Kindergarten

Your Child’s School Voyage

Children learn many important things before they start school. They learn from you at home, from friends and family, in local playgroups, at Child and Parent Centres, and at child/family day-care, if they attend. They bring all this learning with them to school when they start Kindergarten. Children learn best when they are supported by their families. The more you are involved in your child’s learning and the more you talk with the teacher, the better you can both support your child. A strong partnership with the school and regular contact with the teacher makes sure your child gets the best start to school.

The Department’s booklet ‘Hello Kindergarten’ is a great resource that explains some of what to expect from our school and how to best prepare your child for Kindy. To view this resource, please click this link: Hello Kindergarten

Kindy School Uniform

At Ocean Reef Primary, we have a school uniform that all students wear. In most of the school, the shirts are blue with a red bar down the side and the Kindy shirts are the reverse. This makes them easy to distinguish when they are in the playground. The children can wear any plain blue shorts or trackpants; closed in runners are best. You will see from the picture that the inside of the bucket hat has a different colour on it. Depending upon their ship (faction) this colour is different. You will be told which ship your child is in, red, white, or blue.

The shirts last well and many are donated to the P&C at the end of the year. As a result, there may be some second-hand shirts available from the P&C Cabin, located close to Cadet 1. Please contact the Bridge for up to date opening times.

What do I need to buy for them? What is the Personal item lists?

The school tries to purchase any item that is shared, or used by multiple families, but some items of consumable stationery are used just by your child. Every year, in Term 4, a Personal Items list for the following year is posted on the website. In subsequent years, any unused items will be returned before the deadline for ordering. Stationery items can be bought from many stores, but we have a main supplier from which you can get everything. Some items are only available from them, and some books and writing books require specific spaces between the lines. Details of the Kindy Personal Item list can be found on the school’s website: ORPS Personal Item Lists

Which Days will they come to school?

Kindergarten students come to school 5 days across a fortnight, two days one week, three days in the next. You will be advised on what days your child will attend Kindergarten at the parent information night or by contacting the Bridge (school office)

Students come to school all day from 8:50am to 3pm from the very first day.

Cadet 1, their classroom, is open from 8:35am in the morning to help the students settle and get organised for the day ahead.

Term Dates for this year and future years are available on the Department of Education’s website Department of Education Term Dates

What happens in a Kindergarten classroom?

In the classroom, there will be a teacher and an education assistant who plan purposeful activities and lessons based around the West Australian Curriculum. There will be occasions when there may be additional staff working with individuals or groups of students. Your child will quickly get to know all staff in the Cadet block.

Throughout the year, the teacher will look for opportunities for you, to come into the classroom to provide some specific help, if you are available to do so. Your child’s teacher will provide more information about these opportunities via Dojo

Whilst we promote healthy eating and sustainable practices, through the curriculum, you know your child best and are best placed to provide the essential fruit, recess snack, lunch, and water bottle. We do request that water bottles contain exactly that – water! We will notify you of feedback from your child regarding their lunch or recess items, so that you can have a discussion with them. We will, wherever possible, make sure items that are not eaten are sent home in the lunch box, again so you can have a chat with your child. From personal experience those little taste buds can change quickly and what works today may not be flavour of the month tomorrow!

As an allergy aware school, staff are trained in anaphylaxis management, and we utilise the Department’s standardised management and emergency response plans. If your child has a known allergy, please contact your teacher and the Bridge, so that we can complete a management plan.

How do we communicate between home and school?

• School’s email: OceanReef.PS@education.wa.edu.au
• Class Dojo: This is a free app that sits on your smartphone. We are trying to make the classroom and learning ‘visible’. That’s school speak for allowing you to see what your child has been learning in class. Teachers and the school, post messages and reminders to you. You can also use this tool to communicate with the teacher.

• Qkr! Payment: We use the QKR app which allows you to make payments for school and P&C events easily. It means permission slips and payments are all handled at the one time. The app is managed through the Commonwealth Bank and Mastercard.
• Student progress throughout the year:  we have some ‘formal’ opportunities for you to find out how your child is doing. In Term 1, we hold a parent/teacher interview afternoon/evening. At the end of Term 2, you will receive a written report and then there is an end of year written report. If you have a concern in between, please make an appointment to speak to your teacher, send them a message on Class Dojo, or contact us at the Bridge.

Voluntary School Fees & P&C Contributions

We appreciate that not all families, for a whole host of reasons, are able to be involved in fundraising and other school events. Several years ago, the school adopted an approach that is used in many schools. Parents can opt to give a voluntary donation of $30 through Campion, one per family. In addition, there is a small voluntary contribution, $40 in Kindy and $60 in the rest of the school. This contribution assists with the purchase of classroom-centred consumable items, such as glue, paper, cooking materials, etc.

The P&C At Ocean Reef Primary School

We are very lucky to have the ongoing support of a wonderful group of parents that form our P&C. Our school P&C have been very successful in fundraising for school resources and regularly providing support at school events throughout the year. The P&C support the school by running many fun events throughout the year. Some of the events are to raise money, others are simply to support us in creating an enjoyable environment for the students.

Over the years, the P&C have supported the school with the purchase of iPads, play equipment, building outdoor play areas and classrooms, additional reading and learning resources, as well as running discos, special lunches, and morning teas. One area that they also support the community is by selling second-hand uniforms. The P&C has a stall in their room where these items can be bought. The P&C also has a Facebook page with information about school events that they support. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing auxiliary crew