Parent Info
All you need to know to get your child ready to start at Glenorie Preschool.
What to bring
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Please pack your child’s healthy morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea in a labelled insulated bag/lunch box. Morning tea is generally a piece of fruit, or vegetable pieces, along with a snack such as cheese and biscuits or a yoghurt. For lunch, children tend to bring a sandwich or wrap with a small snack. We encourage you to limit the number of processed “snacks” in individual packaging that you send, as these foods are often promoted as healthy but contain higher amounts of fats, sugar and salt.
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Please ensure that you send a drink bottle that your child can open independently, and one that is spill proof. We have a water tap that can be used to refill the children’s bottle during the day.
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We recommend a set of cot sheets as they fit perfectly. Rest time is provided for those children who may request or require it. No child is made to sit on a bed but will be encouraged to relax for 20 minutes to give their body some down time.
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As part of our sun smart policy, children will be required to wear a hat for outdoor play and will have sunscreen applied at regular intervals.
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Please provide several items of spare clothing to change in to should they have toileting accidents or get too messy/wet from play.
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Please do not provide any food containing nuts as we have a strict “no nuts” policy
Please ensure all items are clearly labelled
Please do not bring toys from home as we know they are precious and may become lost
What to expect
Upon arrival, assist your child to hang up their bag using the hooks on the verandah, place your food bags in the labelled baskets (also found on the verandah), please bring in your child’s hat and drink bottle. Drink bottles are placed on the drinks trolley found in the foyer area and hats are placed in hat pockets ready for outdoor play.
A code will be provided to you to open our door using the electronic lock and you will need to sign your child in using the iPad in the foyer. This is done using the Xplor App which you should have already downloaded and can be done by scanning the QR code. An educator will be able to assist you in this process.
Always say ‘Goodbye’ or ‘See you in the afternoon’, no matter how tempting it is to ‘sneak’ out the door. It is important that children develop a sense of trust and learn that you will always come back to pick them up. The Educators are more than happy to help you deal with leaving an upset child. If your child does become too distressed we will call you to let you know so that you can come back, however every attempt will be made to settle your child into pre-school life. You are also welcome to call us as often as you wish to check that your child has settled. You may also like to consider allowing for an earlier collection for the first few days to assist with settling. Pre-school is a new experience and like any other, it takes a while to get used to it. Remember that If you approach the idea in a positive way, then it is more than likely that Pre-school will be a positive experience. Be assured that the educators will be patient and understanding.
Documentation and Communication
During the day we will document the children’s learning and share this with the families via our OWNA app which provides our parents with a window on to their child’s day. This valuable tool plays an important part in allowing families to take part in their child’s learning journey, however we feel it is necessary to remind families that it is just a few snapshot moments as it is most important for our educators to be fully engaged in the learning experiences that are occurring throughout the day. In addition, each child’s individual portfolio is accessible to families and provides another valuable record of each child’s learning and activities.
We believe that children benefit from a meaningful relationship between the pre-school staff and their parents, with good communication and collaboration to support each child’s individual needs. We recognise and respect that parents are the primary influence in a child’s life, and therefore strive to maintain and develop close links between families and the pre-school. Family contributions in the way of their knowledge and involvement in the educational program are welcomed.