Research tells us that children learn best when they have a positive self-esteem. A positive self-esteem means the child feels loved and valued and is able to confidently interact with the world around them. Parents can help develop their child’s self esteem and school readiness by:

• Talking positively about school and education
• Encouraging children's efforts, irrespective of results
• Encouraging them to socialise regularly with friends of the same age
• Encouraging active lifestyles and creative potential through painting, making things or just running around
• Providing them with responsibility e.g. Setting table/cleaning up after themselves
• Accepting that they will be at a different stage of development and will learn at different rates
• Allowing them to stay with relatives or friends occasionally to develop independence
• Reading to your child regularly as research indicates that this will have a significant influence on a child's 'readiness' for school
• Building awareness that will assist the child but are not essential to know before they come to school include how to:
• Write or recognise their own name
• Recognise their own belongings
• Tie their own shoelaces
• Recognise numbers from 1-10 and creating some familiarity with the alphabet through talking about letters when the opportunity arises
• Helping your child to distinguish between their little lunch and big lunch

Be aware that each child develops individually and it is very important children enjoy their opportunity to learn.

Religious Education - Sharing your own faith and values with your children. Teaching them how to pray and allowing them to accompany you to church services.

Communication – take time to talk and to listen to your children, discussing the events of the day, asking questions, making observations and planning future activities.

Reading – read to your child, be seen as a reader, give books as presents or rewards, point out different signs in the street or whilst travelling and have plenty of books and print materials in the home.

Writing – let them see you write (notes to friends, shopping lists etc), provide a space for writing, praise their attempts as they begin to mimic writing and give the child various things for writing (pens, pencils, paper, note books, crayons, tracing stencils)

Maths – encourage them to count aloud common objects (pegs when hanging out the washing, animals on the farm), use words such as more/less, equal/below/above, circle/square, name the different types of money and how much things cost. Allow your children to play with blocks to copy shapes, talk about the time (morning or afternoon)

STARTING HIGH SCHOOL

Holy Name works closely with St Clare’s High School, Taree to ensure a smooth transition from Primary to High School. All students participate in a High School Orientation Day in Term 4 as well as selected students participating in additional transition days to assist identified needs.