Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

**Khaleesi** · December 9th, 2014, 02:09 PM

Found out classes today & I'm really happy.
She got a stern but very caring teacher which is perfect because she is just like her Kinder teacher.
DD1 got a fantastic teacher as well, I'm one very happy Mum today

**leckert** · December 9th, 2014, 04:41 PM

We found out DS1 has a male reception teacher next year; he had the same teacher on his transition visits and he's pretty happy about that

**briggsy's girl** · December 9th, 2014, 06:09 PM

DD got a lovely teacher. The other peep teacher is a bit on the younger side and, while I'm sure she is lovely, I don't know if dd would see her in the same light as her teacher (not only is she young - she is tiny and looks younger than dd's eldest cousin!)

DD has been given a pack with stuff to do over summer which is great cos it will give her and daddy some guidance on more "book" lead activities (he isn't much of a book person due to having dyslexia) but excels at the practical learnings. This will help him with ideas of how to engage her (unfortunately by the time I get home in the afternooms, she is somewhat beyond that sort of thing and we both get frustrated by her lack of concentration)

There are too many kids at the school for one prep class, but only just. They won't out the preps in a composite class so they are having two smaller groups which is awesome

**wysiwyg** · December 9th, 2014, 06:25 PM

Is it normal to find out teachers before the start of term? - e.g. is it likely we will find out at our info evening next week? I have not a clue what any of the teachers are like so is a little irrelevant for me personally - the one person I would know to ask about them I haven't because I don't really want to have any preconceptions and anyway I am not convinced that we would share similar ideas anyway.

The school I went to we only had one class per year so there was no finding out, you always knew who would be teaching you the next year (unless a teacher left the school which only happened once in my primary school career - Year 2 was always taught by so and so etc. etc.) so how does it work do parents favor certain teachers? Do they have any input or do you just get who you are given? With no knowledge it hardly matters but just curious if you get situation where people are keen to get certain teachers due to experience of siblings etc.

**Khaleesi** · December 9th, 2014, 07:14 PM

It really depends on the school, about half the schools in our area you find out before next year the other half wait till the first day of the new year.

Our school, the Principal puts out a note & ask parents to e-mail him any preferences/concerns you have for teachers.
The students are also asked to write a list if 3 or 4 kids they would like in their class & they try to match them with one at least 1 student off the list.

Yes parents most certainly have favorite teachers, you find a lot of people trying to get certain teachers but in those cases it usually comes down to who would benefit the most from having those teachers.
Like DD1 got a highly sought after teacher this year(she also had her for prep) I'm over the moon because i know she will do great next year but i know a lot of parents who are disappointed they didn't get her.

We do go to a large school almost 700 kids so i'm sure it's different at smaller schools.

**~Hestia~** · December 9th, 2014, 07:59 PM

Our school is pretty small, only 115 kids this year. Because of this most classes are mixed Prep/1, 5/6 etc. Next year there are 27 preps which is a record number, a few sets of twins I believe as well! So the principal has decided to split the group into one class of 13 and one of 14 and keep it as just preps for their first year. Nice and small class size

They will be working together at times.

Moo has the current prep teacher for next year, we found out at the last transition. Is anyone being told what their child needs to be able to do at the start of prep? For our school they only expect them to recognise their name, even just the first part is fine. Breathed a sigh of relief there as Moo is pretty on the ball with that sort of thing, it's the social side of life confounds him!

**Khaleesi** · December 9th, 2014, 08:21 PM

They like them to recognize their name & at least try to write it.
Which DD2 can do but she will be one of the older kids in the class.
She can write, recognize some words & numbers.
I know some kids start with only recognizing their name.

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · December 9th, 2014, 09:14 PM

We found out the teachers at the first orientation. There is only 1 prep class of 28, however, it will be split into two classes of 14 and they'll also do work together ☺ our school likes them to know and recognise their names with a preference of being able to write them as well. Being older, DD1 has no problems with that, it's her concentration/attention (or lack of) that worries me!

