Prep is a full-time program that children attend from Monday to Friday during our school hours.
Children must be aged 5 years by 30 June in the year they start Prep (t
o see when your child is eligible to start, please use the online calculator).
Prep provides the foundation for your child's success at school by developing:
- the knowledge, understanding and skills detailed in the Australian Curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history (Foundation Year)
- independence and confidence
- creativity and problem-solving skills
- physical abilities, including gross and fine motor skills.
In Prep, teachers support children's learning by making connections between school and their experiences at home, kindergarten or childcare.
Prep curriculum
Prep students are taught the Foundation Year of the Australian Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Arts and Health and Physical Education.
Learning in Prep
In Prep, your child will have opportunities to learn in many different ways. This includes active learning such as play-based and enquiry-based approaches. They make decisions, solve problems, develop thinking skills, collaborate, communicate and develop a positive sense of self.
Children learn about:
- speaking, listening, reading and writing
- mathematics and problem solving
- science, exploring interesting and important questions about the biological, physical and technological world
- humanities and social sciences, understanding their world, past and present, and develop a capacity to respond to challenges, now and in the future, in innovative, informed, personal and collective ways
- the arts, making, performing and responding to different art forms
- health and physical education, flourishing as healthy, safe and active citizens in the 21st century.
Prep children also learn about:
- negotiating rights, roles and responsibilities and developing social skills for working and playing with others
- diverse social and cultural practices of people in their community
- making healthy choices
- experimenting with materials in a variety of creative, imaginative and innovative ways
- technology in everyday life
- music and movement
- regulation and engagement skills taught through explicit lessons to support consistency of language and reinforcement of skills. Students will learn to identify emotions, access calm down and problem solving strategies to promote positive engagement in the curriculum as they build skills as learners.
Support transition to Prep for you and your child
Prior to starting Prep at Wishart State School, we offer support for you and your child in our Transition Program.
What is the Transition Program?
We aim to provide an environment that is stimulating, engaging and inviting for both parents and children. When developing our Transition Program, an emphasis has been placed on preparing our environment and staff for your child's transition from Kindergarten to Primary school and developing your child skills to support a successful transition to school. The program will allow students multiple opportunities to familiarise themselves with the school environment whilst they develop the necessary skills for success in the first year of schooling. During our program our staff will learn about your child's, their interests, how your child learns, provide positive experiences, support problem solving skills,
To join our Transition program, families are required to be enrolled in Prep for the following year. We encourage you to enrol your child in Prep as soon as In-Catchment enrolments open. Once your application has been accepted, you can access multiple opportunities to engage with the school in our events, programs and free information prior to your child starting school.