Getting ready for the first day

Label absolutely everything. Then label it again.

• Two or three complete changes of clothes — there is water play and mud, and that is the point
• A spare set of underwear and socks
• A water bottle they can open themselves
• Any comfort item that helps at rest time
• Nappies and wipes if your child is still in them
• Sun hat
• For full-day children: bedding as advised by your campus
• Any medication, handed to a teacher with written instructions — never left in a bag

Comfortable, washable, and above all something your child can manage alone.

• Elastic waistbands rather than buttons and belts — toilet trips are much easier
• Shoes with velcro, not laces
• Clothes you genuinely don’t mind being ruined by paint
• Layers, since classrooms are air-conditioned and the field is not

Uniform tops and shorts are available from the school at $15 each.

Everything is cooked in our own kitchen: morning snack, a hot lunch and an afternoon snack, with breakfast for children who arrive before 8am.

• No pork, no beef, no processed food and no sugary drinks
• Whole-grain rice and pasta as standard
• Vegetarian and no-salt options on request
• Allergies are recorded before your child starts — tell us everything, including mild intolerances
• You are welcome to pack your own food instead

Gentler than a normal day. Your child’s teacher will greet them by name, show them where their things go, and introduce a small group rather than the whole class at once.

• Outdoor play on arrival — easier than walking into a room
• Morning circle: greetings, songs, and learning everyone’s names
• A short first activity, chosen to be easy to succeed at
• Snack and lunch with the group
• A settling adult may stay for part of the morning during the first days

Before your child joins, we ask you to fill in an ‘All About Me’ form — comfort items, fears, favourite games, how they behave when tired. It is genuinely used.

• Drop-off and pick-up are for quick updates, not long conversations
• For anything substantial, ask for a proper time — teachers would rather that than a rushed chat at the gate
• Once your child is settling, we set up a WhatsApp chat so you can see how the day is going
• At one month, we email you our observations on how settling in is going

• Arrive a few minutes early on the first day so nothing is rushed
• Keep goodbyes short and certain. A long, wavering departure is harder on a child than a brisk one.
• Tell your child truthfully when you’ll be back — “after lunch” means more than a time
• Anyone else collecting your child must be on our authorised list
• Half-day children finish at 1pm; full-day children nap or join Play Club
• We can arrange a quote from our long-standing bus company for one-way or return transport

Most children cry at some point in the first weeks. It is normal, it is not a verdict on the school, and it usually stops within minutes of you leaving — something teachers will happily confirm by message.

• Only one adult should settle your child. More can be confusing.
• Ideally the same adult throughout the settling period.
• Three weeks or more to settle fully is entirely normal.
• Some children settle immediately and then wobble in week three. Also normal.
• Tell us what helps — a particular song, a comfort toy, a job to do on arrival.

If you are worried, call us. We would much rather reassure you than have you spend the day anxious.