***TripleJ*** · December 9th, 2014, 09:27 PM

We found out Jamie's class he has the teacher he had for transition I really like her but she seems way too calm although I did remember my prep teacher being similar and she doesn't seem to have any trouble getting the kids to listen
I'm not really sure but there's 3 or 4 Foundation (still weird saying that word) classes next year when they've only previously had 2 so it must be a popular school I really like it

Do any other schools have their books included in the school fees coz that hasn't happened since I was in primary school at least the schools I went to had a separate booklist probably from grade 2 and I'm 28 now

Don't think Jamie will have any issues starting he can already write both of his names and count to 100 I think he may have issues with reading to begin with and he will be one of the oldest students coz his birthday is in May unless there's a lot more that parents kept back

**Khaleesi** · December 10th, 2014, 05:04 AM

Yes our booklist is in the fees.
$230 for DD2 & $210 for DD1

We have 4 classes of 24 I think.
Our school has grown so much in 2yrs.

**~Hestia~** · December 10th, 2014, 09:10 AM

Yep we pay the school fees the day before term starts and get a pack of everything they need. Our school recommended just bringing it all in on the first day leaving it with her, and when your child needs a new book or whatever she will get it out of their stash.

**briggsy's girl** · December 10th, 2014, 09:41 AM

Yep we pay the school fees the day before term starts and get a pack of everything they need. Our school recommended just bringing it all in on the first day leaving it with her, and when your child needs a new book or whatever she will get it out of their stash.

Ours is the same. Collect books on the 27th or 28th of man, label everything and drop it back off

Have ordered uniform from the school for dress and bomber jacket. The rest we will grab from kmart or big w. Much cheaper

All the kids in prep/foundation have been given a pack with letter and number activities for the kidlet to practice. Dd happily writes her own name, and can recognise a lot of other names, but she doesn't write her letters the "proper" way - so this will be good for her as it has the little arrows to show Her hiw she should construct letters correctly. Poor dh blames himself due to the way he forms letters. I told him to not stress - kids try and construct letters the way they see them - they don't necessarily copy the way they have been written - just recreating the shapes.

**Khaleesi** · December 10th, 2014, 10:47 AM

We don't even see our book list or the items, we pay & school does it all.
Then first day of school the kids have everything they need.

***TripleJ*** · December 10th, 2014, 11:17 AM

I guess they decided that was the best way and went back to it I like it better it's heaps cheaper yeah we get ours on the 27th of Jan and we have to name everything and then send it back on the first day

We are only getting The uniform from the shop because my uncle is paying but I'd say we will need some replacements before we get through the year Jamie is hard on his clothes and shoes

**beansbeans!** · December 10th, 2014, 12:54 PM

So out school appears to have changed its start date for the kindy's to the 2nd of feb. For the first fortnight they start at normal time and finish at 2:30 I think, then normal times. Our fees are generally due half way through term 1. Uniforms have been bought last week, just have to buy shoes now which will do next month

**Khaleesi** · December 10th, 2014, 02:38 PM

What shoes is everyone getting?
First year I got DD1 the target, payless shoes one & they all broke. I spent way more than I should of.
This year I got her clarks & they are still wearable but she needs to go up a size & they are way too big for DD2.

So next year I'll get some clarks & runners for sports.
There goes $300 on shoes...

**leckert** · December 10th, 2014, 04:20 PM

Stationery is included in fees here- we get mid jan to cover & label to give back to teacher when he does a home visit first week of school; have to buy uniform from school (private) next year. Going to try to get decent sandals for term 1 (depends on me getting work next year). Black lace ups shoes (Clarks type) for term 2.

**HotI** · December 11th, 2014, 03:44 PM

They like them to recognize their name & at least try to write it.
Which DD2 can do but she will be one of the older kids in the class.
She can write, recognize some words & numbers.
I know some kids start with only recognizing their name.

DD1 will be one of the youngest in her year level, but she can write her name and taught quite a few of the other kids how to write their names! We haven't been told what they need to know.