Welcome to Kindergarten at Ainslie School
In 2016, our Kindergarten team comprises of 2 classes:
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Junior Team Leader | Catherine Dillon |
| KC classroom teacher- East wing | Sascha Colley |
| KS classroom teacher- East wing | Isobel Short |
| K/1S classroom teacher - East wing | Clair Shute |
Kindergarten is an important year of schooling as children formally begin to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Our whole school community will help your child adjust to school and help them to feel comfortable.
In Kindergarten at Ainslie children learn through play, games, social learning and hands-on activities. We focus on the whole child and their interests, needs and abilities. We structure literacy and numeracy groups across the year level depending on students' learning needs. We value excellence, respect and community.
All kindergarten classes implement elements of the Walker Learning Approach on most mornings, which has been specifically and rigourously designed and researched to ensure that explicit teaching and learning is retained alongside directed and scaffolded investigations. During these investigations, students are engaged in hands-on learning, where children's interests are used as the predominant means for learning experiences alongside explicit teaching of skills and understandings in literacy, numeracy and other academic and cognitive areas. Teachers provoke learning in Kindergarten.
When to start school
Your child can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 30 April in that year. By law, all children must be enrolled in school by two weeks after their sixth birthday. The ACT Education and Training Directorate also offers an early entry program.
When to start your child at school is an individual decision. You may want to discuss this with us or with your child's preschool educator, carer or doctor.
Preparing for Kindergarten
You can help your child prepare for Kindergarten and be organised for the first day at 'big school', by discussing what they might expect. For example, after they meet their teacher they will have table activities to explore, with other children they might already know, as well as with new ones to meet. Trying on school uniforms beforehand or maybe shopping for a new school bag, lunchbox or shoes can add to the excitement. Please contact our school should you wish to visit beforehand to help your child feel more comfortable and to start getting to know people there.
For further information visit the Starting School page on the ACT Education and Training Directorate website.
Useful resources for Parents and Carers
- Kindergarten Achievement standards for English and Mathematics (
16.9 KB)
Kindergarten Achievement standards for English and Mathematics (90.5 KB)
- Supporting your child at home (
Supporting your child at home ( - Five ways to build your child's literacy skills (includes translated information)
- Reading with your child at home
- Literacy and numeracy tips (includes translated information)
- Everyday numeracy K-4 video (includes translated information)
- Five ways to build your child's numeracy skills (includes translated information)
Fun learning links for children
Reading Eggs (use your school logon)
BBC Schools - Games
Starfall - learn to read with phonics
ABC 3 -Games
Literacy Centre - Education Network
