Dear Parents

As we come to the end of Week 5, it is a joy to walk throughout the school, watching how well your children have settled into the new school year. The excitement and buzz throughout the school is echoed in the playground as all children are establishing themselves within their class and friendship groups.

Please know that if your child is taking a little longer to settle and build friendships, they are consistently being supported by our teachers, the ESOs and the Year 6 Leadership Team. Please remember that this is a new experience for our Foundation students who have not experienced life within a school and the range of children they are sharing the spaces with. Some children love the interaction with the older children, while for others it is more challenging as they navigate what life is like at school. If you have any questions or concerns about how your child is settling into the year, please don’t hesitate to speak with your child’s teacher as they are the ones who are supporting your child throughout the school day. One way to engage with your child at the end of the school day is to ask them about something they did that day that they really enjoyed. This is a great conversation starter as it encourages your child to focus on the positive aspects of school life. It also shows your child that you are interested in their day and can build on the positive things that have happened during their time at school.

So often as parents with children in all levels throughout the school, we find ourselves asking the children who they played with today, and what they did at school. These questions can become overwhelming as they often don’t know the names of the children they played with, or they moved from one activity to another observing, joining in, having a go and finding something else that interests them. When you ask your child who they played with, they may say “no one” which rings the parental alarm bells and builds an image in your head of your child wandering aimlessly around the school with no one noticing them and their struggle. The truth as we experience it while on yard duty and within the classroom is that your child may have started playing with a group of children, noticed something happening with other children and decided to join in, then saw something else they liked better – all of which are perfectly enjoyable for your child, but results in them telling you that they didn’t play with anyone. Rest assured that if your child was walking alone, looking upset or even simply wandering aimlessly in the playground, the staff on duty encourage them to join other students and support them to participate in activities with others. Again, if you have any concerns, please speak with your child’s teacher. We hope you are all enjoying lots of stories about life at school and how well your child is progressing this year. Without exception, all children are learning and developing relationships with others in a supportive and encouraging environment and I thank our amazing staff for the dedication and care they provide to every child.

Kind regards
Lisa