Parents, starting school is a new and exciting time for you too, not just your child!

There are a range of resources available to help you prepare your child for starting school, and learn about some of the issues parents need to consider in the first years of school.

Starting school - Illawarra Children's Services
This booklet includes hints and tips for school readiness activities and assessing whether a child is ready for school, as well as information on immunisation, healthy lunches, outside school hours care and more. A handy month-by-month checklist also outlines key dates for the year before your child starts school.

Going to a primary school - NSW Department of Education and Communities
This website is full of information including

• Time to start school - Family guide to preparing for kindergarten
• A Special Place, a children's picture book to read with your child.

On My First Day - a collection of messages from Kindergarten and Year 1 students, produced by the ACT Goverment.

Our Support page is filled with links to specialised services that can help you and your child with information and support in areas including health and development, nutrition, early childhood programs and support for children with additional needs.

Don't forget to check out events for school starters in your area, and like Billy Backpack's Facebook page to keep in touch with the latest news.

• Support and links to other services
• Events for school starters and their families
• Billy Backpack on Facebook

Is my child ready to start school?

Teachers talk about how parents can decide if their child is ready to start Kindergarten in this short video from the School A to Z website.

© State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training

Children in NSW may enrol in Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five years of age on or before 31 July in that year. All children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. This video may help you in deciding if your child is physically, socially and emotionally ready for school.

Parents' Perspectives

From Corrimal Children's Centre to Corrimal Public School
Sharon writes about her son's transition from Corrimal Children's Centre to Corrimal Public School, and how both the school and the early childhood centre built relationships with parents and created supportive learning environments.

Starting 'big school' at Mt St Thomas Public School
Kate talks about her eldest daughter starting school at Mt St Thomas Public School, some of the emotions she experienced and how the school's transition to school program helped ease the change.

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