For most children, this is the year before Primary School. Our Transition to School program promotes the following skills to support children’s school readiness:

Social skills to support children to positively approach other children and make friends; participate in play; express emotions and deal with conflict appropriately; show interest in others and form friendships; express their needs and wants appropriately; separate from parents or primary carers; take turns in games and activities; share toys and equipment; follow directions and understand rules; participate in groups; and cope with transitions between routines and experiences.

Cognitive skills to support children to show natural curiosity and interest in learning new things; have confidence in learning; and be interested in solving problems.

Language skills to support children to use language to ask questions and communicate their thoughts and ideas; listen to others; and enjoy books and being read to.

Independence and life skills to support children to cope independently in a variety of situations; toilet and dress themselves independently; and manage in a sometimes-structured environment.

Physical skills to support children to use pencils, crayons, textas and scissors to practice pre-writing skills and develop fundamental movement skills as they balance, run, jump, and use equipment such as balls and climbing apparatus.

Emotional skills and wellbeing to support children to manage their feelings and understand their rights. We use the Bravehearts program to teach children about personal safety and child protection, and the WorryWoos program to better understand complex feelings and develop the skills to cope during challenging times.

School readiness is not a separate part of the program. Here at Discovery, we prepare children for school by promoting all areas of their growth and development. Our program closely observes and responds to children’s needs and interests so we can provide opportunities for encouraging the skills and attributes needed for starting school. At Discovery, we focus on assisting children to become confident learners and regular parent-teacher conferences are scheduled throughout the year. Using children’s current skills and interests as the basis for promoting their development we will prepare children for the transition to Primary School.

The Orange Preschool Program is led by a team of qualified and experienced Early Childhood Teachers, Diploma and Certificate III educators.