let the teacher know if arrangements change. We would advise parents to collect their child directly from the classroom during the early days at school.

Discovery
This exciting, activity-based programme provides a vehicle for teachers and students to explore curriculum learning and key competency development, in a fun, challenging, student-directed, authentic context.

Sessions allow for a wide range of activities from the arts to the sciences, following student’s ideas, interests and passions.   We run this interactive programme on Friday morning. 

Leave No Trace
At Elmwood Normal School we encourage children to use containers and wrappers that can be used repeatedly for their daily food requirements. We do not provide food bins so all waste is sent home. This is one way we can help create a healthy and sustainable environment.

Education Outside The Classroom (School Trips)
Throughout your time at Elmwood, your child will experience educational opportunities in our local community and the wider Christchurch environment.

These visits will be linked to our classroom programmes and the NZ curriculum.

Parents will be given detailed information regarding the visit prior to the trip. We will also seek parent help for these trips.

Parent Help
Parent help is a valued part of our classroom practice and we encourage our parents to be involved in their child’s learning. Teachers may ask for help throughout the day and parents are welcome to assist where possible. Activities may include cutting and gluing, helping children to play games, reading to children, putting books away etc. The morning timetable covers our literacy and numeracy programmes and is a good time for parent help to occur.

Sports Events
Our Junior children are involved in both junior sport and school wide events. These events include aquatics, cross country, athletics, jump jam, as well as a junior sports interchange. The children love being actively engaged and our physical education sessions will offer many opportunities to practise skills independently, with a partner, and during games in a group.

Our New Entrant/Year 1 children will experience PMP (Perceptual Motor Programme) during terms 2-3 each year. The sessions are 30 minutes and take place in our school auditorium, under the guidance of their teacher and the school’s sports co-ordinator.

We aim to design lessons so the children of all capabilities have great rates of success, and view PE as a positive learning experience.

Pre-entry at Elmwood
We have a pre-entry programme for children about to start school. About 4-5 weeks prior to starting school, your child will receive a letter in the post. This letter lets both parents/child know when to come for their school visit and what to bring. We are happy for your child to wear their school uniform. You may find they want to wear it everywhere… even bed! Classroom routines and building relationships with their classmates is our priority during these visits, and it is such a happy time for all involved.

Stationery packs will be given to each child on their first school visit. These packs have been prepared for your child. All we ask parents to do is cover and label the school books and return the pack on the second school visit. This time line helps teachers prepare books ready for your child’s first day at school.

Happy school days!

For more detailed information please see the booklet below.